The IOS 13 initial beta version has recently been released on Apple’s annual worldwide conference for iOS app developers. From that point onwards, we’ve seen a public beta and the fourth beta launch for developers, and witnessed more than a few changes that will shape app development for iPhones and iPads.
From the user’s point of view, there are a few major and more smaller refreshed features that will affect the user experience, including the much talked about “Dark Mode” and the option to share the device space and capabilities with multiple user accounts. Widgets and photo editing also get a boost, not to mention the health tracking features, with a cleaner home screen look, further activity insights, female health trackers, and hearing metrics.
Users can additionally improve their communication acuity as they will be able to check the availability and location of their contacts. As far as locations are concerned, users will also benefit from the enhanced Maps feature that will enable precise address location with address highlights, pedestrian data, road coverage, and more intuitive and relevant transit information. The coverage of the Maps feature is still limited but it is expected to cast a wider net during this year and in 2020. Overall, there are over 200 changes for users that developers must account for during future mobile development for iPhones.
Refreshed Features for iOS App Developers
For developers, there are novelties in almost every area of iOS app development.
Although each may not be a spectacular breakthrough on its own, collectively the new iOS 13 developers’ features will require that you deepen your understanding of cloud-based apps and enterprise platforms. It will also ask you to think about how to innovatively use the enhanced security features, AR improvements, and Core ML, which is promised to be 30 percent faster. Overall, the new iOS is much more powerful than its predecessor. Let’s look at what will change for iOS app developers in more detail once the new operating system gets officially launched.
Augmented Reality
Hopefully, you’ve mastered all basic lessons about the ARKit with ARKit and ARKit 2, and now you’re ready to take it forward with ARKit 3.
Since it’s not an interest or priority for consumers, the initial impression may be that augmented reality is somewhat dropped at the backburner for Apple. But ARKit 3 speaks of a different direction – it includes improved motion capture, collaborative sessions, multi-face tracking, and people occlusion options.
Two new tools have been introduced, RealityKit and RealityComposer, that help developers work with a hands-on approach on the device itself, play with spatial ratios, as well as record sensor and camera data for the location of the AR experience in order to better replicate it later on their own devices.
Payment Enhancements
Apple Pay is a much-beloved feature for iPhone users. Since its delivery five years ago, it constantly grows its user base. The number of transactions is on the rise. And what are the two basic benefits of payment apps and features users most like to see? Efficiency and security. iOS 13 is coming with better security than ever. Users will interact with each other via one single channel in each app.
All new apps developed under the new OS will require iOS app developers to integrate the App Transport Security in all new apps. Since the NFC will also be polished with the upcoming launch of iOS 13, there is a whole new range of options that open for developers to create features for reading smart contactless cards and chips in ID documents.
For inspiration purposes as to what the new apps may include – the ride transit option can now be used with or without Express transit mode, depending on the location – in NYC, Chicago, and Portland subways, as well as in other major cities worldwide, including London, Beijing, Shanghai, and Moscow. The new NFC framework will not only be able to ID-scan and read a variety of formats, but it will also write and lock down NDEF tags if the developer deems that necessary or chooses to do so. Obviously, NFC will get a much wider coverage that it has now.
iOS 13 and Swift 5 Updates
Each renewal of the Swift programming language is a crucial milestone for iOS app developers, who need to grasp the basic elements of the new update as the backbone of future language versions. Swift 5 remained compatible with Linux and came with a no-so-steep learning curve as some of the previous versions. The most prominent change was the enhanced API stability, also capable of reducing the language modifications, thus continuing the trend of smaller iOS apps, especially with the iOS 13 update. iOS 13 will strengthen the exclusive access to memory during runtime and support dynamically callable types, as well as certain new data types.
Apple Subscription Services: TV+ and Arcade
We are eagerly awaiting to see what will the two content later subscription services, Apple TV or TV+ and Arcade, bring later this year. However, they will for sure benefit from iOS 13 enhancements that can provide enforced support for exclusive content creation and monthly gaming subscriptions. Additionally, tvOS 13 will deliver full-screen previews of video content and multi-user support, making it easier for users to enjoy their favorite video content.
Generally speaking, the mass of tiny improvements to many features means more efficient, secure, and integrated iOS with faster updates (some say they will even be 30 percent faster), and improved visuals for users and cleaner interfaces for enterprise apps. Since iOS 12 was mainly focused on correcting the buggy iOS 11, now we are to experience the true results of the made improvements in the shape of new features. What’s left to see is the audience response to these new and improved features as time to launch approaches. In the meantime, iOS app developers should get acquainted with and used to as many of the features as possible in order to be ready once the latest OS is fully in use.
