WWDC 2020: Apple’s new tools for building iOS apps

Traditional Apple’s June WWDC 2020 presentation shows us a lot of features for users and developers. 

VRG Soft will touch only the most useful tools for the web and applications here.
1. iOS 14 core new features

The biggest changes in iOS 14, presented in WWDC, are on the home screen, including widgets, a floating video (“picture-in-picture”) and organizing all apps into the “App Library”.


The 2 most interesting things for the users and developers are AppClips and Widgets.

AppClips is a fast and easy way to run  a small part of the app within a few seconds for a concrete task, without the installing a full version. We use only 1 functionality, for example, for renting a bike,  buying coffee or paying for parking. 

How to do it? Though new indicators –  special App Clip codes, as well as using “old” methods like NFC, shared links etc. 
If you will need to download the app, it is possible to do with 1 tap inside the AppClip.

Widgets 

  Widgets have been redesigned and became more user-friendly, dynamic and helpful, comparing with Android ones. 

So, on Home Screen you can put a widget that will show different information throughout all day. Firstly, news in the morning. Secondly, your daily meetings in work hours and the last, traffic on roads in the evening.

  Also, with new SwiftUI API developers can work faster on widgets, using the same code to make a widget for different platforms: iOS, iPadOS and MacOS.

  Widgets are working with no delays in screenshots due to new widget kits in SwiftUI  API. It allows capturing screenshots and rendering directly, with no need to wake up your app.

  1. MacOS on Apple Silicon

The main “breaking news” was an announce of transition Mac computers from Intelx86 chips to a customly designed chip called Apple Silicon system.

 The main advantage of Apple processor is its capacity and more efficient use of energy. 

First MacBooks with Apple Silicon are planned to launch by the end of this year.
Full transition to the own processors Apple is going to finish in 2 years.

  But if you are fan of Windows, keep in mind, that it will not run through Boot Camp on Apple Silicon because of license policies. 

As for Microsoft Office, Apple cooperates with Microsoft to get it ready to work on Apple Silicon by the end of the year. 

  1. Native SwiftUI apps and its advantages

In 2020 we get new multi-platform abilities: now Macs can run iPhone and iPad apps natively within macOS.

SwiftUI is changing the way of thinking. 

Comparing with AppKit and UIKit, SwiftUI is more intuitive and easier to build. 

Its main advantages: 

1) great to work with a large scale of information, huge amount of images etc. 

All content is not loading in the memory at once, it happens when needed. 

2) developers need only 2 Swift files to run Apple apps. Creating a layout with this tools is called “Lazy build”

3) you can share code across all Apple platforms

  So, SwiftUI has no breaking changes, but its additions to code really make a difference in the final product. 

   Moreover, new widget kits and complications in WatchOS 7, tvOS 14, iPadOS built in SwiftUI, make it even more attractive.

 Now writing an entire app in the modern SwiftUI framework is a reality, which is becoming a new trend.

  1. Another useful tools

    PencilKit in iPadOS 14 

 Scribble function for the Apple Pencil allows to do the handwriting recognition into text version in any text box nearly at real-time speed.

It will simplify the answers in iMessage, search in Safari and a lot of other things.

Pinned conversations, mentions, inline replies and new Memoji in iMessage makes it easier to monitor all group activity and make quick replies. You can pin up to 9 conversations in your list for an easy access.

TestFlight will support up to 100 team members, which is very good for big development companies/teams.

 

In conclusion, you should remember, that all these technologies will be implementing and testing during all this year, and full picture we can see in September’s iOS 14 release. 

Anyway, VRG Soft advises you to be the first and you can start implementing SwiftUI into your apps now with the help of our developers. Write us for more information!

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