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AI & TechnologyApp Store and Google Play Deadlines for 2026 and 2027

Simon Dziak
Simon Dziak
Founder & developer, App369
LinkedIn
October 18, 20266 min

Key takeaways

  • Most 2026 deadlines have already hit. Since April 28, 2026 iOS uploads need Xcode 26 or later, and since August 31, 2026 Google Play needs new apps and updates to target API 36 and use Play Billing Library 8.
  • Google lets you request an extension for both Play deadlines until November 1, 2026. That is the last date to ship an update if you are still behind.
  • The next hard date for Android is February 1, 2027. Google says updates that don't support 16 KB memory page sizes can't be released after that.
  • On iOS, apps built with Xcode 27 must use the UIScene life cycle or they fail to launch. Xcode 27 was released on September 14, 2026.
  • Firebase has five shutdowns between March 22 and September 30, 2027. Core services such as Firestore and Authentication are not on the list.

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The App Store and Google Play requirements that affect mobile app owners in 2026 and 2027 fit in one table: Xcode 26 uploads since April 28, 2026, target API 36 and Play Billing Library 8 since August 31, 2026, 16 KB page size support from February 1, 2027, and five Firebase shutdowns between March 22 and September 30, 2027. The table below is sorted by date, and every row links to the page where the platform states it.

I checked each one on October 18, 2026. Rows whose date has passed are marked "In effect".

Disclosure: App369 is my studio. I build and fix Android and iOS apps, mostly in Flutter, and the last section mentions what I sell. Apple and Google don't pay me for anything on this page.

All dates, in order

DateWhat changesStatusSourceMy guide
January 31, 2026Apple. Apple asked developers to answer the updated age rating questions in App Store Connect by this date, to avoid an interruption when submitting app updates. Affects: every app on the App Store.In effectAppleNone
April 28, 2026Apple. Uploads to App Store Connect must be built with Xcode 26 or later, using an SDK for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26 or watchOS 26. Affects: anyone uploading a build, including Flutter apps.In effectAppleITMS-90725 and Xcode 26
August 31, 2026Google Play. New apps and app updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) or higher. Wear OS and Android Automotive OS apps need API 35, and Android XR apps need API 34. Affects: anyone publishing a new app or an update.In effectPlay Console HelpTarget API 36
August 31, 2026Google Play. New apps and updates must use Play Billing Library 8 or later. Version 7 is no longer accepted by default. Affects: apps with in-app purchases or subscriptions.In effectAndroid DevelopersBilling Library 8
September 9, 2026Apple. iOS and iPadOS apps uploaded to App Store Connect must target iOS 13 or later. Affects: anyone uploading an iOS or iPadOS build.In effectAppleNone
September 14, 2026Apple. Xcode 27 was released. Flutter's docs say Apple mandates the UIScene life cycle for UIKit apps built with the iOS 27 SDK, and that Flutter apps built with Xcode 27 without it fail to launch. Affects: anyone building with Xcode 27, including Flutter apps with a custom AppDelegate.In effectFlutter docs, AppleUIScene migration
September 30, 2026Google Play / Android. Developer verification protections begin for apps installed from participating stores in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand on certified devices running Android 7 or higher. Affects: anyone distributing Android apps.In effectAndroid DevelopersDeveloper verification
October 30, 2026Google APIs. Google says the legacy Fitbit Web API will be turned off and will no longer function or sync data. Support already ended on September 30, 2026. Affects: apps that read Fitbit data through the Fitbit Web API.UpcomingGoogle Health APIGoogle Fit to Health Connect
October 30, 2026Supabase. New tables in the public schema stop getting automatic Data API access in existing projects, so they need an explicit grant. Affects: apps with a Supabase backend.UpcomingSupabaseSupabase permission denied
November 1, 2026Google Play. End of the extension Google offers for the target API 36 and Billing Library 7 deadlines. Affects: anyone who requested an extension.UpcomingPlay Console Help, Android DevelopersTarget API 36, Billing Library 8
End of 2026Google APIs. The Google Fit APIs, including the REST API, are supported only until the end of 2026. Affects: apps that read fitness data through Google Fit.UpcomingAndroid DevelopersGoogle Fit to Health Connect
January 1, 2027Firebase. New users can no longer start using the FCM InstanceId server APIs and device groups. Firebase says new users can onboard before this date. Affects: new integrations that use those APIs.UpcomingFirebaseFCM migration
February 1, 2027Google Play. Updates that don't support 16 KB memory page sizes can't be released, for apps targeting Android 15 (API level 35) and higher. Affects: apps with native code, which includes Flutter apps.UpcomingAndroid Developers16 KB page size
2027 (no month stated)Google Play / Android. Developer verification capability expands globally for all apps on certified Android devices. Affects: anyone distributing Android apps.UpcomingAndroid DevelopersDeveloper verification
March 22, 2027Firebase. Firebase Studio shuts down and remaining data is permanently deleted. Affects: anyone with a Firebase Studio workspace.UpcomingFirebaseFirebase shutdown dates
March 31, 2027Firebase. Firebase Extensions service shuts down. Installed extensions keep running, but you lose the ability to update, reconfigure or uninstall them through the console or CLI. Affects: apps with installed extensions.UpcomingFirebaseFirebase shutdown dates
June 15, 2027Firebase. Firebase ML custom model hosting shuts down. Affects: apps that host custom models in Firebase ML.UpcomingFirebaseFirebase shutdown dates
August 31, 2027Google Play. Billing Library 8 reaches its own deadline. New apps and updates must use Billing Library 9 or later. Extension available until November 1, 2027. Affects: apps with in-app purchases or subscriptions.UpcomingAndroid DevelopersBilling Library 8
September 29, 2027Firebase. The FCM InstanceId server APIs and device groups are decommissioned. Affects: servers that manage topics or tokens through the old APIs.UpcomingFirebaseFCM migration
September 30, 2027Firebase. Firebase Test Lab is fully shut down. Affects: CI pipelines that run tests on Test Lab.UpcomingFirebaseFirebase shutdown dates

Two more notes. Apple's privacy manifest rules (May 1, 2024 for required reason APIs and February 12, 2025 for common SDKs, see the privacy manifest guide) and the FCM legacy send shutdown (July 22, 2024, see the FCM migration guide) already passed before 2026. I keep them in their own guides because they still cause upload and delivery errors.

