Apple has a habit of introducing revolutionary changes year after year with every new operating system launch. 2020 was no different. In fact, in many ways, it was the most revolutionary year for Apple in terms of advancing user experience and privacy. In case you missed out on the features that the new iOS 14 updates comes with, head on to our article – How to prepare your app for iOS 14.
However, we can presume that by this time you must have gotten acquainted with the key aspects of iOS 14 privacy features. But do you know that the update will carry an impact on the process of how your partnered iPhone app development company handles your app development and distribution?
Let us talk about it in detail in this article today.
The List of Privacy-Centric iOS 14 Updates
The biggest announcement that Apple has made in terms of the iOS update that will be made next year is giving users the option to clock IDFA identifiers at the application level. A move that strengthens the tech giant’s position in the Apple vs Android, which platform is a more secure debate, would require the apps to ask the users for permissions to gather and share users’ data.
There are other privacy-related moves as well, but let us attend to IDFA first.
1. Changes in IDFA and store-level control
What is IDFA?
An identifier for Advertisers is a unique identifier for all mobile devices which is used for targeting and measuring the effectiveness of the advertisements on a user level across all the mobile devices.
What is the update about?
For every app install, users will have to opt into IDFA. When developing apps for iOS 14, app publishers will have to provide a summary of privacy practices on the basis of which users will decide whether they want to opt-in IDFA or not.
The impact of this update lies in ad campaigns becoming incapable of performing control recency, optimizing and measuring ad performance, or perform behavior-based segmentation. Additionally, the move is contributory to consent fatigue, which would increase the instances of users declining the data view request.
The impact of the update on the advertisers will be two-fold –
Retargeting to users will not work in the iOS application development process if the users opt-out of sharing their IDFA. Brands that don’t use deterministic variables like a phone number or email id (like Google and Facebook do) will witness a reduction in the targetable audiences.
Because of the limited access to IDFA, brands will not be able to show relevant ads to the users, a move that might direly impact user experience and ad monetization efforts of iOS app development.
2. Changes in app install attribution
iOS 14 comes with an updated SKAdNetwork interface that offers a method for Apple to notify the ‘ad network’ when a campaign creates app install conversion.
The impact of this update is the negligence of another type of app conversions for which a mobile app campaign would want to optimize other than app installs.
3. Control over geo-location access
Presently, iOS users have control over which apps access their location through the ‘Location Service’ setting. The new update will allow the users to opt-out of precise location sharing. And when that happens, only approximate geolocation data will be shared with the apps.
Apple presently comes with the feature of Intelligent Tracking prevention or ITP which blocks cross-domain tracking. With iOS 14, there will now be a ‘Privacy Report’ passed to the users in addition to the ITP. It will tell the users which companies it is blockchain from viewing their data.
The impact of this update is more image-based than anything else. Brands have multiple use cases for tracking users – recency control, frequency capping, behavioral-based targeting, spend attribution, etc. But the update will give the users a perception that every company has the same tracking intent.
How is Anteelo Preparing for the Changed iOS 14 App Development Process?
iPhone app development has always been one of our strongest suits. We have always one of the first iOS app development company to run hypothesis testing on all the new updates. iOS 14 version is no different.
Our team of iOS app developers has deep-dived into how iOS 14 impacts app creation and promotion and while we have looked into the changes that we will have to make the app ready for iOS 14.
The primary step for us was to peruse the platform-wise recommendations for the iOS 14 update.
Facebook
Google
Apple
The documentations helped us get on top of the changes that were coming with iOS 14 and what we needed to do to prepare for them. Keeping technicalities aside, let us share our plans in terms of making your app pass Apple’s updated security principles in layman’s terms. But first thing first, let us look into the ways the app ecosystem is going to change in 2021.
The way iOS 14 influence app development will see the following things happening –
The space between organic and paid revenue and installs will get blurry
The efficiency of user acquisition and ad monetization will lower
The user-level ad reporting will become functionally impossible with iOS 14
Another impact of iOS 14 will be that retargeting campaigns will not be viable anymore
Apple’s SKAdNetwork is poised to become the source of ad attribution on iOS
Post-install events will majorly be attributable for around 24 hours
In light of these changes, the first thing that we will be focusing on is ensuring that the SDKs we use across our iPhone app development services are up to date. Virtually every SDK – analytics, attribution, and ad monetization, etc. will have to be updated for accommodating iOS14.
