Apple’s Updates from WWDC
By now, everyone has heard that Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference was a pretty big success. In fact, some may say it’s a turning point for the event, and the Apple ecosystem. We’ve got some thoughts on the matter, and also heard from some of our friends what their thoughts were.
I think the best new feature in iOS8 is App Extensions. The new mobile operating system allows developers to create apps that can share data and services with other installed apps. In the past Apple has sandboxed each app so there has been no way to share data. In a world of task specific apps this created user interface and functionality challenges.
Security was the primary reason for the past sandboxed approach. However, with the design of App Extensions all content sharing and services will run through the operating system so a user can choose which apps will have access to specific data and functionality. This model provides a solid security model while opening up new possibilities for developers.
Cross-application sharing through App Extensions provides an excellent opportunity for developers to build apps that can integrate with other tools. This will significantly add value to many apps created in-house or public apps.
Businesses will find App Extensions give them a much more robust platform. They will be able to choose best of breed apps covering all of the features they need and know that they can share data through the complete solution. Imagine using a marketing app and directly jumping into a CRM tool with the activity that was just performed or to a sales tools with the product and customer information already entered.
App Extensions will make us all more productive with our iPhones and iPads.
Loren HorsagermobileComposer, CEO, Founder
New Kits
Apple’s shaking it up and opening up new platforms, or Kits to accommodate specific verticals and purposes of Apps. Nathan Ooley of Appmosphere explains:
Cloud Kit
With this new feature, it killed the Apple Google drive users and along with that funeral is Dropbox. Apple updated some must have features in their offering but at the end of the day, the consumer wins with the continuity of having all their data in the cloud. What is different about this new offering is that applications can share data among applications and store data in the cloud behind the scenes so it will be even more seamless than Dropbox.
Health Kit
With hundreds of developers trying to gain market share in this niche, Apple recognized it needed some standardization. Developers can now build applications that work into those pre-set API’s and let the gold rush begin. There will be very high-level measurements to your basic health card. The idea that Apple has the hub makes it more standard and a part of the core OS which will make the users more confident about the data and will empower new development in these areas. The single source that other applications tie into is the foundation developer’s need for the wearable’s hardware like iWatch, iTV and other health monitoring devices. An extra feature that was briefly shown was the ability for the user to have confidence in their privacy and share only the relevant information with their doctor.
Home Kit
Just like Health Kit, the API’s are based on the same structure and gives the standardization that we all want from the manufactures. Lets face it, there is not one developer that would be able to bring all these devices to iOS so Apple again laid the groundwork for better standardization. The exciting thing about Home Kit is that it gives the framework for rapid development once manufactures create APIs to their products. As Heath Kit is, this is great for standardization on appliances and new wearable technology also.
Nathan Ooley, Founder and President, Appmosphere Inc.
Fun stuff, right?
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