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.

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Is Apple's Swift an answer to what developers wish ?

At WWDC 2014, Apple introduced the 1st version in Swift, Apple's new programing language. Programmers are having a look-see in Swift and also giving a few early suggestions. What the Swift framework will provide developers was amongst the very important announcements made during the Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Lots of programmers discovered the syntax of the Objective-C is difficult to get regularly, hence Swift might give an increased output to many. The majority of developers will be looking towards upcoming projects for applying Swift, which means about one year down, many stated that they are moving forward much faster. As an example, Marco Arment, developer and writer, stated in a blog that he would likely require some time to catch on the latest behaviors along with the guidelines and expectations of it.

On an exciting and unexpected step, Apple is starting many of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2014 video presentations with the people, a year ago only the registered developers were having access to them. Apple announces Swift is created for safety. It is crucial to keep in mind that this form of Swift does not prevent memory corruptness which could occur because of multithreaded coding anyway, though. There wasn't any discussion of threads or concurrency by any means within the language documents. In addition to this multithreaded opening, the remainder language appears to be protected from memory corruption bugs. There isn't an option to temporarily get away with the safeties, such as Rust’s unsafe block, hence whatever insecure stuff you might like to carry out will need to be in the C or even in the Objective-C.

The interest in powerful and easy to use developing languages, such as Python and Ruby, has expanded all over the developer society in the last few years. Swift is believed to become yet another move in the same direction. Swift stands out as the successor to the Objective-C, that is what, is now taken to develop Mac applications. The latest language comes with complete support of the Cocoa as well as Cocoa touch, the frameworks for the iPhone apps and also Mac OS X apps, therefore apps could be designed for the iPhone, Mac computers, as well as iPads. Apple continued using Objective-C for the past 20 years, however a company representative mentioned that this is beginning to show its age. Apple invented the code after thoroughly investigating exactly what developers want, or even more important, their dislike regarding the present programming languages. As stated by Apple, Swift will be the modern development language for modern developers. Swift makes use of similar LLVM compiler which Objective-C at present makes use of, therefore programmers could carry out Swift, Objective-C, as well as C code, everything within the same program.

Swift has also a unique feature known as Playgrounds, which give users with live comments while they code, which makes it possible to check what exactly will probably take place within the application. Playgrounds additionally offer total control over time within a program so that users could see exactly what his or her code does each moment. Apple has produced a guidebook offered to developers in the iBooks regarding Swift, in addition they will have the ability to submit apps developed by the recently designed language at the time the computer manufacturer introduces OS X Yosemite as well as the iOS 8. To get maximum benefits of mobile apps, you may consider hiring services of a certified iPhone development company.

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How Will Apple's Swift Benefit Developers?

Swift can be defined as a multi-paradigm as well as a compiled programming language that has been developed by Apple. Swift is specifically designed for the development of iOS and OS X. The developers have designed the language for replacing Objective-C (O-C), which is an object-oriented language of Apple.

It uses the same LLVM compiler as well as runtime as its older counterpart. That is why, while some say that Swift will quickly replace Objective-C, another school of thought says that both O-C as well as Swift can actually co-exist hand in hand in a particular application. The language also provides a seamless access to all the customary features like Cocoa or Cocoa Touch that the developers are currently using.

When it comes to using, from the developers’ point of view the language should feel identical as well as familiar to O-C. Hence, those who are used to with the previous avatar will also be able to handle this new language with ease.

Now let us discuss why the language has gained so much popularity amongst the developers. Swift frankly speaking, comes up with a string of added benefits, which have made a marked difference, so far as development is concerned, especially when it comes to designing or developing apps for iPads or iPhones. While for all these days, it was Objective-C, Swift is swiftly taking over as the base programming language.

The introduction of this new program has given a shot in the arm to the development ecosystem of Apple. The language is all set to bring in an altogether new generation of various innovative applications that are leaving the developers overjoyed. Swift, at its very core is designed to provide a much faster as well as an easier way to the developers, particularly when it comes to designing programs for devices like Mac, iPad, iPhone and the likes. Swift is strong enough to do all the complicated trappings for Objective-C. It can replace them with much simplified syntax that is much easier to tackle, though the entire stuff feels strikingly similar to Objective-C.

The language comes with other highly powerful features like Playgrounds, which is a system that provides the developers the provision of watching how the changes to their projects have an impact on the end product that they need to add for tweaking their codes. While using O-C, the developers had to wait for the compilation and running of their projects, before they got the chance to test any change of codes. This was, to say the least a cumbersome and a time consuming mechanism.

Another highly interesting feature that the language comes up with is that it rectifies the focus on declaring the variable types that Objective-C comes up with. With the introduction of Swift, the developers do not have the need of specifying in a particular code, whether a variable is a text string or a floating-point number.

Both Swift as well as O-C uses identical compiler. This is why an app can have O-C as well as Swift source code. This brings in a substantial benefit for the developers or programmers.

Though the language is not without any rough edge whatsoever, still in general the developers and programmers are simply overwhelmed by the features as well as the technology roadmap the language comes up with. While Objective-C is challenging as well as an effusive language with a string of syntaxes, it lacked a number of features, and this is where Swift has scored over its older objective version.

Thanks to these new features, Swift has made Mac as well as iOS extremely appealing, especially for the new and young developers who still looking forward to design and develop their first applications for Mac and iPhone. Before we round up, let us look at some of the salient features of Swift from a bird’s eye view.

1. It comes up with Closures that are unified with the function pointers – quite similar to blocks that you find in C or its objective version.
2. Generics.
3. Tuples as well as values of multiple returns.
4 Fast as well as precise iterations over a wide collection or range.
5. Structs that are compatible with supporting methods, protocols as well as extensions.
6. Patterns or Functional programming like filters and maps.

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Most Popular Frameworks For iPhone Development

Frameworks can be defined as bundles that come up with a linkable library along with the associated resources as well as headers that are perfectly designed for the development of a particular device software. Now these frameworks can be divided into two categories – public and private. While the former ones are normally well documented and are prepared to be used by the general developers, the later ones are meant to be used in a restricted way, solely for the internal uses.

Let us discuss some of the most popular frameworks for the development of iPhone.

IUI: -This is typical type of User Interface or UI framework for the development of Safari on iPhone. This particular framework combines CSS, HTML and JavaScript for the web app development that has striking resemblance with the apps of native iPhone in terms of look as well as feel.

JQTouch:- It is actually a jQuery plugin that is specifically designed for the development of mobile apps on Palm Pre, Androids, along with other high tech devices. The features would include easy setup, image preloading options, flexible themes, native WebKit animations, callback events, swipe detection and so on.

Rhodes (Gems and Ruby are needed for its installation):- This is another extremely popular open source framework, that is needed to develop native apps for all the principle OS of the modern smart phones. These are native device applications (NDA) that work in close association with the synchronized local data. It is also designed to enjoy the advantage of various device capabilities like GPS, Camera as well as PIM contacts. This application framework would allow the user to write his/her personal views in HTML. It also compiles the application to a specific native application of the operating system of each device.

CiUI:- This framework was developed with the objective of creating the iPhone edition of CNET.

Iphone- Universal:- The UiUIKit, (Universal UI Kit) is a collection or collation of HTML. The most pertinent examples are CSS3 along with Webkit of Safari.

Iwebkit:- It is a file package that is designed for helping the users create their own iPhone as well as iPod Touch compatible websites along with webapps. The kit can be accessed by any person including those without any considerable knowledge about HTML. It is also extremely simple to understand mainly due to the fact that it comes up with some self explanatory tutorials embedded.

Magic Framework:- Magic Framework is another native UI imitator as well as HTML5 Database interface that is developed on html/css/javascript. It is particularly useful for the online websites along with various on-device Webkit-based applications that are designed to imitate native iPhone UI, or use the native storage without writing the native code.

WebApp.net:- WebApp.Net is another framework that is designed to imitate the actual touch graphic GUI of iPhone as well as iPod. It puts together JavaScript, CSS, as well as HTML for developing the web apps that have striking similarity, touch as well as feel of the apps of the native iPhone.

XUI:- It is a relatively simple Javascript framework that is designed to build applications for the mobile apps. XUI can also be termed as a framework that is applicable for the first category mobile browsers like WebKit, Opera, Fennec and so on.

QuickConnect:- QciPhone framework would allow the users in using the native iPhone behaviours sans the need of any knowledge regarding Objective C or native API of iPhone.

LiquidGear:- This particular framework acts as a PhoneGap fork for the development of iPhone applications with the use of javascript as well as HTML. Again, there is no need for the user to have any comprehensive knowledge about Objective-C. LiquidGear actually acts as a liaison or as a link man between the hardware of the iPhone and the web apps. This gives the users unlimited access to the native functionality of the calendar, iPhone, that include photos, accelerometer, gps, and so on.

Sproutcore (Ruby and gems are needed):- It is a Ruby based HTML5 Application framework. This particular mobile framework comes up with views that are useful when it comes to structuring applications that operate on Palm Pre or Android devices. To get maximum benefits of iPhone apps, you may consider hiring services of a iPhone application development companies.

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What Makes An iPhone App Go Viral

The success of any app is measured by the extent of its popularity in the virtual world. In other words, it is measured by the number of times it is used and the number of people using it. So an application can be considered successful if it goes viral, i.e. its popularity spreads like an epidemic triggered off by a virus.

This can well be put in another way. Virality can be defined as the ability of an app to interact with people and entice them to use it. It is not actually a marketing strategy, but a special quality that makes it successful as an application.

When we speak of an iPhone app, things are no different as far as virality is concerned. This particular app has indeed gone viral. Following are the qualities that have helped the app to be so.

• It has a lot of valuable information to share
• It is easy to use as well as share. These two qualities lure a considerable number of people to join as well as participate.
• It comes with special reward packages for the users who share the application
• It also offers users incentives for coming back
• The more is the number of users, the more is the value created. This is another factor that helps the app to go viral.

Now let us see the virality principles that an iPhone app follows. In fact, these principles, among other things, have helped the application go viral.

• Inviting others as core process
• Keeping visitors back or in other words, retaining them
• Being helpful even before no users have started using it. This makes it popular – much in defiance of the logic that more the number of people using it, the more useful it will be. It is just like “what comes first – chicken or egg” dilemma.
• Successful removal of limits of artificial invitation

Let us now discuss some other criteria that help iPhone app go viral.

It comes with a stellar icon

An iPhone application comes with an attractive graphical icon that lures customers to click as well as visit the app.

The apps come up with strong description and keywords

The apps come up with attractive copy cells. This makes the users excited about the app. It also tickles their emotion so that they follow the direct call to action. Proper use of summary bullets, pertinent reviews make the applications more appealing to the users. Proper use of strategic keywords also helps the cause a lot.

An established presence in the web world that benefits SEO

A solid landing page, with a properly done on-page along with other forms of SEO make it visible to the users who are searching for strategic keywords, thus increasing its popularity.

It uses price slash and discount in a strategic manner

The iPhone applications are excellent when it comes to offering discounts as well as price cuts in a strategic way. These two things lure users to use the apps more frequently. This has also contributed to the rise of popularity.

Use of promotional tools for making and distribution of videos

The applications use various promotional tools. This plays a more significant role than screenshots when it comes to letting people know about these apps and what they are all about. Avenues such as YouTube or Vimeo are used to expose the apps to a large number of people.

Engage email marketing for re-engaging users

The iPhone Apps also send targeted email campaigns to the prospective users. That helps a lot when it comes to increasing the popularity of these apps.

Presence of convincing screen shots

It is seen that prospective customers generally search for screen shots for getting a preview of the use of the app. Compelling screen shots help these apps to gain huge popularity and this helps them to go viral. You can hire developers from top mobile app development companies in India who can help you build mobile apps within allocated budgets and time schedules. To get maximum benefits of iPhone apps, you may consider hiring services of a iPhone app development company.

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Assembling an iOS Development Environment

The huge popularity of the mobile devices launched Apple has encouraged many developers to switch to iOS application development. Each programmer also has option to use several tools to build the mobile apps at a rapid pace. But he must have to assemble the iOS environment to start developing the applications as early as possible. Many programmers prefer using Mac to avail several advantages over conventional computers. However, the apps can also be developed by other PCs that cost lesser than Mac. However, it is the process of setting up the iOS environment will depend on the programmer’s choice of operating system. However, a beginner can always concentrate on some key aspects of setting up an iOS development environment.

Steps to Assemble an iOS App Development Environment

Become an Apple Developer: Apple requires developers to join the iOS developer program or Mac developer program to avail several services. You can complete the registration process, and obtain a unique Apple ID to access variety of services like Apple Online Store and iCloud. However, you have to obtain a distinct iTunes account, if you are planning to distribute music, video, movies, books and similar digital content. After becoming a member of the iOS developer program, you can further download the latest versions of the iOS Software Development Kit (SDK) and Xcode.

Setup IOS SDK and Xcode: When a programmer decides to develop iOS apps, it becomes essential to download and install the latest versions of iOS SDK and Xcode. Apple has designed Xcode as a comprehensive integrated development environment (IDE) that makes it easier for users to create robust apps for Apple mobile devices. Along with a graphical user interface (GUI) editor and a source editor, Xcode also provides a single window to developers known as workspace window. A developer can access the required tools from the workspace windows while developing applications. He also has options to switch between writing code, designing the interface, and debugging. At the same time, the iOS SDK optimize the Xcode tools by providing additional compilers, tools and frameworks required to create the IOS development environment.

Customize Xcode: As a comprehensive integrated development environment, Xcode comes with loads of features and tools to make it easier for programmers to developer apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod. So you have to customize Xcode according to the nature and requirements of your project. If you are new to iOS app development, it is advisable to go through the tutorial Your First iOS App. The tutorial will help you in understanding the tools, fundamental design patterns and overall mobile application development process. The initial understanding of key development concepts will further make it easier for you to customize Xcode by choosing specific features and tools.

Access the Technical Resources and Information: You will also need additional technical resources and information to build apps at a rapid pace. The iOS Dev Center will make it easier for you to design, develop and distribute applications by accessing the required technical information and resources. Similarly, you can also access the iOS Developer Library to gather detailed technical information about the best way to develop and implement the iOS technologies. You can even consider watching the development videos to learn in-depth information about how to use the technologies and tools. Once you have gathered in-depth knowledge about the tools and technologies, it will be easier for you to start developing the app.

Join Apple Developer Forums: When you are developing an app for iPhone, iPod or iPad for the first time, there are chances that you will want answer to several questions. In addition to clearing your doubts related to how to design and distribute the mobile application, you will need specific information about various aspects of your project. So you must join the Apple developer forums to post your own questions, and get answers from experienced iOS app developers. The forum will further enable you to participate in discussion to stay tuned to the latest trends in developing apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod.

While setting up the perfect development environment, you also need to consider your budget. It is always a good idea to invest in a Mac to avail a number of additional advantages. But you can still opt for the PCs to avoid additional expenses.

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