Secondly, we will shift our focus on top-of-funnel activities – like ad watch, tutorial completion, etc. – instead of button funnel-like subscriptions and purchases.
Lastly, we will be revisiting how we ask for consent from the users. After ensuring that the users are having a good experience within the app, we will plan strategically-timed push notifications explaining how the tracking will elevate their experience in the application. Here’s a snapshot of what that would look like –
Other than these, going by the statistics that over 30% of the iOS users have already disabled IDFA sharing, we will be exploring new approaches to help our clients retain their growth marketing expectations without relying on personal information. Here are some of them –
1. Use SKAdNetwork for advertisement attribution
Apple has released SKAd Network that enables Apple to manage the attribution passed to the Registered Ad network. While there are ways to optimize and scale marketing with SKAdNetwork, like how it helps identify redownloads and track attribution, they are not very ideal because of multiple reasons –
Allows only click-based attribution
No date stamp parameter is provided
The campaign IDs are limited to 100 per ad network.
2. Non-individually identifiable IP address-based tracking
Another way brands can negate the iOS 14 impact on app distribution is by relying on the users’ truncated IP addressed for advanced contextual targeting and attribution. This way, they won’t have to identify any individual user.
If you are looking for an iOS application development company that is skilled to help migrate your existing application to iOS 14 while having a complete understanding and solutions to how iOS 14 impacts app creation, reach out to our team.
From barter systems and centralized banks to digital banking institutions; there are still many marvels of technology the Fintech domain is yet to behold. Since the inception of digital wallets and digital transactions in general, many curious startups and companies have come forward to contribute their innovative share of amazingness, including the financial domain. And Apple, being a pioneer and the epitome of inventions, has yet again swept the world off its feet.
From the first touchscreen iPhones to Macs, they have been killing every game it enters. And to the dismay of traditional financial providers, it has now unleashed its financial products “Apple Pay” and “Apple Card” to capture this market as well.
It seems like they had it planned long ago – to offer all the services to the users at one place – their iPhone.
Apple Pay released back in 2014, is now followed by Apple Card that was released only in August 2019.
So, while the debate of how these products benefit users has been doing the rounds, it will be interesting to speculate its positive effects on businesses around the world. More specifically, what will businesses gain by integrating Apple Card and Apple Pay into their mobility solutions?
The fact that experts believe 90% of the smartphone users will land on mobile payment method by the end of this year, is enough for startups and businesses that have invested in mobile app development to rethink about more payment gateways, Apple Credit Card integrated into Apple Pay being one of them.
Since they have not officially shared its views in this direction, we take it upon ourselves to unravel the truth.
Let’s cover the whole ground starting from the basics and then work our way up to the crux of the discussion – How is Apple Credit Card/Apple Pay for small businesses an asset to cherish. After all, one must have crucial information about the product before taking dynamic decisions.
What is an Apple Card and how it works?
“There’s never been a credit card this smart” – Apple
Apple Credit Card, or simply Apple Card is like any other credit card (digital and physical) only better. This product is a result of the collaboration between Apple and Goldman Sachs.
For users, they first need to apply for an Apple Credit Card via the Wallet app. It only takes a few days in approval. This digital card can be used to make payments across multiple platforms. To apply for this Credit Card’s physical version, the process remains the same.
Apple Card “practically lives on your iPhone” and “lets you do things you simply couldn’t do before” – What does this mean? You must be wondering.
Well, the reason why this product has bagged such hype in many such Credit Card reviews, is all due to its brilliant money management feature of the whole experience. Although most of the credit cards now show transactions and other important numbers, Apple Cards exceeds those common expectations.
The card can be managed with the help of the Wallet app, which is also used for applying for the card. It gives users updated data on their spending patterns and helps them track. The Apple team yet again did it differently. The app color-codes recurring items you spend on and can track your weekly or monthly transactions with respect to locations they were transacted at.
What are Apple Credit Card benefits?
These benefits will give a clear idea of why users are using Apple Cards to such a great extent and why many small businesses are integrating it into their products.
If there is one thing that they hailed for is, you know, security. Be it the security of its hardware devices or software. This is something that also stands true for the Apple Card and Pay. Apple Pay purchases are highly secure.
