Extensions, TouchID, HomeKit and CloudKit: Gifts from Apple for iOS 8 Development

 

With the announcement of over 4000 new APIs from WWDC 2014, Apple has given the power right back to the developers. The new iOS 8, releasing to the public later this fall, has so much potential when it comes to creating apps that work in sync with each other as well as giving developers more options for sharing and security.

 

There was so much talk about new APIs that it would generally be difficult to pick and choose what is most important to a developer but fortunately, Apple made these choices simple. By focusing on Extensions, TouchID, HomeKit and CloudKit, Apple showcased the most extensive and important release of APIs since the app store came into existence.

Extensions

Developers wondered when the ability for inter-app communication would become available to iOS. With iOS 8, apps will now have the ability to communicate with each other with live app sandboxes through the share sheet. Beforehand, developers were required to wait for Apple approval to get on the share-sheet; it was prime real estate. Message, Mail, Twitter and Facebook acted as the big four for sharing supremacy. The wait is over and developers can now develop apps for the sole purpose of sharing in mind.

 

Applications such as Dropbox, Pinterest, Instagram and Google Drive (had to add that one) can now be added to the share-sheet with iOS 8.

 

Functionality also gets an overhaul with the use of extensions. Apps can now share components with each other to enhance the user experience without switching between instances. Image and video processing applications will greatly appreciate this addition. Having the ability to manipulate media on the fly speeds up the process of finishing product and leans developers more towards iOS.

 

Safari in iOS 8 will also allow extensions from third-party developers, which includes translation and sharing of websites, links, and miscellaneous media. The inclusion of third-party keyboards also benefits users to have more options and shows that Apple can let their guard down once and a while.

TouchID

Integrated with the iPhone 5S release, TouchID has been a limited technology with the handheld device. The narrow scope of functionality included unlocking the device, connecting to iTunes and making store purchases.

 

Third-party applications can now use the TouchID framework to their leisure and enhance elements such as authentication, security, login and mobile payments.

 

One of the big concerns with this announcement was the information that developers may have access to confidential and private information through fingerprint data. Apple ensured developers that no access would be granted to any data byways of the A7’s secure enclave, which relies on keychain assets that never directly ping locked down information.

 

Banks and security firms will benefit from this technology to speed up the process and heighten the security features of their applications. Removing the need to remember lengthy passwords and multiple processes will entice developers to dive into TouchID immediately.

HomeKit

Apple wants to move into your house and become the best friend you never had. Home automation has been in Apple’s scope for a while now and with Google’s investment in Nest Labs, they had to step up to the plate.

 

To make it easier to control devices around the house, Apple is releasing HomeKit to developers so that devices can be securely paired and other devices such as lights, locks, cameras, thermostats, plugs, switches and so much more can be controlled. The ability to group devices together is an option that will greatly enhance how home automation is managed.

 

Large companies such as Philips and August are already on board with HomeKit and over a dozen more have their hands on the new framework. Imagine controlling your dishwasher, washer or dryer with a few commands on your smart device. Controlling the temperature of the house without needing to fiddle with the thermostat. Turning all of the lights off in the house before going to sleep. All of this is possible and developers have a tremendous opportunity in terms of application development. The integration of Siri, Apple’s iOS personal assistant software, also allows users to control devices through voice commands.

 

Apple also spoke about a plan to run a certification program for HomeKit to ensure the support of new features enabled by iOS to run alongside developed applications. HomeKit will truly be a strong platform for managing the functionality of household devices.

CloudKit

This is a tough framework to discuss when it comes to how open Apple is willing to go with it. It is hard to believe that Apple would be so gracious to allow their CloudKit to appease all platforms. With this in mind, Apple iOS developers are in the clear but what about other platforms?

 

CloudKit adds something new to the cloud infrastructure market by avoiding costly and time-consuming organization in terms of server-side applications. Apple is offering massive amounts of cloud storage and computing power from their iCloud service for free but with limitations that come with a cost.

 

With the limited amount of information available for CloudKit, it is not quite clear on how other platforms are going to be affected. Microsoft’s Azure Mobile Services and API42 Cloud API offer cross-platform integration with multiple APIs such as push notifications and file storage and it would be beneficial for Apple to cut into this with CloudKit. Unfortunately, Apple is known for protecting itself against integrating across platforms and may choose to stick with their own for now.

 

All of these frameworks are going to benefit developers for the new iOS 8 release. Without a doubt, developers have begun feeling out their options with what is available. iOS 8 is going to be the biggest OS release for Apple especially in terms of what is available to users at launch in terms of developed applications.