Can I submit my app built with Xcode 12.4?

Question

I am building my app on a old Mac wich can only run Xcode 12.4

On Apple's Submit page it says:

Please note, starting April 2023, all iOS and iPadOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with Xcode 14.1 and the iOS 16.1 SDK.

And on the Apple Developer News page it says:

Starting April 25, 2022, iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with Xcode 13, which includes the SDKs for iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and watchOS 8.

Does that mean I have to buy a new mac to build & submit my app?

Answer 1

If you're a paid developer, you might get better help directly from Apple, but the minimum SDK train continues to march onwards.

Whether you can virtualize, rent, find another way to comply with the checks Apple puts up depends on your creativity and tolerance to spend time instead of money. The easy solution is a new kit and upgrading to the latest Xcode within 6 months of general release so you don't have to find all the new SDK and Xcode bugs, but also don't get shut out when these deadlines are communicated.

In practice, the new apps tend to get the closest reading of the "rules" and there's some grace period for updates to existing apps and usually a longer one for apps not getting an update, but even an old existing app will eventually need to get work put into it to port / test / rebuild and add the new metadata being requested / required by Apple to sell through their software stores.

I can't see any way you can avoid change and continue to use Xcode 12.4 looking at the Q4 / 2022 situation.