When signing up for an Apple Credit Card for your small business, you will be provided with a unique number in real-time which gets stored in the secure element of your iPhone. So, that code is needed whenever a purchase takes place along with a dynamically generated transaction ID. Further things that may require are Face ID.
Moreover, one of the best Apple Credit Card benefits is that the company keeps all the data private by prohibiting Goldman Sachs from sharing or selling the data.
Apple says “No fees”
The reason why Apple Card poses as an ideal choice for small business financing and personal use, of course, is it’s free. Yes, there are no Apple credit card fees whatsoever. No foreign transaction, annual, late, etc. charges are imposed on cardholders – something that your business can benefit from since users would be more inclined to use this option.
And one more fact that may skyrocket the popularity of their card after the COVID-19 pandemic is that the company had offered temporary relief for payments for March and April to its users.
Apple Card Cash-back rewards
It is not a new concept. Nevertheless, Apple has still managed to leave its watermark. Their Card rewards users 1% cashback on everything to users on Apple Card payment and 2% if they use Apple Pay.
Maps of purchased made
Pretty much the most interesting Apple Credit Card benefit is it allows users to see on the map where they made the purchase, no merchant codes, only the store name on the map. This eliminates the problem that credit cards often showed minimal location information, up until now. Something that banks can learn a lot from.
How does Apple Card help businesses?
Online transaction is the new black
If you own an E-commerce/M-Commerce business, then your business model relies on online sales. Here, Apple Pay for small businesses is a must-grab deal. Users can easily pay for their purchases with their Apple Card using Apple Pay -something that can help avoid the abandoned cart situation.
Without restricting to the commerce domain, thier card as a payment option will work wonders for gaming applications, subscription-based applications such as entertainment and music, and of course on-demand mobility solutions, just to name a few.
Security that sprouts user trust
As we have discussed above, Apple Pay is a trusted and highly secure medium to perform online transactions. Allowing users to use Apple Card for your business will terminate any trust issues or any unfavorable preconceived notions they might have.
And to be forward, this is not just a one-time thing, rather it has the potential to turn your one-time user/customer into a loyal one. The security promise is not just a point of relief to users but also the businesses, imparting assurance of protected transactions.
Must-have to target younger demographics
As we are rolling towards the concept of a cashless economy, a majority of the participants in this notion are believed to be the millennials and younger demographic.
Since the iPhone is indisputably the most popular smartphone among younger audiences, integrating Apple Card via Apple Pay into your mobile app might just be the push towards the success you were lacking. Moreover, offering multiple online payment gateway options will only add to your benefit. If you skip on this opportunity, there is a high probability of your probable customers going to your alternatives.
Cashback rewards = increased sales
One of the benefits of Apple Card for businesses (indirectly) is the cashback rewards to the users. Since it offers a fair percentage of cashback on transactions made through Apple Card (via Apple Pay), this will encourage users to purchase from your mobile application or business if you have this option to offer.
Conversion boost
The advantages of streamlined and easy transactions ripple down to many deeper levels. One of them being increased conversion rates. Consequently, as your sales graphs rise upwards, your short and long-term profits will definitely take off too.
After all, the mantra for businesses is to offer what’s in demand, and this is, without a doubt, something of a need of the hour. In fact, according to a few industry experts, we might move on from cash and physical cards completely by 2030. Better start catching up, right?
Mobile applications using Apple Card via Apple pay
I have figured that having examples always helps in making an informed decision. So, here are a few renowned companies that identified the opportunities Apple Card has to offer and integrated it into their mobile applications.
Nike
The company has integrated the Apple Card as a payment method in its Nike app, Nike.com, SNKRS, Nike Training Club, and so on. The move is the brand’s another step towards bettering customer experience – one that was strengthened with Nike’s acquisition of Celect for predicting users’ shopping behaviour.
T-mobile
T-mobile is a mobile communication subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG. The company has enabled Apple Pay and payment through their card on its mobile app as well as website.
Uber
Uber is a company that placed the on-demand model on the map. From ride-sharing to rental helicopter services to establishing JUMP, a rental e-scooter service, Uber has captured various domains. It has also incorporated Apple Card into its Uber mobile application and web apps
UberEats
Another extended effort of Uber to capture the on-demand food delivery market, UberEats was invented. And guess what? This application is also using an Apply Card as a medium of payments.
