Friday 21 July 2017

iOS 11 Highlights Increased iPad Opportunities for App Development

Unlike Android, Apple is very transparent about their operating system. iOS app development in Australia is much like everywhere else in the world: you simply wait for Apple to release beta access to the latest build 3 months before it launches, giving developers enough time with the new features to build their apps around them.

Beta Testing Gives Developers Time

This is a necessary step, given that iOS is a so-called ‘walled garden’, meaning that apps can be used on iOS only if they are distributed through the App Store, which requires adhering to Apple’s strict guidelines. Having an ability to pre-emptively adjust apps for new operating systems is critical to ensure no issues when the latest arrives.

iOS Launches September 2017

iOS 11 is set to launch in September 2017, and while developers have been aware of iOS 11 for some number of months, in late June Apple finally released the first public beta, and some key takeaways portend a long-awaited path for the tech giant.

This Will Make The iPad Amazing

The general vibe is that iOS 11 makes up for a lot of disappointed held by existing users of the iPad. Long promised as a ‘laptop killer’, previous iterations of Apple’s operating system simply expanded the mobile platform to the larger screen, lacking some of the more desktop-like features that users have been clamouring for. Well, no longer.

Changed Dock Functionality

Apple has sought to update the docking function on iOS to more closely reflect the user experience on their Mac computers. The dock now shows previously opened apps, giving you easy access to not only close apps when required but to more effectively access multitasking, a late addition to the party that arrived in iOS 9. The design of this docking bar is increasingly following the ‘flat design’ aspect embraced by Apple in recent years, completely abandoning the dreaded skeuomorphic approach (having elements that look like their real life counterparts).

Drag-and-Drop Usability

Another desktop feature built into the new platform is drag-and-drop abilities. When multitasking previously, iOS relied on copy-and-paste to take pieces of text or images from app to app. But no longer! Simply highlighting your desired area and then dragging it across to another app replicates a far more user-friendly approach to app usability.

Augmented Reality Opportunity

iOS 11 also embraces augmented reality, giving developers an opportunity to take advantage of iOS devices’ cameras in new and exciting ways. Users are increasingly enraptured with apps such as Snapchat and even Pokemon GO, both of which take advantage of layering images over the top of real world vision from their cameras. iOS 11 takes advantage of Apple new developing framework, ARKit, providing developers with a unique opportunity to make their application far more engaging than ever before.

Be Prepared

If you’re currently undertaking iOS app development in Australia, take advantage of the public beta and test your new application in the latest software environment. When iOS 11 launches, you want to make sure that what you’ve made is as up to date as possible!

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