Apple is adding two new declarations to the age rating process in App Store Connect, and developers will have until January 12, 2027 to complete them. According to a post on the Apple Developer news page, the new content descriptors cover apps with shared location features and apps with dating or relationship features.
What developers must declare
The first descriptor, Shared Location, applies to any app that lets a user share their real-world location with another person or group. The second, Dating and Relationships, covers features that enable dating or relationship connections between real people, and also virtual companions that engage a user in sexual or romantic content, according to Apple's description.
Developers will need to provide the declarations when they submit an app update or change their age rating questionnaire. Apple says every app must have them completed by January 12, 2027. MacRumors, which reported on the change, says the requirement takes effect on November 16.
Effect on age ratings
Apps that declare Dating and Relationships features will receive a minimum age rating of 18+. For apps that declare Shared Location, Apple says the minimum age rating may not change in some regions, so the impact depends on where the app is distributed.
Brazil is handled separately because of local regulations. There, Apple says Shared Location apps require an A16 rating and Dating and Relationships apps require an A18 rating. Developers who believe their app qualifies for a lower rating in Brazil, for example an app that offers location sharing designed specifically for parents and children, can request an official rating from the country's Ministry of Justice and Public Security. Once verified, that rating will be shown on the App Store in Brazil.
Why it matters
The wording around virtual companions is notable. By naming companion experiences that involve sexual or romantic content, Apple is making clear that dating-style features are not limited to apps that connect two real people. Developers of chat, social and companion apps may want to review their feature sets against the new definitions well before the January deadline.
For users, the practical result should be more consistent age ratings on App Store listings for apps with location sharing or relationship features. Apple has not said whether existing apps without the declarations will face any penalty beyond the deadline, and the announcement does not describe other enforcement steps.
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