{Also read: How Much Does it Cost to Build a Food-Delivery App like UberEats or GrubHub?}
Walgreens
Walgreens is one of the largest US-based pharmacy chains. To cater better services to its users via its mobile app and website, the company offers the option to pay via their card using the their Pay app.
Let us help you integrate Apple Card into your app
This section is creative to give you a brief overview of Anteelo’s process for integrating payment gateways like Apple Pay and Card into existing applications.
To offer excellent mobile payment experience in iOS apps, we use Stripe iOS SDK. It is a great tool known for its impeccable features like rich UI elements, powerful, protected interface, and customization.
The process is as follows –
We start by installing and configuring the SDK. The tools that we employ and are supported by Stripe are CocoaPods, Carthage, Fabric, Dynamic Framework, and Static Framework.
The next step involves configuring Stripe integration in the App Delegate. To configure our Stripe API keys, we use programming languages like Swift (which is the official language for iOS) and Objective, which is considered the next best.
Although this was just a sneak peek into the diligent efforts our team invests in the process. We test rigorously to make sure the application is performing its best with the new integrations.
If you want to know the cost of integrating this Card into your app, I suggest you browse through our detailed article – Payment Gateway Integration: The Process and What’s Next.
After discussing everything, it is pretty clear to see the opportunities that any business can grab for the long term just by adding this simple service into their business model. As we are leaning towards a cashless world, it’s better to at least keep up with the pace, if not staying ahead of the curve.
Apple has a tradition; every January, they disclose statistics to prove how well the App Store and iOS apps performed that year. This year’s announcements are an indicator of the staggering popularity and penetration of iPhone apps. Take a look…
There are around 2.2M apps in App Store.
On average, around 2,540 apps are released on App Store every day.
The App Store revenue recorded in Q2 2019 is around $$25.5B, which is nearly 80 percent more than what Google Play Store earned.
These and the plethora of other App Store statistics gives the same message: Apple’s business is thriving and iPhone apps are a people’s favorite. Businesses looking to capture market share in apps would be making a lucrative deal by investing in iPhone application development for businesses.
Apple’s closest rival, Android, also has great numbers to show. But iPhone’s reach and penetration are unsurpassed. In fact, according to BGR, there is a user defection trend among Android users.
Nearly 18 percent of Android users have looked into the advantages of the iPhone and switched to the iOS platform. These advantages included the iPhone is one of the oldest smartphones. The way the iPhone managed to maintain its iron grip on users by offering consistent performance and innovation.
iPhone apps are known to be high quality and revenue-generating. Both startups and established brands are investing in iPhone app development in Virginia to meet their business needs and make a quick return on their investment.
Let us look at some of the perks of investing in iOS app development services and how iPad app development can expand business growth.
Benefits of iOS App Development
1. Better App Revenue
iPhone apps have a greater ROI than Android apps. A fact that adds on to the benefits of iOS App development, to a huge extent.
To get the best of the revenue generation opportunities from your iOS application development process, keeping an eye on the mistakes, tips and tricks, and other related information would be a big advantage. Refer to our mobile app development guide formulated from the experiences of our experts to get an idea of everything worth knowing
2. Security of Enterprise Data
Intrusion into a business’s sensitive enterprise data lodged in apps is a big risk with Android apps. on the other hand, when you compare the iPhone vs Android on the basis on security, iPhone apps, protect firmware and software through stringent security measures such as :
Integrated data handling systems.
Measures to prevent duplication of data.
Measures against loss of security due to data encryption.
iPhone users are cushioned against hacking and malware and this again counts under the advantages of iPhone over Android.
3. High-Quality Standards
iPhone app development for business stays incomplete until the apps are built to pass the high-quality standards of Apple’s Play Store before they are made available to the market. When a user downloads an iPhone app, he can be assured of flawless performance and amazing experience. This trust and goodwill on Apple’s legacy have managed to garner a large and loyal consumer base for iPhone apps.
Android app developers dig into the open-source libraries and follow a non-standardized development approach. This results in apps that offer good user experience on some devices and less-than-satisfactory experience on others. iPhone users are welcomed by the same scintillating UX across all devices.
Plus, since the development of Android apps is slower, cost of Android app development is much higher than that of iPhone development. Businesses are forced to outsource android projects to the lowest bidder who can deliver substandard products. This is the reason why Apple play store personally vets each and every app before publishing and releasing it to the market.
4. Apps for all business needs
Brands of all scales and sizes have recognized the advantages of having mobile apps for business. Consumers expect mobility and responsiveness from any business they deal with – something that comes attached with the process of iPhone app development for business. Mobile applications are the perfect gateway to reach consumers on the go and remain connected with them every moment.
iPhone apps, custom-built or off-the-shelf, are available to suit all business needs. Despite the fact that the cost of iPhone app development is somewhat higher than other options available, iPhone apps are found to be more lucrative for businesses due to their assured market reach and better-paying clients.
5. Established Customer Base
The established user base is the one Apple USP which is also one of the prime benefits of iOS application development. Apple is a pioneer in technology and applications. Although 75% app users are Android users, Apple has a well-established niche of clients that swear by Apple’s quality and performance. In fact, it is said that once a smartphone user experiences iOS, they will never be satisfied by any other OS. Android apps have to battle stiff competition as there are too many apps crowding this segment.
6. Exemplary User Experience
iPhone apps delight users with an excellent user experience supported fully by the inherent capabilities of Apple’s iOS. Total cohesion between software and hardware amounts to the great performance of iPhone applications. To top it all, comprehensive customer support and maintenance results in improved satisfaction among users through an app’s lifecycle. Something that again adds to the advantages of preferring iOS app development.
7. Tech-Ready Audience
iPhone users are found to be tech-savvy and open-minded towards innovation. This presents businesses with numerous opportunities to craft challenging applications that can create disruption in markets. Businesses that opt for iPhone app development can become market leaders and stride ahead of competitors.
8. Low Fragmentation and Ease of Testing
Apple typically develops just one updation on its existing OS every year. Also, the number of Apple devices are lesser than Android-based ones. Hence, Android apps have to be tested comprehensively to work well on all the versions of Android OS. iPhone apps just have to meet testing criteria of the prevalent iOS versions. This considerably reduces testing time and guarantees a quick time to market for iOS apps.
Android market is seriously fragmented. Only 10.4% of Android users are using the latest OS version and the majority of users are still using three-year-old versions. This presents a grave problem to businesses. They have to spend in developing apps that are suited to all popular versions of the Android OS. Obviously, all this translates to a higher cost of app development.
Apple’s market is a consolidated one. Nearly 89.8% iPhone users are using iOS 12, the latest version of OS. This is a good chunk of a user base and practically viable for any business to reach. Something that triggers them to turn towards a reputed iOS app development company.
Besides, Low fragmentation in iOS also results in more scalable apps. And the newly introduced features keep on upscaling existing apps.
9. High Market Penetration
Apple has a huge presence in developed markets such as US and UK. For a business to spread its wings and penetrate these markets, iOS apps can be a winning proposition. Apple’s legacy and quality are well-established enough to guarantee good success for your iOS apps. Google’s legacy in app domain is zilch. Android apps have to struggle with millions of new apps released to the market. Even after investing heftly in top rated android app development companies, it’s highly uncertain if the app will make sufficient revenue to recover initial investment, let alone make any profit.
10. Less Development Time
When it comes to how long does it take to build an app, iOS apps take nearly 28% less time than Android apps of the same specifications. This is because Android apps have to be tested across at least 20 devices with varying resolutions, screen sizes, and OS versions. Naturally,
Android app’s development cycle is longer and payment for development apps depend on the location like charge of android app development in Florida might differ from that of Texas, California, and so forth.
iPhone apps guarantee market visibility, profitability, and customer loyalty. This added to the low iPhone app development services time, low production costs and affordable maintenance, makes the mobile app development process very beneficial for the businesses. Businesses can piggyback on Apple’s legacy to secure a prominent place in the competitive app market. What more can you ask for!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the advantage of iPhone over Android?
When it comes to mobile app development, there are various benefits of choosing iPhone over Android. This included higher app revenue, lower development time, more loyal customers, upgraded security, and more.
