Apple releases Xcode 7.0.1 with fixes for app thinning bugs

By Roger Fingas

Apple issued a minor update to Xcode on Monday, fixing several bugs related to the development suite's support for iOS 9 app thinning.

Release notes for the update -- version 7.0.1 -- don't go into further detail. Thinning minimizes the space apps consume by loading only the assets needed for a particular iOS device. The technology should be useful mostly for people who download universal apps, since iPad assets can be useless on an iPhone or iPod yet still consume large amounts of space.

On Sept. 24 Apple deactivated app slicing, a feature of app thinning, because of a problem with iCloud backups. Today's Xcode update could be related to that issue, though Apple has yet to announce the feature's return.

When the deactivation happened, Apple promised only that slicing would come back "with a future software update."

Developers can download Xcode 7.0.1 for free via the Mac App Store. The software requires at least OS X 10.10.4.