What’s new in WWDC 2019?
Apple´s Annual World Developer Conference (WWDC 2019) has left us a lot of news. Among them we will highlight those that we consider more important when you are creating applications for iOS MacOS and iPadOS. If you like to be aware of the news related to app development, do not lose sight of the new versions of the operating system and the improvements introduced this year by the apple company.
iOS 13
Apple has revealed to us in its famous annual conference many improvements for its new version of operating system. Here are some that should be taken into account for the app development:
- Alternative to login in social networks. A new button is enabled to register with Apple on your iPhone through Face ID or Touch ID without having to access through a social network.
- Faster download. Apple will also now allow the download of heavier apps using mobile data instead of wifi. It is interesting to keep in mind this fact that allows greater freedom to the user and facilitates the download of apps in environments without Wi-Fi.
- Greater control of data relative to the location. The abusive use of some apps in this regard has activated the controls of Apple who is taking action. Among others it now allows the user to authorise access to its location only for one use, having to re-authenticate in case the application wants to tracks you again.
- News in dark mode for apps: you can now control dark mode from a button in the control center or program it to activate at certain times. Developers will have access to Apple’s APIs to introduce this possibility in the app development they carry out.
- iPad now has its own operating system. The intention is the tablet be a real alternative to the laptop.
Project Catalyst
This new platform will allow iPad application developers to take their apps to Mac more easily.
Thanks to the new version of MacOs called Catalina, the app development can range from iPhone to Mac through iPad. Before iOS was based on UIKit while MacOS used AppKit, now the new platform introduces elements of UIKit in MacOS Catalina.
The application can be customized to have a better user experience on the Mac, but allows you to automatically create some features such as auto-completion of passwords or cursor control.
Therefore this new platform also called Project Marzipan allows the developers to optimize their work taking the app development to the desktop format.
WatchOS 6
The new version of the OS of the smartwatch of Apple comes with several novelties under the arm:
- A brand new AppStore specific to the Apple Watch: we can download applications directly from the watch and make payments. In addition, software updates can be activated from the smartwatch itself.
- Apps without mother application in the smartphone: the applications will work on the clock without downloading the same application in the mobile device.
- Improvements in the APIs: the new APIs will allow the transmission of audio directly from the mobile and the reading of data during longer periods.
Therefore there are opportunities for app development that developers should not miss.
Swift UI
This is perhaps the most outstanding novelty for the native app development. This new framework aims to create user interfaces easily using Swift. Its launch is expected for this fall so there is no choice but to move up a gear to be prepared for the change.
Some of the most remarkable changes that Swift UI will bring include:
- Declarative syntax. The developers indicate what the user interface has to do, so the code is simpler and more readable since it avoids having to write all the corresponding code.
- Automatic coding of some elements such as dark mode, accessibility options and support for the writing direction from right to left.
- Drag-and-drop elements in the visual editor of Xcode II that natively supports the development of SwiftVI.
- Compilation and execution in real time.
ARKit 3, Reality Composer and RealityKid
Although we find these three tools under the same augmented reality umbrella, we will differentiate them to know what each one offers us in the case of the app development with AR:
- ARKit3: this is the latest version of Apple’s augmented reality platform. It brings new features that improve the sense of immersion as People Occlusion that detects the subject in the augmented reality environment and places it more naturally in front of or behind the object. The possibility of capturing movement and tracking multiple faces are other novelties. This is the demonstration video of ARKit3 presented at WWDC 2019.
- Reality Composer: it is a graphical interface that allows developers to test augmented reality in a virtual environment, also has a library with objects in augmented reality. Therefore, it facilitates the development of the animations in iOS and Mac to create new 3D experiences.
- RealityKit: it is a framework that improves the look and feel of the applications that integrate virtual reality. In this demonstrative video of RealityKit and Reality Composer we can see in detail what they offer to us.
Conclusion
The new features of this new operating system presented during the recent WWDC 2019 are a ticket for a trip that developers can not waste if they want to keep up with the app development. At Mobivery our team is up to date with all the Apple’s operating systems innovations in order to adapt the apps already created and to implement them in the new ones. This sector is constantly evolving, so app designers and developers should catch up if they want to offer their best version.
