Apple is adding new App Store age-rating descriptors for location-sharing and dating apps, with a November 16 compliance start and January 12 deadline.

Apple is giving App Store developers a new compliance deadline that could change how some iPhone apps are rated and surfaced in the store. According to Apple’s developer news, new age-rating descriptors for Shared Location and Dating and Relationships will become actionable on November 16, 2026, adding a more specific layer to the App Store review process. [1]

The update is especially relevant for apps that let people share their location with friends, family, or groups, and for apps built around dating or relationship matching. Apple says developers will need to declare whether their app includes either feature so the company can assign age guidance more precisely. That makes the change more than a paperwork update: it can affect distribution decisions and how parents understand what an app contains.…