2. Is Android or iOS better?
iOS is a better option over Android in terms of developing an application because:-
It has better presence in developed countries, like the USA and UK.
Apps developed on iOS platform are of high-quality, have more innovative features and security than what is found in Android apps.
The platform offers better revenue when compared to Android.
It needs less time and cost to develop an iPhone app than what is associated with Android application.
Apple has given the world – made of millions of iPhone and iPad users and an ever growing developer community – 13 innovative updates over the years. Updates which have constantly upped the bar of excellence on a YOY basis.
On an annual premise, Apple gives the world, especially the app entrepreneurs, reasons for why they should choose reliable iphone application development company to start their app entrepreneurship journey in. Reasons that are driven by the innovation that they keep on adding, packaged within their yearly updates.
These updates are not just something that the iOS app developers of New York and entrepreneurs wait for but are also ones that Google waits to take inspiration from.
And now with the official iOS 13 release just around the corner, the waiting eyes have yet again turned towards Apple.
Talking of these innovative updates, let’s do a roundup of all the changes that iOS version history have seen over time, starting from the time when they were not even called ‘iOS versions’.
The Evolution of Apple iOS: The History of iOS from Version 1.0 to 13.0
iPhone OS 1
Released in 2007, Apple’s mobile operating system version was not even called iOS back then. It was iPhone OS – the FIRST iPhone OS. The exact stage where the comprehensive history of iOS started.
The breakthrough that the version brought is something that is very difficult to explain to the current modern-day iPhone users who have now become used to the shine of today’s iPhone and have little remembrance of where it all started.
It was the time when the features like Visual Voicemail, Multi-Touch Screen, and Integration of iTunes were considered a revolutionary advancement. A set of advancements that were brought around by Apple in iPhone OS 1.
Now although the iOS 1 was a major breakthrough in the iOS version history, it lacked elements that would in some year become an inherent part of the operating system – Photos, Calendar, Notes, Camera, Mail, support for third-party apps, etc. One that we would encounter as we continue to explore the evolution of Apple’s iOS.
iPhone OS 2
Released in 2008, a year after the iPhone became a big hit in the world, Apple released iPhone OS 2.0 to sync in with the launch of its iPhone 3G, which marked the step in the evolution of Apple iOS.
The biggest feature introduced with iPhone OS 2 was the Apple App Store which came in with support for around 500 third-party and native apps.
Next in line of innovations that came with iPhone OS 2 was the iOS SDK. It was with the second version of the OS when Apple provided iOS app developers of New York and California with a kit to help develop iOS apps.
Lastly, along with a few updates to its current offering, iPhone OS 2 started the trend of introducing a range of features that were present on other platforms – one of which was giving full support to Microsoft Exchange for calendars, contact, and push emails. Apple also introduced contact search and multiple-selection for emails with iOS 2.
iPhone OS 3
The release of iPhone OS 3 was aligned with the launch of iPhone 3GS.
It came along with a slew of changes which would define Apple’s iOS through the years that were to come. The changes included a new copy-paste feature, spotlight search, support for MMS in Messages app and the capability to record videos through Camera application along with push notification functionality – which was launched in the market for the first time.
Another notable element of the version was its support to iPad, whose 1st generation was launched in 2010 – the same time around which iPhone OS 3.2 was released.
iPhone OS 3.2 set new UI paradigm for a larger screen – this was the time when skeuomorphism was introduced in the Apple world. New app designs were also introduced to incorporate the large real estate that was now present in Apple.
iOS 4
The iOS that is up and active in today’s Apple ecosystem is what saw its foundations in 2010 with iOS 4. This was the stage where the complete evolution of Apple’s iOS started.
It was in iOS 4 when Apple shifted its focus on giving the power of multi-tasking to its users. Features like iBooks, FaceTime, Personal Hotspot, AirPrint, and AirPlay, which sees themselves to be a prominent part of Apple devices today were debuted back in 2010 with iOS 4.
Also, with iOS 4, Apple for the first time dropped support for a device, for iOS 4 was not compatible with the 1st generation iPod touch and original iPhone.
iOS 5
Apple replied to the rising trend of cloud computing and wirelessness with iOS 5 in 2011.
It was the first time when iCloud was launched in the Apple world along with the capability of activating iPhone wirelessly and also the feature of syncing with iTunes through Wi-Fi. Two other primal Apple features were introduced with iOS 5 in the face of Notification Center and iMessage.
