How can I remove iPad support from AppStore

Question

How I can upload new version into AppStore without iPad support.

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Solution 1

You cannot do this. Apple says that you cannot take away supporting a specific device type once you do it.

Developers who wish to issue updates, but remove device support, have three choices:

• Fix their app so that it can work on the devices they originally set out to support.
• Target a newer version of iOS that requires a newer device.
• Remove their app from the store, and upload the new app with a different bundle ID.

Apple's recommendation (https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/qa/qa1623/_index.html) is to add the device support back, or remove the app from the store and upload it back as a new bundle id (not ideal). Option 2 above really doesn't apply to what you are trying to do.

Solution 2

Apple will not allow you to remove support for iPad if you ever offered it on a given app name.

Solution 3

The device support can only be removed if your app hasn't yet bypassed the apple review stage

Comments

[DS.]

Well, that sucks! What if the developer didn't have the resources to continue to support all devices, or the low usage on one device didn't justify spending resources on it?

[ios_provisioner]

Basically, you would then deprecate the original app and release a new one that only supports the devices you can keep up with. Unfortunately, its the cost of native app development. I will say, if you write your apps well, and follow Apple's best practices, you really shouldn't have to do much to support all the iOS devices.

[DS.]

Deprecating old app means - not being able to use the same name again, the existing users won't find it again on app store if they delete and try to reinstall or get a new phone even. You lose the cumulative growth of the app. You have to build up ratings and reviews and search result ranking again. Need I go on? Following best practices is good, but not always easy/free. Most of the time, bigger/different screens warrant different layout to be optimal for that platform - and that's just extra work no matter how you put it. For free apps, sometimes, it may not be worth to keep it up.

[Ulysses Alves]

Can I remove iPad support on a new bundle/version before I've sent it to Apple for review? I've just tested my app on iPad simulator to take some screenshots required by Apple before submition, but the app really doesn't look any good on the iPad, so I pretend to send a new bundle/compilation with just iPhone support. Will they allow me to do that? Right now the app has not been released to App Store yet. It's just available on TestFlight.

[A.R Naseef]

I am stuck in the same situation @UlyssesAlves. Were you able to do that? Remove support for iPad. If so, How did you do that?

[Ulysses Alves]

@A.RNaseef I don't remember, sorry. But as it was said in this answer, Apple does not allow to remove support for iPad once you set it up. My app is live today on the App Store, available to iPhones only. So I think I probably just didn't send any app bundle with support for iPad. Try to just uncheck the option for "support iPad" when publishing your app bundle. I'm almost sure this was just what I had to do to publish the app without getting it locked with iPad support.

[Faraz Ahmed Khan]

Can you tell me how can I remove it? My app has currently not bypassed the first release review process and got rejected. The issue is occurring in iPad, so I want to remove it's support.

[Peter Wauyo]

@FarazAhmedKhan just upload another build which has no iPad support.

[Kalixt]

I have currently the same problem, but it was created by inconsistent App Store workers. My app is four versions old, but only at fifth release there is problem with screens for iPad which are just stretched versions of iPhone screens. iPad simulator is not enough to take screens which reflect full functionality but I don't want to buy 650 EUR device just to support 0,1 % (random download) of user base. If they would reject my app at first version I would just drop iPad support, but I can't now.