Will Apple reject new apps if they are not considering the new iPhone 5 resolution?

Question

We are all aware of the increase in screen resolution in the new iPhone 5. On the other hand, the new iPhone 5 will take some time to become popular in the market. If I have an app that I am about to submit to the Apple App Store, and I didn't take any consideration for the new resolution in iPhone 5, will Apple accept it?

I am not saying that I will never take the new resolution into consideration, but I mean that since I worked on the app for a long time, and since the new iPhone will not be in widespread usage very soon, I might submit the app now and submit an update later in the coming months that takes the new resolution into consideration.

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Update

My app was approved by Apple.

I would like to inform you that the app that I submitted after the launch of iPhone 5 was accepted by Apple although it didn't have any iPhone 5 resolution considerations in it, so the answer below is 100% correct.

Cher

What does "between hands" mean? – Medic

It means bought by a big number of users – Cher

"not be in widespread usage very soon"... mhmm.. 2 Million pre-orders, double the amount of the iPhone4S. Prepare for a widespread usage very, very soon ;-) – Galangal

hahaha, well yes but I was willing to submit my app just after the release of iPhone 5 (and I submitted it), and I was afraid it will be rejected for that subject. So it is a "relative" soon ;-) – Cher

Good to know your app was approved :) – Footgear

Yes, thank you, and thanks for your help in this question too :) – Cher

I've updated my answer with a recent announcement from Apple. If you haven't yet updated your app to support the new resolution, you will have to do so by May before you'll be able to ship future updates. – Footgear

Answer 1

Update

As of May 2013, if you're submitting a new application or shipping an update to an existing application, your application will be rejected if it isn't designed for the new resolution on iPhone 5.

While my old answer (below) addresses the question as it was asked at the time, Apple has now revised their App Store submission rules, making support for Retina display devices and the 4-inch iPhone 5 display mandatory. From an announcement on March 21:

Starting May 1, new apps and app updates submitted to the App Store must be built for iOS devices with Retina display and iPhone apps must also support the 4-inch display on iPhone 5. Learn about preparing your apps by reviewing the iOS Human Interface Guidelines.

If you haven't yet prepared your iPhone app for the Retina display, as well as the new 4-inch display on iPhone 5, now is the best time to do so. If you've followed standard practices in laying out your views, it shouldn't be too difficult to update them. The steps are covered quite amply in the above link and elsewhere on this site:

• iOS 6 apps - how to deal with iPhone 5 screen size?
• How to develop or migrate apps for iPhone 5 screen resolution?

Note that if you don't plan to update an application, it will not stop working on iPhone 5 altogether; it'll continue running letterboxed in the old resolution as it already does. The restriction only applies to new submissions and updates.

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Old answer

Your application will not be rejected. It will simply be treated as any other app that isn't yet iPhone 5 ready, and it will run in the usual 640x960 resolution letterboxed (with black bars on the top and bottom) in an iPhone 5 screen without any issues.

You can take as long as you need to prepare and submit an update for the new screen resolution.

Footgear

Thanks a lot for the info, I was about to submit an app and I didn't want to wait more to redesign it for the moment. – Cher