Apple's new App Store performance-tier flags cut off ~half of Metal 4 devices
SebAaltonen · x · 2026-09-19
Developer SebAaltonen highlights two new App Store flags — iphone-performance-gaming-tier (iPhone 15 Pro+) and ipad-minimum-performance-m1 (M1 iPad Pro/Air+) — that guarantee Metal 4 support but exclude roughly 50% of otherwise capable Metal 4 devices.
Devices lost with these flags include iPhone 12 through 15, iPad 10, iPad (A16), iPad Air 4, iPad Mini 6, and iPad Mini (A17 Pro). He questions why Apple doesn't offer a plain Metal 4 flag, and is weighing whether porting his game PETAFAB to Metal 4 is worth the lost device coverage versus staying on Metal 3 (though iPad would still need an M1 minimum spec).
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