Updates Required for App Stores
Within the last month, both Apple and Google have announced they will be removing apps which have not been kept up to date.
Many, if not all, PhoneGap projects are old enough that they will be affected. Fixing them is usually not a huge problem - VoltBuilder is designed to help PhoneGap users update their projects.
We have the following resources to help:
Apple
You may have gotten this from Apple:
App Store Improvement Notice
This app has not been updated in a significant amount of time and is scheduled to be removed from sale in 30 days. No action in required for the app to remain available to users who have already download the app.
You can keep this app available for new users to discover and download from the App Store by submitting an update for review within 30 days. If no update is submitted within 30 days, the app will be removed from sale.
There is more information on their web site. Apple is not specific as to what they are looking for, but refer you to the App Store Review Guidelines.
Some of the things we know can cause problems are insecure web references, using UIWebView, and using out of date Xcode libraries (PhoneGap ended at 8.0, VoltBuilder is up to date at 13.3). These issues are easily resolved by building with VoltBuilder.
Update: On April 29, 2022, Apple issued this clarification:
As part of the App Store Improvements process, developers of apps that have not been updated within the last three years and fail to meet a minimal download threshold — meaning the app has not been downloaded at all or extremely few times during a rolling 12 month period — receive an email notifying them that their app has been identified for possible removal from the App Store.
Apple always wants to help developers get and keep quality software on the App Store. That’s why developers can appeal app removals. And developers, including those who recently received a notice, will now be given more time to update their apps if needed — up to 90 days. Apps that are removed will continue to function as normal for users who have already downloaded the app on their device.
From November 1st, 2022, all existing apps in the store must target an API level within two years of the latest major Android OS release. Google will place limits on which users are able to discover or install them if they are not up to date.
Here is the blog post from Google’s developer support group explaining the new policies.
Specifically, your app needs to be built using Android API Level 30. The highest API level available to PhoneGap was 28. VoltBuilder supports API Level 30 now.
What VoltBuilder does
To start testing your app right away check out VoltBuilder!
VoltBuilder is a wrapper for Apache Cordova and Ionic Capacitor. We make it easy for you to build native executables (e.g., .apk, .aab, and .ipa) for Android and iOS from web apps. You can augment these executables with native code plugins to extend your app’s capabilities far beyond what is possible in Web Apps and PWAs.
Using VoltBuilder simplifies and speeds up your workflow while keeping things framework neutral. As a web service, there is nothing you need to install. We also keep everything up to date so you can focus on building to the latest standards, and make sure to keep you in the loop on things that might affect your build process.
The way VoltBuilder works is simple. Zip your project, upload it to VoltBuilder, and download your Android or iOS executable.
Getting Started With VoltBuilder
If you haven’t already, sign up and select the VoltBuilder plan that best fits your needs and budget. You can use the Free plan for limited testing, or get more builds by trying out our Indy or Pro plans with a 15 day free trial!
Then, check out our Docs Section to learn how to integrate VoltBuilder into your development process.
When you’re ready to upload your first project, watch our video tutorial (or read the tutorial in our docs). The Docs section has plenty of other helpful resources, like Migration Guides, sample projects, and tips to get you started! If you need extra help, stop by our Support Forum!