Upcoming deadlines
| Date | Requirement | Store | Countdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play payments authorization for developers selling into or out of JapanComplete the authorization by December 1, 2026 if you sell into or out of Japan, or your payments are held globally. | Google Play | ||
| Google Play location permission policy and the location buttonApps targeting Android 17 use the location button for one-time precise location from January 27, 2027. | Google Play | ||
| Google Play contacts permission policy and the Android Contact PickerBroad contacts access is restricted from January 27, 2027. Use the Android Contact Picker unless it cannot do the job. | Google Play | ||
| Google Play READ_CALL_LOG: the end of account verification by phone callAccount verification by phone call stops being a permitted READ_CALL_LOG use on January 27, 2027. | Google Play | ||
| Google Play 16 KB page size requirementUpdates that do not support 16 KB memory page sizes cannot be released from February 1, 2027. | Google Play | ||
| Google Play trader status declarationEvery developer account must declare trader or non-trader status in Play Console by February 1, 2027. | Google Play | ||
| Google Play memory usage thresholds for apps and gamesNew memory usage and bitmap memory thresholds apply to apps and games from February 2027. | Google Play | ||
| Google Play code optimization requirement: 25% minimumFrom February 2027, uploads with large DEX code need at least 25% optimization, obfuscation and shrinking. | Google Play | ||
| Google Play zero-tap sign-in restoration requirementApps with sign-in must restore the session without manual steps on a new Android device from April 2027. | Google Play | ||
| App Store minimum SDK requirement: iOS 27 SDK and Xcode 27Uploads must be built with the iOS 27 SDK and target iOS 15 or later from April 2027. | App Store | ||
| App Store iPhone Duo screenshots requirementSubmissions need iPhone Duo screenshots from April 2027. Apple lists the exact pixel sizes. | App Store | ||
| Google Play Billing Library version deadlinesVersion 8 reaches its deadline on August 31, 2027. Version 7 reached it on August 31, 2026. | Google Play |
Already in force
| Date | Requirement | Store | Countdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android developer verification: registration and timelineProtections began on September 30, 2026 in four countries and expand globally in 2027. Register your apps. | Google Play | ||
| App Store age rating: the social media capabilities questionSince September 2026 every submission needs an answer about social media capabilities in the age rating. | App Store | ||
| Google Play target API level 36 requirementNew apps and updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) since August 31, 2026. | Google Play | ||
| App Store updated age rating questionsUpdated age rating questions had to be answered for every app by January 31, 2026. | App Store | ||
| App Store DSA trader status for apps in the EUApps without a verified DSA trader status are removed from the EU App Store, since February 17, 2025. | App Store | ||
| App Store privacy manifest and required reason APIsSince May 1, 2024, apps must describe required reason API use in their privacy manifest. | App Store |
How to read these pages
- Dates are copied from Apple’s Upcoming Requirements page, Apple news posts and App Store Connect Help, from Android Developers pages, and from the Play Console and Google Payments Help Centers.
- A month-only date, such as April 2027, counts down to the first day of that month, the earliest possible day, and says so.
- When two official pages differ, the page says so instead of picking one silently.
- The verification date shown on each page is the day we read the official sources.
- An automatic check re-reads these official pages every week and flags any change in the sentences that carry the dates.
What these pages do not cover yet
Google’s Policy Deadlines table lists more rows than we cover here: the geofencing foreground service change (2027-01-27), subscriptions with ongoing eligibility-based discounts (2027-01-27), the AppFunctions API policy (2027-04-14), and the Local Network and Manage Contacts permissions (2027-08-25). Apple’s Upcoming Requirements page also keeps older entries, for example macOS and notarization changes. Read the original tables for those.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the dates come from?
Only from official pages: Apple Developer (Upcoming Requirements, news and App Store Connect Help), Android Developers and the Play Console and Google Payments Help Centers. Each page lists its sources with the date we read them.
Why do some deadlines show only a month?
Because the official source gives only a month, for example “Starting April 2027” for Apple’s SDK requirement. We keep the month and count down to its first day, the earliest possible date.
What happens to a deadline after its date?
The page stays online and is marked “In force since”. The static page is regenerated every day, and the browser countdown switches by itself at midnight in your time zone.
Is this legal or compliance advice?
No. The pages summarize official statements for planning a release. For legal questions such as trader status, both Apple and Google recommend asking a legal advisor.
Official sources
The three official index pages that these pages follow: