What is new in iOS 11 for developers and users? An overlook at the newest frameworks released for developers and miscellaneous features for users in the upcoming major iOS update.

Apple announced iOS 11 for developers and users at its Worldwide Developers Conference on 5th June 2017. Though till date, it is only available for developers and is scheduled to release for all users in the third quarter of this year, so its not exactly iOS 11 for developers and users as of now, but iOS 11 for developers only. iOS 11 is the completely revamped version of iOS 10 with more exciting and cool features for users. For developers, it introduces new development frameworks like Core ML and ARKit to build augmented reality apps powered with machine learning models.

We at Agicent App Company are involved in the iOS app development business for 8 years now, and the latest iOS update opens up exciting opportunities for our iOS developers to build more realistic VR apps for our clients. Our skilled iOS developers have already started playing with the latest iOS frameworks and are ready for any challenge that you throw at us. So, if you have an AR and VR app idea then you can always contact us for an instant price quote.

Now, from user’s point of view, they are going to love this latest iOS update as it offers tons of extra features to improve their overall iPhone experience. Siri is improved and can now translate between different languages, Maps app can show you the way in malls and airports with indoor maps, better multitasking, and much more. Let’s first see what are the latest frameworks for developers in iOS 11 and then move ahead with a detailed list of all general features.

What is new in iOS 11 for App developers?

1. ARKit API:

ARKit API will help third-party iOS developers to build augmented reality apps. Using this API, developers can easily create realistic virtual content on top of real world scenes to give users an immersive experience like never before. However, this API is only available for Apple 9 or Apple 10 processors due to performance constraints on previous generation processors.

Enough for the words? Check out the Ikea app teaser which is exclusively developed using latest Apple’s ARKit API. The app allows users to check out different type of furniture in their home before buying.

2. Core ML framework:

With AR app development support in iOS 11, Apple is backing it up by a powerful machine learning framework called Core ML. This framework includes neural networks and other trained machine learning models which will help apps to make complex decisions. Best of all, it is completely optimized for better on-device performance and low battery usage. For example, you can use Core ML framework to develop face recognition, face tracking, and object tracking apps.

3. Depth Map API:

The Depth Map API will allow iOS developers to manipulate depth data captured from photos which could possibly mean a new era of photo editing apps and filters for iOS 11 devices on their way.

4. HomeKit:

With iOS 11 update, developers can use HomeKit without applying for MFI (Made for iPhone) approval.

5. MusicKit:

Apple Music and iCloud Music library are now available for third-party app developers which allow them to access music catalog of users. Now, developers can make custom apps to play Apple Music and local music right from their apps and games.

6. NFC framework:

Apple has introduced a new NFC framework that will allow developers to build apps which can read NFC tags.

7. SiriKit:

The SiriKit framework will facilitate the integration of iOS and watchOS apps with Siri. Also, Siri has learned new tricks, and it can now book rides and make personal payments for you. Additionally, it also now supports translation between languages and more natural voices with different accents.

8. PDFkit:

Developers can now display and edit PDF docs within apps using PDFkit API. Furthermore, they can select and share text and zoom in/out within the displayed PDFs programmatically.

What is new in iOS 11 for iPhone users:

Image Source: Wikipedia.

A brand new customizable Control Center with options to add settings and favorite apps, as shown above. Files app to manage local and cloud files on Google Drive, iCloud Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. More advanced Siri which can now translate between languages and shipped with more natural human voices. Additionally, you can also type in to interact with Siri in iOS11. Unified lock screen and Notification Center. All old notifications can now be accessed right from the lock screen, no need to swipe down on the lock screen to see notifications anymore. For better messages synchronization between macOS and your other iOS devices, messages will be integrated with iCloud. Added native screen recording feature. Drag and drop images, text, and files across files to share content easily within apps. Smart Invert feature: Invert UI colors for users with vision impairment. The Smart mode doesn’t invert colors of photos and graphics. Offload rarely used apps: In the latest iOS update, you can uninstall unused apps while retaining their data and settings to recover storage space. In future, you can install the offloaded apps again and use them as usual. Camera app now supports native QR code scanning. Images and videos will be encoded High Efficiency Image/Video Format to reduce the size of captured snaps and videos. Third-party apps can use iCloud Keychain to autofill passwords. Photos app will support GIFs. Automatic Setup: This new iOS 11 feature simplifies the process of setting up new devices. App Store has been redesigned. Maps app will now help you to navigate in malls and airports (indoor maps) as well. In addition to this, it will also indicate speed limits and lane guidance. Share WiFi password with other iOS devices.

What’s new in iOS 11 for iPad users:

Image Source: Wikipedia.

iOS 11 will totally change the way you use your iPad, not in the terms of UI, but with enhanced multitasking and productivity. Now, there is a customizable system-wide app dock just like in macOS where you can put all your favorite apps and quickly access them from anywhere. Furthermore, you can also open multiple apps in a split-screen mode and work with them flawlessly. Things get more exciting as you can now even drag and drop files between apps to share content. Additionally, you can easily take notes and annotate screenshots in a hassle-free manner.

The new Instant Markup feature allows users to draw anywhere and take notes, even from lock screen using Apple Pencil. If we talk about iPad app development with context to this latest iOS update, then we think it is going to be fun to develop VR apps for iPad as users will love experiencing on a bigger screen size.

We have tried to list everything new in iOS 11 for developers and users, though if you unearth any additional features missed in this post, then feel free to let us know via emails to sales@agicent.com, and we will update this article with full credits to you.

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