Google with Android and Apple with their iOS and other operating software are two leading tech giants in the world of smartphones and other devices.
Apple, Inc. has been selling computers, smartphones, smartwatches, and other electronics since it was founded in the 1970s. To this day, it is one of the biggest competitors in the Android software market.
Moreover, Apple has more than 100,000 employees that work on their many devices and software platforms to deliver the best user experiences.
Given its importance in the world, mobile app development companies work with the iOS software to create mobile and web apps for various kinds of customers.
With the help of cross-platform development frameworks, mobile app development for Android and iOS has now become a simultaneous process.
Since this is the case, any developmental changes in the iOS software and related tools can create ripples through the tech industry. This year, in June, Apple announced a new line of technologies that has shaken up the field of app development for good.
With these new technologies, the app experience for iOS is bound to undergo a major change. Therefore, we would like to discuss some of these new technologies being set up.
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The New App Development Technologies By Apple, Inc.
It has been announced that the new tools that Apple has brought to the market will help mobile app development companies grow in different ways.
The 23 million app developers who work with iOS and macOS will be equipped with building tools for the future of app development. Let us take a look at some of these new tools.
1. App Store Lab
Feedback is an important part of any kind of industry, tech or not. In the case of software and app development, operating systems like iOS and Android form the backbone of native and cross-platform app development.
So, to address this important aspect of app development, Apple, Inc. takes feedback from developers who work with iOS and macOS apps during the Worldwide Developers Conference every year.
In 2020, Apple also featured an online App Store Lab that allowed developers to share their feedback to improve the functioning of the Apple App Store. Apple has also decided to add new forums to collect feedback from the developers.
2. New Review Processes
As mentioned above, Apple has decided to pay more attention to the feedback from the developers. Thus, apart from the App Store Lab, Apple has introduced new review processes for developers.
With the ongoing pandemic situation, this year’s App Store was held virtually, and developers were encouraged to submit feedback and suggestions that would help improve the App Store.
Moreover, Apple has introduced other additional feedback channels as well. These new forums will allow developers to share their suggestions and feedback directly with Apple.
Using the feedback collected from the developers and the companies that hire iOS developers, Apple will be able to make changes to its App Store as needed.
The biggest change in the feedback and review processes is that developers can now appeal to executive decisions about apps that violate App Store Review Guidelines.
Also, any bug fixes on apps that are already published, will not be delayed on account of guideline violations. These bugs can be fixed by the developers in the next submission.
3. ARKit 4
ARKit 4 is the latest version of Apple’s Augmented Reality tool. The new version has some exciting features such as location anchors, depth API, improved object placement, face tracking, and video materials. With these new features, AR app developers can create better apps for their users that blend the virtual and real worlds perfectly.
4. App Clips And Widgets To Reach Users
With the introduction of App Clips, users will now be able to discover apps quickly and efficiently. App Clips use something called the App Clip Codes, which is a new visual indicator for apps. They will also be able to discover apps through NFC, shared links, and various other new methods.
On all Apple devices, App Clips can be launched very easily, and developers can show their users a preview of the app in the most helpful manner. Once the users are inside the App Clips, they can install the app with a single tap.
Widgets, on the other hand, have been redesigned to give information as quickly as possible. The widgets on the Home Screen can be used to provide users information at a glance’ about the apps and an improved experience.
The new SwiftUI API allows native and cross-platform app development companies to build their widgets for iOS, macOS, and iPadOS. In this sense, developers can reach new users in a fun and easy way.
5. Better Access To Platforms Owned By Apple, Inc.
The new technologies that Apple has introduced provide developers with a lot more different ways to integrate their apps into the core features of the device platform.
This way, app developers can deliver great functionality in their apps to their users. For instance, the Find My Network feature is a new technology on Apple devices that allows third-party device makers to make use of a network that has millions of users. This feature also offers end-to-end encryption so that the user data is safe from prying eyes.
Read More:- List Of Features That Google Has Cloned From Apple’s iOS In 2019 And Earlier
HomePod also has a new program that allows third-party music apps to be integrated. Email apps and browsers can now offer the default option to their users.
Also, Safari for Mac has added a new WebExtensions API that is already in use by Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. This makes it easy for companies to hire dedicated developers who can create extensions on Safari that will then be distributed through the Mac App Store.
6. New StoreKit Tool In Xcode
Apple has also brought out a new StoreKit tool in Xcode that allows developers to simulate things like subscription setup, in-app purchases, refunds, and so on, through their Mac devices.
