iOS Version Deprecation Schedule

As a special update here, L5 support is conditional on Apple’s relationship with L5. Given that L5 went out of business at some point in mid-2013, it is unknown whether Apple will continue to approve apps that request access to the L5. Most likely, they will at least for a while until L5’s annual developer agreement expires.

However, the only way to find out is for us to submit a new release. If at that time Apple decides that L5 is no longer a valid target because they’re no longer operating, we may be unable to extend L5 support out to September as planned.

We therefore encourage immediate migration to iTach adapters for anyone still using the L5 given the end of L5 the company. While we still plan to retain L5 support until Summer 2014 as previously announced, we will need to remove L5 at any moment if Apple blocks release with L5 integrated, and we will not be able to provide any significant notice of such an event if it occurs beyond a few days or so.

Thank you.

Version 2.4 of Roomie will be released in the very near future. This is expected to be the final release (modulo any maintenance releases if needed) prior to the iOS 8 update this Fall that will require iOS 7 and remove L5 support.

This message is the final notice. All we will be able to do if you contact support after release of the Fall update with either of these two issues is provide consolation if you have not saved the IPA.

Note that assuming we do release a separate product ‘Roomie Remote for iOS 6’ as we did last year for iOS 5, that product will also not support the L5 as the old L5 company is not in business and Apple will not approve new apps for it.

If you require L5 support, it is necessary to save the IPA file for Roomie 2.4.X using iTunes prior to Roomie’s Fall update or you will no longer have a way to use Roomie on iOS 6 or use an L5. If either of those are something relevant to you, then, as Chekov said, “now would be a good time”.

Thank you.

A final update on this. Roomie 3.0 is the release that removes iOS 6 and L5 support. For Roomie 3.0, we will be taking advantage of Apple’s fairly new ability to install older releases in order to provide iOS 6 support. That feature will allow version 2.4.1 (the current version) to be installed on iOS 6 devices from the App Store even after the current release is 3.X. iOS 5 will continue to require Roomie Remote for iOS 5. Roomie 3.0 will of course introduce official support for iOS 8. A quick table that says the same thing:

  • iOS 8: Roomie 3.X
  • iOS 7: Roomie 2.4.1 or Roomie 3.X
  • iOS 6: Roomie 2.4.1 (available from the App Store even after 3.X release)
  • iOS 5: Roomie Remote for iOS 5

Thank you.

Just to get this on the calendar, as we do every year, one version of iOS is dropped each September. We do plan to drop iOS 7 as usual in September 2015 paired with a release adding support for the presumed iOS 9 release. We plan to do that the same way we did it this year. A final 3.X version will be released in the Summer, and that will remain available for iOS 7 devices even after the release of a 4.X version. The 4.X release itself will require iOS 8 or iOS 9.

Thank you.