Why SpringBoard failed to launch application with error: -3

EDIT: Starting Feb 1, 2014, Apple will no longer accept pre-iOS7 apps for submission to App Store. So while this technique still works, it will not be useful for most readers.

Yes, this is fine. I still build with iOS 4.3 for one project (it's been awhile since we updated; but they still accepted it after iOS 6 came out), and I currently build 10.5 apps with Xcode 5.

See How to point Xcode to an old SDK so it can be used as a "Base SDK"? for details on how to set it up. You can use my fix-xcode script to link everything for you every time you upgrade.

The only trick is getting the old SDKs. If you don't have them, you generally need to download old versions of Xcode (still available on developer.apple.com), open the installer package, and hunt around to find the SDK you need.

SDKs can be found within the installer package at:

Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/

Looks like this is a known issue. From the Xcode 5 release notes:

After switching the minimum deployment target of an application from iOS 7.0 to a release prior to iOS 7.0, building and running the application may fail with the message “iOS Simulator failed to install the application.”

• Go to the iOS home screen, click and hold the application icon, then tap the hovering “X” button to delete the application. 13917023

Another release note:

iOS Simulator

• If an iOS app is detached, relaunching the same app from Xcode will result in a black screen in the Simulator even though the new app is launched. Terminate the app in the Simulator or relaunch it for the second time. 14648784