10 exciting features the new iOS 11 adds to iPhone and iPad apps

The wait is over! Apple unveiled its latest OS version – iOS 11 – on June 5, 2017, and was met with a staggering response from its user community. The promising new OS comes loaded with a host of impressive features that are bound to enhance user experience. Also, Apple has redefined development strategies in tune with the latest enhancements of the version to allow developers to build novel applications. Let’s take a look at what Apple has in store for iPhone/iPad users:

The ARKit

Forming the center of attention is Apple’s ambitious release of ARKit along with this version. Designed to allow developers to imbue Augmented Reality elements in applications, it’s all set to take interaction to a whole new level.

Screen Recording

Unlike the earlier versions that required the use of third-party apps, iOS 11 comes preloaded with a screen recorder. Yes, now you can switch on the option in the control center and record your on-screen activity.

One-handed Keyboard Mode

With screen sizes getting bigger, typing now requires two hands – but not with iOS 11’s new features. There’s a one-hand mode that pushes the entire keyboard to one side on the iPhone and also a QuickType feature on iPad that allows quick access to emojis, symbols, etc.

QR Code Scanning

Now you don’t need a separate app to scan QR codes. The updated camera will read all the codes to provide quick sign-in options.

Siri Revamped

Siri just got better, advanced and more efficient. It can now translate English into foreign languages and can interpret a far greater range of words.

FLAC Media Playback is Now Renewed

Audio files compressed using FLAC media playback will no longer display any degradation in music quality.

Multitasking Made Easy

An incredible option added to iPad allows users to access and use two different apps at the same time in a split-screen, thus enabling multitasking

Revamped Dock

iOS 11 brings an all-new dock for the iPad allowing users to switch between an array of apps in an instant. The dock adapts itself according to the device usage.

Express with Apple Pencil

iPad Pro carries an Apple Pencil feature that enables users to create notes using a graphical representation. The tool is quite versatile and executes tasks in a simple manner.

App Offloading:

Getting rid of buggy, glitchy, and error-prone apps can be quite a hassle. iOS 11’s new offload option has now fixed it. 

With an extensive collection of features, iOS 11 is all set to open up new portals for developers to build feature-rich and future-ready applications. Partner with reputed mobile app development company in the Malaysia to get the best solutions!

Improve the Security of your iPhone through These Simple Methods

iPhone security is commonly taken for granted. People have a habit of thinking that a password alone suffices in preventing unwanted access to their device. However, cyber criminals and hackers are becoming more resourceful than ever, and it would always help in adding a few more layers of protection to shield the data within the iPhone.  In this article, we’re going to be discussing a few simple ways to boost security: 

Two stage identification
 
A majority of websites of the day utilize not one, but two levels of identification for improved security. This is known as 'two-factor’ identification, and it brings a reduced risk. Certain iPhones may offer such a feature. However, with those that don’t, a third party application can be used for this purpose. An example of such an app is Avatier MFA, which uses fingerprints as well as voice for identity authentication.

Use a safe internet zone

The internet condition is a crucial factor for iPhone security. Using unsafe public WiFi zones could imperil the data in your device by allowing snooping by cyber criminals. As a result, it is important always to use more secure networks of Wi-Fi.

iOS app development Company

Biometric identification

Some devices have the option of biometric passwords. This type of security involves using a person’s physical traits to establish their identity, such as the fingerprint. This eliminates the risks associated with passwords and, therefore, keeps the device secure. Breaking into a device with this type of security is much harder than normal.

Make frequent password changes

This is among the simplest ways of guarding the data within a device. Breaking into iPhones is easier these days, and if you allow a password to remain for an extended period, you raise the risks of people guessing it. As a result, it is a great practice to set up a convenient schedule for changing passwords regularly.

These are just a few things that we think can help with iPhone security.  Remaining vigilant is of critical importance in these times, where cyber crime and hacking networks gain stronger tools and escalating ways to infiltrate personal data. 

