Apple is adding two new content descriptors to the App Store Connect age rating questionnaire — Shared Location and Dating and Relationships — according to an Apple Developer News post published November 3, 2026. Developers can start declaring them on November 16, 2026, and Apple says every update or age rating change submitted on or after January 12, 2027 will require the declaration.
TL;DR: Starting January 12, 2027, any App Store Connect update must declare whether your app includes real-time location sharing between people or dating/relationship features. Apps that get the Dating and Relationships tag automatically receive a minimum 18+ rating, with no carve-out for teen or young-adult audiences — except in Brazil, where a separate classification system (MJSP) applies.
It's not only dating apps that need to check the new questionnaire — any app with live location sharing between users is in scope too. Teams that already run reliable iOS app development as an ongoing process tend to treat platform policy updates like this as routine release-checklist items instead of last-minute surprises.
What Apple Just Changed in App Store Connect
The age rating questionnaire in App Store Connect calculates the rating shown next to your app — the same system that already asks about violence, gambling, and user-generated content. Apple is adding two items: a Shared Location descriptor, covering apps where users can share real-time or precise location with another person or group, and a Dating and Relationships descriptor, covering apps built around romantic connections — including a virtual AI companion designed to simulate one. Both fold into the existing rating logic; the rest of the calculation stays the same.
The Key Dates Business Owners Can't Miss
- November 16, 2026 — the new descriptors become available in the questionnaire; developers can start declaring them.
- January 12, 2027 — the hard deadline. Any update or age rating change submitted on or after this date must include the new fields.
That second date is the one to plan around — it applies to the next update you submit, whenever that lands, as long as it's on or after January 12, 2027.
Who This Actually Affects
It's tempting to read "Dating and Relationships" and assume this is a dating-app problem. The Shared Location descriptor makes it broader than that. Apps reasonably likely to need a look at the new questionnaire include:
- Loyalty and local-business apps with a "share your location with a friend" or group-referral feature.
- Booking and delivery apps where a customer can share live location with a driver or another user — not just enter a static address.
- Family or team tracking apps built around seeing where other group members currently are.
- Chat or community apps with any matching, dating, or AI-companion feature layered on top.
If none of that describes your app, you likely only need to confirm "no" on both fields. If it does, read the exact questionnaire wording in App Store Connect before you answer — Apple's definitions, not a summary, are what determines your rating.
What the "Dating and Relationships" Tag Does to Your Rating
If your app qualifies for the Dating and Relationships descriptor, Apple applies an automatic minimum 18+ age rating, with no exception for teen or young-adult audiences. The one regional exception is Brazil, which classifies apps under its own system (MJSP). For a business app, this mainly matters if a dating-style or AI-companion feature is a secondary add-on rather than your core product: an 18+ rating affects discoverability and could cut off users you were trying to reach, which is a good reason to confirm the tag applies before you ship.
A Quick Checklist Before Your Next Update
Before you submit your next App Store Connect update — ideally before January 12, 2027 — run through this:
- Check for the two trigger features. Does your app let users share real-time location with each other, or include dating/relationship functionality, including an AI companion?
- Declare it at your next update, don't wait. Fields open November 16, 2026 — fill them in at your next submission instead of scrambling in January.
- Re-check your rating and store listing. Confirm your rating updates and that your listing isn't promising an audience it no longer supports.
- If this is one task among dozens, hand it off. A team that already tracks App Store policy changes is less likely to let a deadline slip past a launch date.
FAQ
Do these new descriptors apply to Android apps too?
No. They're part of Apple's App Store Connect questionnaire, so they apply to iOS and iPadOS apps. Google Play has its own separate age and audience declarations, unaffected by this change.
What happens if I miss the January 12, 2027 deadline?
The declaration becomes mandatory for any update or age rating change submitted on or after that date — you'll need to complete the questionnaire as part of the standard submission flow before the update can go through.
Does this affect apps that only share location with customer support, not between users?
Based on Apple's description, Shared Location covers real-time location sharing between people or within a group — not sending an address to support or a delivery driver. If your use case is closer to the latter, re-check the exact wording in App Store Connect before you submit.
Source: Apple Developer News, confirmed by TechTimes and TechMyMoney. Informational purposes only; does not replace professional advice. Found an error? Let the editors know via the contact page.
