Important for developers: Apple overtakes youth protection rating system

Anyone who develops apps for the App Store should deal with Apple’s Altens rating system in the run-up to the rollout of new functions for child protection under iOS 26. There is there, the group warns in its development blog some changes in the future. If these are not observed, this can mean that apps are deleted from the offer.

New ages, new questions

Apple’s new system requires filling out a new questionnaire per app. If this has already been processed, the youth protection rating should Actually set automatically have become, but that doesn’t always seem to work and should be followed up. In addition: In the future, App Store Connect also queries which in-app control options exist, what skills an app has in principle and whether there is content on the topics of medicine and wellness as well as violent content in an app or game. The questions must be answered by the end of January 2026.

Apple also emphasizes that apps to adherence to youth protection laws and data protection regulations such as the GDPR have to be kept. This also applies to integrated AI assistance systems and chatbots. Further age classifications are also new. In the future, 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+ and 18+ will be possible. Depending on the country or region and the legal situation applicable there, these are adapted. The rating system has already been implemented in the beta versions of iOS 26, Ipados 26, MacOS 26, TVOS 26, Watchos 26 and Visionos 26.

Apple promises improvements for parents

With iOS 26, MacOS 26 and Co., there are, among other things, new features for the management of a family group including age check and it is possible to share age with apps in a safe way. There are also control options including the corresponding frameworks (which third party apps still have to implement) which chat partners are permitted in communication apps for the offspring.

Apple now automatically switches functions such as the screen time at Kinder-Accounts and is intended to lead Apple more easily through child protection functions. iOS 26 and Co. probably appear in September, and a public beta is currently underway.