What is the maximum AIR version that targets iOS 5.1.1?

[tomaugerdotcom]

Don't want to completely cut off iPad First Generation users, so I would like to know what version of Adobe AIR still allows 5.1.1 as the min-os-version?

Is there a nice table somewhere that I can see each AIR version with its minimum / maximum iOS versions?

I don't even see this info in the AIR release notes for each version.

thanks!

[Colin Holgate]

I believe the current version of AIR 14 still allows iOS 4.3. The tech specs are just being safe. You should give it a try.

[tomaugerdotcom]

Hi! Thanks for chiming in! I'm not sure this is accurate, since AIR 4.0 stated minimum iOS version of 6.0. I would be surprised if they added more backward compatibility in subsequent versions. I'm not sure I can test this out myself because I don't own a First Gen iPad. Is there a way to do it in the simulator (PC)?

[Colin Holgate]

We’ve used AIR 4 on iPad 1, and we have an AIR 14 app in the store from a few days ago that we meant to limit to iOS 6, and iPad 1 users are having troubles with it. But they are allowed to buy the app.

[tomaugerdotcom]

Very interesting! As far as limiting the iOS version for your app, you should be able to set the <key>MinimumOSVersion</key> in your app XML. That should prevent older iOS users from downloading the app directly.

[jadams602]

Simply stating a minimum iOS version in the requirements page doesn't mean it technically can't still run on older versions. There was a recent post from an Adobe employee on a similar thread stating that it just means they give support for those versions a higher priority.

Granted, as newer AIR SDKs come out it might be that a new native API call that requires a minimum OS of something like 6.x might sneak in.

In fact, I'd be curious what version of <key>MinimumOSVersion</key> gets added to your .ipa with the latest AIR 14 SDKs.

Haven't tried it recently but I think as late as the recent AIR 4 SDKs, if you didn't explicitly add a <key>MinimumOSVersion</key> in your app xml yourself, you would end up with a default of 4.3 in your resulting .ipa.

AIR 4 SDK builds ran fine on iPad1s even when the tech requirements listed iOS 6.x as a minimum OS.

[tomaugerdotcom]

Very cool insights! It raises the question though: how can you tell if an API call has a minimum OS version, if that's the case? I would hate to release an app that supposedly runs on an older iOS and can be installed, but then crashes or fails (or worse).

[jadams602]

It is a good question, but I'm not sure there is a clear answer. If you use certain ANEs or other native-bridged APIs in AIR like CameraRoll, StageText or StageWebView those might warrant more stringent testing on your part before you sign off on allowing pre-iOS 6.x/7.x support with your app.

It has been a bit vague for AIR 4 given the choice to state a minimum 'supported' version that wasn't directly tied to a technical limitation

is AIR getting restricted by Xcode 5?

Perhaps AIR 14 or something soon might change some core call to use an iOS 6.x supported API, heck maybe even soon limit things to iOS 7.x+ too.  Minimum iOS versions supported are all clearly marked in each function of Apple's iOS API documentation, but we aren't completely privy to what Adobe is using internal to AIR (though you can always check on any ANEs you might include if you have source).

I'd say if your testing on actual hardware doesn't show any serious issues I'd give it a try. You can now always include an explicit changed MinimumOSVersion in your app xml in an update to the app if you discover a showstopper issue even after the app gets released on the app store.

[tomaugerdotcom]

Brilliant. Well, is there a way to set the iOS version of the AIR simulator? I suspect not, right? It's kind of hard to track down a First Gen iPad for testing...

[Colin Holgate]

If your main worry is to avoid iPad 1 users having a bad experience, why not rule them out? It would be a small percentage of users. You can set the required OS version in the app descriptor XML, in the info additions part:

<key>MinimumOSVersion</key><string>6.0</string>

[tomaugerdotcom]

Sigh, would that I could. This is an enterprise release and so the hardware is a little prescribed.

[jadams602]

Newer versions of XCode only come with 6.1 and 7.1 Simulators so you would need to test on actual hardware which is really important no matter what versions you are supporting.

As Colin mentions you can also just rule them out completely.  I just checked my latest analytics and see iPad1 users are down to 1% of my current total userbase as well.  Not sure what the market average currently is...  Considering all the millions of original iPad1s sold I hope they are getting recycled