The one breakthrough element of iOS 5 was replacing Voice Control with a virtual assistant known as Siri. The assistant, which has come to grow in the same popularity pool as that of iPhones was now giving answers to users’ questions ina natural language over both web and OS at a beta stage.
iOS 6
Announced at the Apple’s Developer Conference in 2012, the new OS version came with a number of changes along with the revamp of one major app present on the platform – Maps.
It was in iOS 6 when Apple dropped the support for Google Maps – a feature that it was using since the beginning of 2007. A new revamped Maps was launched with iOS 6 which featured turn-by-turn navigations, Siri’s integration, and 3D Flyover mode.
Siri which was introduced at a Beta stage in iOS 5 now saw an upgrade in iOS 6. Through the version, users could now get answers to schedules, sports scores etc. Also, users could now directly use Yelp, Twitter, and Facebook (which was now integrated into Apple devices).
Next in the iOS 6 additions’ list was Passbook. While still a little immature in the mobile payment sector, the app was seen collecting payment types, coupons, tickets, boarding passes, and rewards cards and everything else with a barcode in one place.
There were a number of other enhancements that we saw with iOS 6, such as enhancements in the reading list, iCloud tabs, FaceTime running over cellular and a much better Apple ID integration, etc.
iOS 7
Released in 2013, iOS 7 was a result of the efforts that Jony Ive took upon taking the place of Scott Forstall who parted ways with Apple following the backlash that Apple Maps received in the last update.
It was the first time in Apple’s history when skeuomorphism was replaced by Flat Design which was termed to be an overly simplistic UI design founded on the idea of layering.
In addition to the new design, a series of new features were added while several enhancements were brought around in existing Apple feature set.
To start with, a new Control Center which allowed quick access to several apps like Wi-Fi, Do Not Disturb, Bluetooth, Sliders for brightness and volume, etc. with a swipe up from the bottom of the screen was launched.
In addition to Control Center, the AirDrop functionality was also launched by Apple for the first time in iOS 7. It allowed the users to share files and media with the people around them using iOS as well.
With the launch of iOS 7, the days of opening App Store to click on “update all” to update the applications were long gone. Users now got the option to choose Auto-Update without being reminded to update an application.
The last prominent introduction of iOS 7 version was the Touch ID, the feature that now let the users unlock devices using only their thumbprint.
In terms of enhancements, the multi-tasking ability of iOS 7 saw a massive improvement both in terms of implementation and interface. By double-clicking on the home button, the users now saw full-page previews of their active apps while it was equally easy to close them.
iOS 8
While with iOS 7 brought around a massive amount of visual changes to the Apple platform, iOS 8 released in 2014, was a refinement of the designs with a special focus on expanding the feature set and improvement in the workflows.
The one impressive elements of iOS 8 were the interactivity that was now seen between iPhone/iPad and Mac computers.
Users were now able to seamlessly pass around information between desktops and mobile devices. AirDrop too allowed the users to transfer files wirelessly between the device types.
Users now even were able to send in messages and take calls from their Mac desktops as once limited to only mobile devices.
In iOS 8, Apple for the first time added the support for third-party widgets in the Notification Center that would offer real-time information to the users, specific to the stock information, weather updates, etc.
Besides these, iOS 8 was the first time Apple launched the idea of HomeKit and HealthKit in the market in addition to the Family Sharing functionalities.
HealthKit: Users could now save all their health data coming in from third-party fitness trackers in one place.
HomeKit: The feature made iPhones the remote that controlled the entire house, thanks to partnerships that Apple has now extended with several home automation products.
Family Sharing: The functionality allowed sharing of songs, TV shows, apps, etc between 6 different accounts linked with the same credit card.
Siri also faced several upgradations like activation through voice command and the possibility of making iTunes purchase through Siri interface, etc. All the enhancements brought Siri closer to what Apple had envisioned in its Virtual Assistant.
iOS 9
Released in 2015, iOS 9 was driven by the public demand on making the technical foundation of iOS stronger as compared to working on the design and feature side of it all.
And this is just what Apple did with iOS 9.
While a few features like Night Shift were added and apps like Notes app and Maps app were updated and Passbook became ‘Wallet’, the version focused mainly on solidifying the OS for the future to come.
