Using iOS 12 Simulator on Mac Studio M2

meviza wrote:

MrHoffman wrote:

Assuming you have access to the older Xcode downloads available to Apple developer program members, and your chosen hypervisor can provide USB pass-through on Apple silicon, and the available storage, probably.

Thank you for your detailed response! I appreciate the insights. I'm currently exploring the option of using older Xcode versions on my M2 Mac. Could you kindly provide guidance on which program, such as Parallel Desktop, UTM, or any other recommended virtualization software, I can use to install the mentioned older Xcode version on my current setup? Your assistance would be highly valuable. Thanks in advance!

Additionally, I've learned that the iOS 12 simulator can be installed with Xcode 13.4. If I can find a way to install this version on my current system, I'll truly understand whether the effort is worthwhile or not.

Scrounging a used iPhone 6 will be cheaper, more expedient, and with a more reliable result. I recommend this real-hardware approach, if you're not going to deprecate that iPhone. Particularly if the simulator behavior isn't an exact match. More generally, keeping an iPhone 6 around is not likely worthwhile.

As for the whole stack, you'll need macOS 12 and probably Parallels, though I don't know off-hand if Parallels provides USB pass-through. macOS 12 is available for Apple silicon, so there's that. This whole stack of apps and the associated time and effort is also not likely worthwhile.

AFAIK, iOS 14.0.1 is the oldest available simulator with Xcode 15.2.

You'll need to acquire and use a device running iOS 12 for this testing; an iPhone 6 or such.

meviza wrote:

Thanks. Is there a chance I can set up an older version of Xcode with a virtual machine to run an iOS 12 simulator without purchasing a device like the iPhone 6?

Assuming you have access to the older Xcode downloads available to Apple developer program members, and your chosen hypervisor can provide USB pass-through on Apple silicon, and the available storage, probably.

You're probably going to want to test your app on real hardware that far back anyway, and scrounging one would avoid the effort you're headed for here. Going price used and unlocked seems to be USD$50 to USD$75, as well. Ask around, and you might be able to scrounge one locally.

It's also obviously possible to deprecate iPhone 6 and earlier and deprecate iOS 12 and earlier, since you don't have one and can't test. Some of the major apps have already deprecated iPhone models not running iOS 14 or later, so this deprecation wouldn't be unusual.

meviza wrote:

MrHoffman wrote:

WidgetKit replaced Today:

… WidgetKit | Apple Developer Documentation

… Building Widgets Using WidgetKit and SwiftUI | Apple Developer Documentation

Thanks. I'm aware of that; the minimum target for my app is iOS 12 and later. However, WidgetKit has a minimum requirement of iOS 14. What I want to learn is how to add a Today Extension for an app with a target of iOS 12.

TL;DR: scrounge a used and unlocked iPhone 6.

WidgetKit replaced Today:

… WidgetKit | Apple Developer Documentation

… Building Widgets Using WidgetKit and SwiftUI | Apple Developer Documentation