WWDC for Developers: New Toys for Mobile App Developers
June 14th, 2016
As it is a tradition already, Apple gathered the iOS and macOS developers for the WWDC to make a few rather interesting announcements. This time, Apple hasn’t presented any new gadgets but talked about the successes and new features that would be appealing to both users and app developers. Let’s analyze the developers’ new toys.
Siri, iMessage, and Maps - these three instruments were opened for the third-party developers. This means that the features of these three instruments can now be fully implemented in their own apps.
New iOS 10 utilizes Siri to the max as well. Using the voice assistant, one can add new functions to it. Via SiriKit the developers can, for example, implement voice-command in their third-party apps, launch music and radio, and many other things. SiriKit also supports new services, such as booking tickets and organizing payments. At the moment, Siri is used in messengers like Slack, WeChat, and WhatsApp, apps like Uber, Lyft, and Didi, Square banking tool, and a number of other apps.
With iMessage also available for developers, it will become easier to implement the communication tool into the apps. Besides, iMessage has got a lot of additional visual design effects, such as, for example, stickers. One more interesting news regarding the messenger - Apple is working on opening an iMessage App Store. They haven’t mentioned it at the WWDC, but most likely this means that Apple is working on launching a line of bots for their iMessage, especially since Facebook and Google have been talking about bots so much at their own conferences.
Maps will also get a boost. Developers can use maps right within their apps or create applications that would transform or add to the traditional features of the mobile Apple maps.
iPhone’s lock screen has been enhanced as well. You can not just read the messages on your lock screen, but also answer them. The notifications have been seriously updated also by evolving into miniature apps. Users will be able to get additional information in apps, for example, not just get a notification from a home security system, but also get a video from the security camera or a taxi service will notify you where is the cab you’ve called located.
During WWDC, Apple has presented new operational systems. Among them - watchOS for smartwatches and tvOS for AppleTV.
tvOS, operating system for AppleTV, got a whole new range of new API and tools. For example, ReplayKit allows developers to record the broadcast and / or broadcast live content right from their apps. PhotoKit gives access to third-party apps to the photos and videos from the iCloud. Finally, HomeKit allows creating apps to control HomeKit devices using AppleTV.
watchOS 3 got a set of tools that simplify access to apps - standard ones as well as third-party. Also, watch app developers got an ability to use Apple Pay system.
Announcements made at the WWDC support the analysts’ forecasts about the fact that IT world is gradually growing and getting out of the constraints of smartphones and laptops. Smartwatches, TVs, and numerous assistants to manage all this wealth of devices, as well as AI control systems that use voice interface, will soon become a rather common everyday occurrence.
Missed the Keynote? Watch it here:
