The Impact of iOS 14 on iOS App Development

iOS 14 New Features

Let’s take a look at the key iOS 14 features and the consequent iPhone app development impact:

• New Privacy Features
• Augmented Reality Tools
• Widgets
• App Clips
• Picture in Picture
• Indicator Light
• All New Translation App
• Compact Calls
• App Library
• Better Messaging Features
• Superior Home App
• Car Keys as well as Car Play
• Cycling and EV Routes
• Smarter Siri

As one can see, they have put in a whole slew of cutting-edge features there and this is on top of the many small improvements they have made to other apps like Photos. However, the important features to look at from the developers’ perspective are as under:

1.New Privacy Features

The new privacy features incorporated in iOS14 impact mobile app development in a very profound manner. The apps are now required to seek permission from the users when they need to access the latter’s data and also in the event of their having to use other websites and apps.

Every time the user downloads an app for the very first time, they will be presented with a privacy agreement. Besides, it has been made possible to use location features without having to provide specific location data.

2. Augmented Reality Tools

iOS 14 incorporates ArKit4, the most contemporary of Apple’s augmented reality software. Among the things that will excite developers is Location Anchoring which enables one to anchor 3D AR models on specific locations across the world with the help of Maps.

That apart, updates made to the Depth API system empowers one to build more precise objects to be placed in the real world. The icing on the cake is the face tracking compatibility powered by the Apple Neural engine that takes face tracking to the next level. Developers can now develop apps with never before AR features enabling them to serve their customers in ever more innovative ways.

3. Widgets

As is well known, Apple wasn’t much of a fan of widgets, but with iOS 14, they have finally opened up to its possibilities. Developers can now go ahead and create content-rich widgets to adorn the home screen. This allows the users to take control of their screens and have easy access to data and content they need access to frequently.

Typically, an Apple screen will now light up with weather, stocks, and calendar widgets as that is something one checks on very frequently. An app phone developer can leverage this ability to create more engaging apps that considerably enhance the user experience.

4. App Clips

The ease and speed with which one can get down to business with these mini-apps are phenomenal. No sooner have you finished the necessary task than the app takes your leave. There is no need to download such apps and use up precious storage space on your phone.This opens up scintillating opportunities from the developers’ point of view. From making nifty abridged user-friendly versions of apps to integrating the app clips into existing apps- the possibilities are endless.

5. Picture in Picture

This is one feature that users have to love. Imagine being able to catch your favorite steaming show on Netflix, even while you talk to a friend via Facetime. You could even simultaneously check your email or use any other app. The thumbnail-sized video that the picture in picture ability provides you allows you to open a chat window at the same time or browse the news if you like.

What’s more, this feature has a very organic and intuitive interface and you don’t have to go looking for it as it comes to you. This empowers developers to leverage this feature and give the customer a user experience that they greatly value and cherish. Imagine an app that plays a video even while the user is checking out other stuff on their phone. The level of engagement will go to the next level.

How iOS-14 Will Impact App Companies?

Given the sheer number of features offered with iOS-14 allowing developers to innovate endlessly, one can expect a paradigm shift both in the user experience as well as the very approach to app development. The all-new features available through this operating system will lead to a significant change both in the ways that apps are created and used.

Developers have to be mindful of the fact that the introduction of all these cutting-edge features makes iOS-14 a very disruptive operating system. It is, therefore, important for developers to have their SDKs up to speed. Among the most important ones are those that pertain to Attribution, Ad Meditation and Adapters, Facebook, Google Firebase, and Analytics System.

They may also pay adequate attention to early funnel events in the shape of ad watches, tutorial completion, and early completions to enable optimizations. Thirdly, it would make eminent sense for developers to enhance their iOS-14 budgets to put them in the position to take early mover advantage of what the new features offer them. The same amount of money spent later would not take them as far as it would now. Lastly, developers need to strategically figure out ever new ways of asking for consent to track users. What’s interesting now is the fact that they can add a personalized message to do so.

There is no doubt about the fact that the launch of iOS-14 is going to have a major impact on app developers as the rules of the game have changed considerably. Those who can leverage the advantages, however, have nothing to fear and can look forward to delighting their clients with the new age apps that they can now design and develop.