Also, when companies hire dedicated developers to build apps for Apple devices, the new StoreKit framework allows them to automate the testing process of purchase workflows.
7. App Store Server Notifications
The App Store now has new notifications for subscription renewals and customer refunds. This helps companies that hire iOS app developers to manage the customer experience with their apps.
Also, along with the option for family app purchases, the App Store now supports Family Sharing options for subscriptions and in-app purchases. This way, developers can make their user experience a lot more streamlined with the latest App Store updates.
8. Redesigned Game Center
Along with the redesign of the App Store, Apple, Inc. has also redesigned the Game Centre. These new updates include recurring leaderboards, in-game dashboards, recommend features through Friends Playing, and so on. Through these new designs, a mobile app development company can make their gaming apps more interesting to users.
9. Redesigned Xcode
Xcode forms the central part of all development that is done on the Apple platforms. With an all-new design, Xcode 12 has a look that matches the macOS Big Sur.
For instance, the new document tab makes it easy to open multiple files at a time, while also providing support for interface files, logs, and project files.
Each of these files can be opened in its own tabs. A mobile app development company can also change the navigator font to match the system size or make it smaller or bigger.
10. Swift Package Manager
The Swift Package Manager is a tool that lets developers manage the distribution of Swift code. The new design of the Swift Package Manager now provides support for resources that can easily share Asset catalog bundles and localisations.
Along with this, the use of this tool provides developers with access to new open-source packages for Numerics, ArgumentParser, and System, all of which make Swift a great language for users.
11. New Capabilities On SwiftUI
SwiftUI has been able to bring a mobile application development company in contact with a modern UI framework. The new capabilities of SwiftUI have brought in new life cycle APIs that allow developers to write entire apps in SwiftUI.
These apps can then be shared across all Apple devices and platforms. Developers who are already familiar with SwiftUI can add new codes to their existing ones. Also, the new Lazy API allows for huge data sets that offer better app performances.
12. Easily Customisable Apps With Mac Catalyst
Mac Catalyst was introduced in 2019 at the WWDC, along with macOS Catalina. With Mac Catalyst, a mobile application development company can bring their apps for iPad to Mac.
With the macOS Big Sur, Mac Catalyst can automatically inherit the new design and give developers new APIs to work with. Also, it gives developers greater control over their apps.
Read More:- iOS 13 Developer Beta 3: What Should You Know All About
Now, developers get to choose if they want to keep the scale of their Mac apps to match their iPad apps or if they want to build a new customized experience for Mac.
13. PencilKit
The new PencilKit now includes Scribble as well. With Scribble, it is easy to write apps that have text entry fields for users. In these text fields, users can write with their Apple Pencil.
So, by using the new PencilKit, developers will be able to suggest their users an easier option of entering text using their Apple Pencils. Developers will also get access to stroke data with the PencilKit. This way, they will have seamless access to the input from Apple Pencil and the system’s touch gestures.
14. Distributing Mac Catalyst Apps
With the new development in the Mac Catalyst feature, Apple now enables developers and companies that hire iOS developers to distribute their apps to customers in 175 countries across the world. On the Mac Store, developers can distribute their apps widely and give their customers a better experience with Mac, iPhone, and iPad apps.
15. Machine Learning Tools
With the new updates, machine learning development has become easier and more intense. Apple, Inc. has introduced new features like Core ML that allows for model deployment and encryption, new templates and training capabilities in Create ML, and also more APIs for vision and natural language skills.
16. Transparency In Privacy Issues
The new redesign in the App Store allows developers to notify their users of their privacy policies. They can get the details of the kind of data that their apps will collect from the users in the App Store itself.
This way, users will have full disclosure of whether an app is good for them or not. An iPhone app development company can also inform their users if their data will be used by any third-party companies so that they can opt-out if they do not like it. This will provide users a safe ecosystem when using apps on their Apple devices.
Conclusion
The new technologies that were released by Apple, Inc. this year have made it easier for developers to create apps for Apple devices. Recognizing the importance of the developer community, Apple has brought out these changes after considering the extensive feedback from its users and developers.
With these redesigns, the App Store has become more diverse and accessible for an iPhone app development company and its needs. What’s more, it also demonstrated the huge impact that developers have on the company and its policies.
Therefore, quite evidently, Apple continues to revolutionize the field of electronics and app development by allowing its users and developers to have better experiences.
In the future, too, it can be expected that Apple, with its five software platforms – iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS – will continue to provide seamless user and developer experiences across all of its devices.