Apple

Apple's page names one build rule that matters most: Xcode 26 or later since April 28, 2026. As of October 18, 2026, it lists no Xcode 27 upload requirement. The bigger change with Xcode 27 is the UIScene life cycle, which a Flutter app on 3.41 or later with an unmodified AppDelegate gets automatically. A custom AppDelegate needs manual changes. The guides are ITMS-90725 and Xcode 26, UIScene and Xcode 27 and privacy manifest errors.

My advice: check which Xcode your build machine uses before your next upload, and test a build with Xcode 27 before you need one.

Google Play and Android

The Play rules come in pairs. Target API 36 and Billing Library 8 both took effect on August 31, 2026 with an extension to November 1, 2026. After that, February 1, 2027 brings the 16 KB page size rule, and on August 31, 2027 Google requires Billing Library 9 or later for new apps and updates. Separately, Android developer verification started on September 30, 2026 in four countries, with a global expansion in 2027. The guides are target API 36, 16 KB page size, Billing Library 8 and developer verification.

My advice: if you are still behind on API 36 or Billing 8, ship that update before November 1, 2026. Then do the 16 KB check before February 1, 2027, since it is the next date that can block a release.

Firebase and Google APIs

Firebase has five shutdown dates in 2027, plus the January 1 cutoff for new users of the InstanceId APIs. Firestore, Authentication, Cloud Functions and Hosting are not on the list. Google Fit APIs are supported only until the end of 2026, and Google points to Health Connect and the Google Health API. The legacy Fitbit Web API goes first: Google says it will be turned off on October 30, 2026. The guides are Firebase shutdown dates, FCM HTTP v1 migration, Google Fit to Health Connect and, if you use it, Supabase new table permissions.

My advice: open the Firebase console for every project you own and look at Extensions, Machine Learning, Test Lab and Studio. Those are the products with a date attached.

How I keep this page current

Every row links to the page where the platform states the date. If a source says only a month or "later this year", I write exactly that. When a platform moves a date, I change the row and the updated date at the top of this page. If you spot a date that looks wrong, tell me.

Need a hand?

If one of these deadlines lands on an app you can't update yourself, the App Fix Ticket covers it in two fixed-price steps. A $450 Diagnosis gives you the root cause with evidence and a fixed repair quote within 3 business days, credited toward the fix. If you go ahead, the $1,200 Fix takes 5 business days and comes as a pull request. Or send me a short description.

Frequently asked questions

What is the next Google Play deadline?
The deadline of November 1, 2026 is the end of the extension window for the target API 36 and Billing Library 7 deadlines. After that, the next one is February 1, 2027, when Google says app updates that don't support 16 KB memory page sizes can't be released.
What Xcode version does the App Store require?
Apple's upcoming requirements page says that since April 28, 2026, apps uploaded to App Store Connect must be built with Xcode 26 or later using an SDK for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26 or watchOS 26. As of October 18, 2026, the page lists no Xcode 27 requirement.
Do these deadlines apply to apps already published?
It depends on the rule. Google says existing apps must target API 35 or higher to stay available to new users on newer Android versions, and existing apps keep working on version 7 of Play Billing until you ship an update. Most upload-side rules, such as the Xcode SDK minimum, apply when you submit a new build.
Which deadlines affect a Flutter app?
Nearly all of the Apple and Google Play rows do, because a Flutter app is a normal iOS and Android app underneath. The Firebase rows apply only if you use that Firebase product. The Supabase row applies only if you use Supabase.
How will I know if a date changes?
Each row links to the page where the platform states the date, and I list the date I checked it. Dates can move, so check the linked page before you plan around one. I update this page when a platform changes a date.

Sources

  1. Google for Developers, Google Health API (Fitbit Web API dates)
  2. Apple Developer, Upcoming requirements
  3. Apple Developer, Releases
  4. Flutter docs, Migrate to UIScene life cycle
  5. Play Console Help, Target API level requirements for Google Play apps
  6. Android Developers, Play Billing Library deprecation FAQ
  7. Android Developers, Support 16 KB page sizes
  8. Android Developers, Android developer verification
  9. Android Developers, Migrate from the Google Fit APIs
  10. Firebase, FCM troubleshooting (InstanceId and device groups deprecation)
  11. Firebase, Migrate from Firebase Studio
  12. Firebase, Extensions FAQ and troubleshooting
  13. Firebase, Migrate Firebase ML model hosting to Cloud Storage
  14. Firebase, Test Lab
  15. Supabase changelog, Tables not exposed to the Data API automatically
Tags
#app store deadlines 2026 #google play deadlines 2026 #app store requirements 2027 #google play requirements 2027 #target api 36 deadline #play billing library 8 deadline #16 kb page size deadline #xcode 26 requirement #firebase shutdown dates #mobile app compliance calendar
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