Making Developers Aware of iOS 8 Features

The latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system is now available in the market and showcases numerous improvements from notifications to the Touch ID sensor. It has many additions as well as improvements to its credit, like the introduction of the new programming language called Swift, integration of information related to health as well as smart home gadgets.

Developers already had their access to iOS 8 since June so that they get the option to make them able to explore the features, understand the changes and subsequently test the apps. The iOS 8 provides the developers with the scope of working on an adaptive user interface with APIs characterized by context sensitivity, extended functionality, a totally new programming language and many more.

The iOS 8 has over 4000 new APIs that have resulted in making the apps bolder and more responsive. These features are listed below:

Adaptive User Interface: The introduction of Auto Layout has compelled developers to think differently about user interfaces. Previously the developers had to keep in mind the different ways the users may come across the apps specifically the landscape and the portrait meaning the horizontal as well as the vertical views. Adoption of Auto Layout has been successful in getting rid of this particular issue. It is a tool that helps in simplifying the process involved in fitting the apps to screens in the developer suite of Apple named Xcode.

Home Kit Framework: This feature connects all devices in a certain location and is used for discovering devices at home, configuring along with providing them with necessary commands with respect to the user’s requirements. The latest version also provides for grouping of the actions on the basis of selected zones which can further be triggered with the help of Siri. The basic zones that have the provision of configuration through the framework are Rooms, Homes, Accessories, Services and Zones (upstairs or downstairs).

PhotoUI.framework: With the help of the Photo kit framework, the developer or rather the user gets the option of editing photos directly in the camera roll app without importing those as it was in the earlier versions. The photo kit feature incorporates a thread safe element to fetch, catch thumbnails and assets of full size. The framework requests changes to the assets, receives notification on the changes that are made by other apps along with the conversion of the digital assets in a lucid and easy to use format.

Health Kit framework: It is a relatively new feature that provides a framework to the user for the complete management of the information related to the health of the individual. This feature has made the sharing of health related information easier for the different apps irrespective of the source of the same as to if it is coming from devices connected to an iOS device or being manually entered by the user. The information of the user’s health is then stored in a secure and centralized location letting the user see all of the same displayed through the Health app.

Cloud Kit Framework: This feature is related to managing the content that has the provision of being changed in specific instances when the app has to run on several devices. It thereby allows the developer or the user to design the apps in such a way so as to gain control over handling the data. The iCloud storage are of four types namely, key value storage, iCloud document storage, Core Data storage and Cloud Kit storage.

App Extension: A great feature of the iOS 8, App Extension enables the user to make changes and modify the architecture of the system in a systematic way like handling the customization of the notification bar, addition of filters to the photo library amongst many others.

Handoff Mechanism: This unique mechanism helps the user to start an activity on a particular device and then resume the same without any further complication on another device. It is a great feature of the iOS 8 that offers the user the comfort of continuing a process or an activity on different devices without undergoing the pain of shuffling them again and again.

Local Authentication Framework: This framework named as the TouchID adds an extra cover of security to the apps that can use the feature for the purpose of authenticating a user prior to accessing of the complete or some of the content that may be stored in the app. It asks for a pass code the moment a user tries to get access to a particular app.

Notifications in the 8th version of the iOS are easily accessible, Siri is a lot more user friendly and responsive. It also enables the use of the TouchID by third party apps, navigation of mails have been made easier by a single swipe. With the latest version, the keyboard has become smarter, photos and camera have become more advanced, the Health kit feature results in unification of medical information while Home kit provides for a smarter and master control of the home. The totally revamped version has allowed for the group functioning of the messages, the continuity feature acts a bridge to link Macs and Mobiles along with advanced family sharing options that lets the members of a family spread media files to up to 6 people. To get maximum benefits of iPhone development, you may consider hiring services of a certified iPhone development company.

We provide iPhone development services. To hire iPhone developer India, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.

Mobile Development Trends for 2015

The development of mobile apps reached the mainstream in its true sense with the users ending up with an app for all kinds of jobs. But you will be surprised to know that the mobile app development is still in its beginning stages. A number of research studies have explained this fact. According to them while 2014 witnessed the development of apps for everything, in 2015, the focus would be on convenience. It is estimated that in 2015 the app market will grow by leaps and bounds. It will offer huge growth as well as monetary returns. Therefore, app development is set to evolve as a lucrative market with its varied approaches from the developers. These professionals are striving to introduce both comfort and convenience in routine tasks through the apps. In addition, mobile commerce will enjoy a boost too. These factors will definitely lead to certain major developments in the world of mobile apps in 2015.

Let’s take a look at some of the impending trends:

HTML5 to be recognized as the best platform for mobile development: In the past few years HTML5 has garnered huge popularity as a mobile development platform. It is expected that this trend will continue. Rather its popularity will increase in the coming year. As far as iOS 7 is concerned, it supports JavaScript as the language in its XCode tool chain. Today, however, iOS is no longer a dominating platform. Hence, the developers are looking for more option for cross platform development. Under such current situation, besides, iOS and Android, HTML5 is evolving as the next best thing in this field. Besides, as an open source project, the PhoneGap is a good choice which is also supported by Adobe. As a matter of fact, there is a continuous development as far as its features and hardware supports are concerned.

Android vs. iOS: It is expected that Android will come out as the clear winner in this war. In comparison to iOS android has been constantly growing as a mobile platform. In the last years the number of developers using Android has grown by 71%. However, presently, iOS receives better developer’s revenue owing to its huge market as well as the low end Android phones.

What cannot be overlooked in this war is the presence of Google. Amidst iOs and Android’s war, Google seems to be gaining significantly. It is also gradually uniting the split version of Android. Moreover, it is also moving most of the functionalities to the Google Play. In this regard, too, the Android apps seem to be the final winner.

More and more new OS-es will be coming into existence: Of course, Android and iOS are still the two dominant forces in the world of mobile OS. But gradually other operating systems will be catching up with these two. Although Windows and Blackberry are still lacking behind but it is speculated that by 2015 new operating systems will be gaining popularity in the commercial market. Ubuntu’s mobile version, Firefox OS, Sailfish and Tizen are some of the OS-es that might also gain popularity in the market.

Boost in connected objects: Google recently bought Nest, the maker of smart apps. Along the same line Samsung has also launched a washing machine that is entirely controlled by Wi-Fi in addition to the smart televisions and video games. It is expected that in 2015 more of such connected devices will come into existence. Such technological products might include wearable items, household appliances and several other products.

Native apps to decrease: It is an often repeated cycle in the world of technology in which a new product gains popularity and rises, the older versions slowly become redundant. The same trend will be noticed in 2015 as well. There will be changes in the mobile platform scenario where the new, riding trends in the web will result in the decrease in the popularity of the native mobile applications.

Rise of the Meteor: This is one app that is expected to rise steadily in the coming year. Owing to its awesome features more and more users will choose this framework in the future. One of its biggest advantages is that it offers updates on real time UI without putting any efforts. It is also extremely productive and simple to use.

Bend towards the wearable devices: This trend has already being in 2014. By next year there is a possibility that more wearable items will come into existence. As a result apps related to these devices will also be developed on a large scale.

The digital platforms today require more security than ever. This year there have been several incidents where these platforms have been hacked as secured data have been leaked. Hence, there will be a trend towards securing the apps more strongly in 2015. Hence apps that can improve the security rates will also be developed. Offshore mobile app development companies in India can help you build projects within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide offshore mobile application development services. To hire mobile application programmer from us, please reach out to us at Mindfire Solutions.