From 16 November, App Store Connect will ask developers to declare these features in its rating questionnaire. They must respond when updating an app or changing the questionnaire, with a deadline for all apps of 12 January 2027.
The criterion concerns features present in an app, including where a romantic companion sits alongside other uses. It therefore does not automatically cover every conversational assistant. An 18+ rating also does not establish how each existing account will be treated.
A second descriptor covers sharing real-world location with other people. Its effect on the minimum age rating varies by region.