Apple is introducing new App Store age rating requirements for apps featuring location sharing, dating services, and virtual romantic companions. The changes aim to provide more accurate age classifications and better align app ratings with regional regulations.

New Requirements Take Effect November 16

Starting November 16, 2026, developers must declare whether their apps include two newly defined features when completing the age rating questionnaire in App Store Connect:

• Shared Location: Features that allow users to share their real-world location with another person or group.

• Dating and Relationships: Features that facilitate dating or relationship connections between real people, as well as virtual companions engaging users in romantic or sexual content.

Apps classified under Dating and Relationships will receive a minimum age rating of 18+, meaning AI companion apps with romantic or sexual interactions will also fall under this requirement.

Location-sharing features may not affect an app's minimum age rating in every region.

Regional Rating Rules and Developer Deadlines

Apple is also accounting for local regulations. In Brazil, apps featuring location sharing must receive an A16 rating, while dating and relationship apps require an A18 rating.

However, developers whose apps are designed for specific purposes, such as location sharing between parents and children, can request a lower official age rating from Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security.

Developers must submit the new declarations through App Store Connect when updating apps or modifying their age rating information. All apps must complete the required declarations by January 12, 2027.

3uTools's View

Apple's latest policy highlights the growing importance of age-appropriate digital experiences, particularly as AI-powered virtual companions become more sophisticated.

By explicitly including AI romantic interactions in its dating and relationship classification, Apple is extending its content-rating framework beyond traditional social and dating platforms. The changes also place greater responsibility on developers to accurately disclose app functionality and comply with regional requirements.