'You might see some banks and similar institutions run into problems - anything that hasn't been updated in a few years is going to have issues'

The app-ocalypse is coming and almost no one knows it. Apologies for the dreadful pun but, in about six to eight weeks' time, hundreds of thousands of older apps for iPhone and iPad will cease to work when Apple updates its iOS software to version 11.

Businesses and consumers who rely on these elderly apps and update to iOS11 without knowing the consequences face a rude awakening.

Their difficulty ranges from mere inconvenience that a useful app no longer functions to the complete loss of valuable data buried in a piece of obsolete software.

Apple began signalling two years ago that it was signing the death warrant for older apps when it moved iOS to 64-bit software - essentially a more secure, faster and technologically advanced version that replaced the previous 32-bit code.

First, Apple encouraged developers to rewrite their apps to 64-bit status but continued to allow 32-bit apps to function. Then it began to warn developers and customers that future iOS updates would experience compatibility issues.

You may have seen - and ignored - the messages when launching apps in the last year telling you "App X needs up to be updated, the developer needs to update it to improve its compatibility."

Finally, just this June, Apple confirmed that iOS11 would put the kibosh on 32-bit forever when it's released into the wild in late September. The announcement came and went with little fanfare from the public's perspective.

Around the world, iPhones and iPads began to throw up the message "This app will not work with iOS11" when opening old software. Most users assumed it was not their problem.

Most developers were well aware that their earlier creations either needed an update or risked being left in limbo. In some cases, the work required to port to 64-bit is trivial - an hour or two of recoding. Other apps, particularly those that have not been updated in years, could demand weeks or months in complicated cases. Many developers could decide it's not worth the effort.

The games segment appears to be the most seriously affected. But that nifty little app you depend on to, for example, convert currency or store your recipes could go the way of the dodo. That's fine if you have a ready alternative but not so dandy if the app vanishes and takes your precious salmon meunière instructions with it.

More seriously for businesses, the app written for them years ago that, for example, chugs along making money by connecting them to customers may go kaput. It's an extreme example but with more than 2.2m apps currently on the App Store, you can bet there'll be a few nasty surprises related to the estimated 200,000 imminently obsolete 32-bit apps come September.

Prolific Irish developer Steven Troughton-Smith fears a painful transition for many people. He's the author of dozens of apps and attempting to bring all of them up to speed on iOS11 hasn't been easy.

"Data loss really is a concern, and it doesn't seem to be one Apple has spent any time thinking about," says Troughton-Smith, creator of apps including Grace and Lights Off. "Regular users will upgrade to iOS11 and no longer be able to open old apps and games they might have data in, and with no way to roll back to iOS10 they're gonna be out of options."

"Apple's hope is they can use this as a carrot to tempt developers to update their apps, but for many of these apps they're only not maintained because the developer went out of business, no longer exists, or can't afford the expense, so that's not really going to help in most cases.

"You might see some banks and similar institutions run into problems - anything that hasn't been updated in a few years is going to have issues.

"Personally, I am trying to update as many of my own apps for 64-bit as I can. I started the process a year ago, and have the two smallest ones ported, but my bigger apps are going to be much harder to do."

"I understand why they're moving to 64-bit only - it lets them build a lot more functionality into the OS. I think this makes more sense than how they were going about it before now, which was arbitrarily removing apps from the App Store that were over a certain age.

"I feel historical preservation is important, and the idea that your children cannot go back and use the apps/games that you used as a child saddens me deeply."

Galway developer Vinny Coyne is less pessimistic about the changeover to 64-bit.

"There are a couple of major benefits to what Apple is doing - it will improve performance overall, and it gives Apple the chance to clear the App Store of abandoned apps," says Coyne, developer of apps including EirText and Game Golf. "All of the apps I currently have on the store are 64-bit compatible.

"Apple have been messaging users directly about this change since iOS 10, so we've had plenty of notice. Unfortunately, people will be caught out and yes, some data will be lost, but the onus is on the developers, not Apple."

Owners of early iOS devices (from the iPhone 5 backwards) won't even be able to update to iOS11. The App Store will continue to function for them - for now - but only older apps will be downloadable.

To see a list of apps destined for the dustbin on your device, go the Settings app. Then choose General>About>Applications. My count is 100 dodos in waiting. Prepare to be surprised and dismayed at your tally. Act now to export any data you need from these apps before it's too late.

Indo Business