For developers, it means building safer, more secure iOS apps with features that act as a defense against cyber threats. If you’re looking to develop a highly secure application, you can rely on experienced iOS developers from Openwave.

The App Transport Security Deadline Gets Pushed Back by Apple

During the Worldwide Developers’ Conference in June last year, Apple had announced that all apps on the App Store would have to comply with the App Transport Security (ATS) safety protocol by Jan 2017. It was implied that apps that didn’t comply would no longer be featured on the store. Recently, Apple reversed its decision and extended the deadline for ATS compliance indefinitely – giving developers worldwide room to breathe. 

However, ATS hasn’t gone away completely. Apple will attempt to bring back the feature shortly, as safety and data privacy become increasing causes for concern – most apps are nowhere near as secure as they should be.  
 
What is ATS? 
 
The App Transport Security is a feature that was implemented by Apple with the release of iOS 9. It gets apps to communicate with servers through the HTTPS (HTTP over SSL/TLS) protocol, which is one of the most secure protocols in existence and tough for hackers to crack. Before ATS, developers used third-party frameworks for HTTPS. 

The problem was (or is) that third-party frameworks don’t always use industry-standard encryptions and cyphers to protect communications. With ATS, Apple was hoping to make the security on most applications airtight. 

Iphone app development

Why did Apple backtrack on its decision?
 
Of the top 200 apps on the iOS store, only about 5% of them are fully ATS compliant. Many have bypassed one or more standards, making them weak or ineffective when it comes to communications security. Apple couldn’t possibly throw out most of its top grossing apps, which is why they pushed back the implementation deadline indefinitely. 

Why are developers so reluctant to encrypt their communications traffic? While HTTPs encryption isn’t hard to implement, the problem is that many applications are integrated with third-party advertisers, hosts, and analytics tools that don't support the future. 

Developers have no way of making these necessary core extensions of the app HTTPS compliant. Until everyone doesn't adopt the standard, it won't work. It's a job that could take a handful of years. 
 
What will happen in the future?

 We don’t expect ATS to go away, as cases of data privacy breaches and theft continue to rise. If you own a smartphone application that doesn’t comply with the feature, Openwave’s iphone app development team can be hired to upgrade your app at an affordable price.

2017 iOS App Development Trends that will boost downloads

Apps on the iOS store made over $28 billion in revenues last year. 2017, promises to be a great year for developers as the expected number of app downloads is expected to shoot up, and more people become willing to pay for downloads and in-app purchases.
 
Here are some app development trends for 2017 that you can take advantage of to boost downloads of your app:

You will no longer have to pay to download most apps

According to a Gartner report, about 93% of all applications were free at the end of 2016. Free stuff is always great news for users, as they will no longer have to pay hefty amounts for apps they are going to download and use only rarely. As an app owner, you can make money through advertisements, subscriptions, sponsorships, and in-app sales instead. 

Cloud technology integration
 
Cloud integration allows an application to be accessed across multiple devices, like an iPad, iPhone, and a Mac. It is also possible to never lose data, as it gets backed up on cloud servers automatically. Another application of this technology is that they allow developers to make smaller applications which have smaller download sizes, as most of the data will get stored in the cloud. 

IOS App development

Increase in number of wearable apps
 
According to statistics, there will be over 220 million wearable devices shipped in 2020. Clearly, the popularity of wearable devices is on the rise. The number of wearable applications is expected to shoot up greatly this year as developers attempt to come up with innovative apps for wearable tech owners. 

Apps made with Swift 2
 
Apple released Swift 2 last year. Swift 2 is a major upgrade over the previous release. It is now possible to build better, more secure applications. Also, the language is made to allow developers to make not only phone, but also wearable (Apple Watch) and TV applications. 

Openwave is a top ios app development company in Malaysia that specialises in building leading-edge iOS apps at affordable prices. We can make you a custom app for cheap.