Apple is changing its App Store age ratings so that dating apps, and AI companion apps that offer romantic or sexual interaction, must carry a minimum 18+ rating. We Are Tech Africa reported that the requirement applies from 16 November, and said Apple framed the move as a way to protect minors from unsuitable content.
What we know
According to coverage of Apple's developer announcement, made on 2 November, new age-rating questions will appear in App Store Connect on 16 November. Developers will be asked to declare whether their apps include "Dating and Relationships" features, which will trigger the 18+ minimum, as well as Shared Location features. Reports say every app must answer the new questions by 12 January 2027.
Several outlets reported that the rating follows the features an app actually contains rather than how the developer describes it. That would mean a general chatbot or character app that allows romantic role-play could be captured, not only apps marketed as AI girlfriends or boyfriends. Apple indicated that Shared Location declarations may not affect ratings in some regions.
Why it matters
An 18+ rating is not the same as age verification, but it changes where companion apps can be found and who can install them on managed or child accounts. For operators, the feature-based test matters most: products that tolerate romantic role-play while positioning themselves as general-purpose may now face a choice between accepting an adult rating or building stronger content controls. The change also aligns Apple's store policy with the direction of state laws in New York and California, which target companion features for minors. Operators will want to check how ratings interact with app discovery, advertising and any regional age-assurance tools Apple offers.
What to watch
How Apple reviews borderline apps after 16 November, and whether Google Play introduces a comparable rule.
Written by the AI Companion Wire newsroom from public reporting, credited above. Image via We are Tech.