A major round of improvements was made in the line of responsiveness, stability, speed, and performance. Several iOS 9 features like Low Power Mode were launched to ensure that the performance quality remains intact for the users even in case of low battery.
In addition to these, the official Public beta program was made open for the developers around the globe like iOS app developers of New York, California, and much more and users who wanted to experiment around new updates that came up in Apple.
iOS 10
The major features of iOS 10 which were released in 2016 were customization and interoperability.
Applications were now given the feasibility to interact with each other, allowing an app to use features of some other application, without even launching the second app. Siri also now became available for third-party app usage, while new apps were now being built in the iMessages. It was around this time when comparisons were drawn between iOS 10 and Android N.
Users now had new ways to customize their entire experience ranging from deleting built-in applications to adding new effects and animations in messages – known as emojis.
Maps also received a redesigned interface. The Home app now managed the HomeKit enabled accessories while Photos got introduced with an algorithmic search and media categorization known as ‘Memories’.
iOS 11
Apple announced the release of iOS 11 in 2017 at the WWDC.
It was the first time when ‘Files’ was launched – the app which went on to become iPad users’ go-to app for searching, organizing, and browsing files on their devices from the Dropbox, iCloud Drive, and Box application.
A new dock feature also found itself being introduced in the users’ devices which now allowed users to open and switch applications instantly with one swipe.
There was a new Drag and Drop function which allowed users to move photos, files, and text from one application to another. The Notes app too got a new feature that allowed users to search for handwriting and gave them the capability to scan and mark documents.
A new prominent addition in the iOS 11 version was that of ARKit – a prominent part of the evolution of Apple iOS. It allowed the developers to introduce the power of AR to millions of iOS devices active across the world.
In terms of online payment, Apple Pay was integrated into Messages, making it easy for users to send money to their friends through messages. Apple also introduced an Apple Pay Cash Card to enable users to shop online and inside the application in addition to giving them the ease to transfer money to their personal bank accounts.
In addition to these, a series of enhancements were brought in such as App Store redesign, Siri getting a new voice, Maps and Control Center setting getting introduced with a newer set of features, etc. Additionally, iOS 11 has come with a series of new APIs like ML API, Vision API, and IdentityLookup. These new APIs are impacting businesses in a number of different ways.
The functionality set that iOS 11 brought along gave the mobility world new stances to draw a comparison between iOS 11 and Android O, one where iOS stood several points ahead of Android.
iOS 12
The iOS 12 feature set released in 2018 came up with the intent to make devices going as back as 2013 a lot more faster and responsive.
A lot was happening on the AR front in iOS 12. Users were working around AR compatible hardware for sharing experiences, object detection and image tracking functionalities were added to make apps more dynamic. Pixar was looped in to design a new file format for AR apps known as usdz – which would make it possible to experience AR through any iOS app.
In addition to these, the now-famous Memoji characters were introduced for the iPhone X users for the first time. In fact, Memoji went on to become the feature that kept the weightage on iOS 12 when comparisons were drawn between iOS 12 and Android P. Group FaceTime was opened up to 32 users at once through audio or video.
And keeping the focus on Digital Health intact, Apple introduced Screen Time – a feature that would show users the time they are spending on their devices interacting with applications.
iOS 13
Announced at WWDC 2019, iOS 13 feature set is still on an elongation mode.
Both users and developers are getting news on probable features that would make their appearance on this Fall, every passing day.
But two of the biggest news attached with iOS 13 that are very concrete are – A. iPad will get its own OS – iPadOS and B. iTunes store is no longer operative.
Besides these two notable changes, there are another set of enhancements and new feature additions that iOS 13 is prepared to be launched with. Ones which places them right in front of Android Q in the iOS 13 vs Android Q debate.
Some of the new features that are set to be introduced in iOS 13 include –
Dark Mode
Quick device unlock through Face ID
Sign In with Apple in users’ account systems
New Portrait Lighting
Improved Siri voice
Look Around functionality in Map
While the real features of iOS 13 would only be revealed when we see its launch in the Fall of 2019, there is one surety – the level of innovation will remain intact. Just like the standard that Apple has maintained on an annual basis all throughout the iOS evolution 1-13.
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