Apple has gone all-in with the new iOS 13 update and you should too. Before we tell you why you should update your app (and your phones meanwhile) to iOS 13, let us see what packs the bunch of iOS 13 updates.
1. Dark mode

The long-overdue Dark mode is finally here. After the introduction of a dark mode on macOS in 2018, this was the most asked for feature in iOS forums. The phone display is now easy on the eyes as well as saves battery on iPhones with OLED screens.
2. An upgraded Camera and Gallery

The Camera app has received some wonderful updates. The new features include the option to allow you to change light intensity in portrait mode. Also, iOS 13 has a set of new photo editing tools that will allow you to edit not just their pictures but videos, too. You may edit, add effects, filters and rotate your videos – this is a first-time update on the iOS.
3. Quick-Path Keyboard

IOS 13 has a new keyboard that enables the users to swipe across for a faster typing experience. While the third party has provided similar functionality, this is the first time Apple has come out with its swipe-type feature thereby eliminating the need for such third-party apps.
4. An updated Reminders app

This is probably the best update for the Reminders app. An easy to use interface with tagged lists, smart filtering, and option to quickly add date, time & location does upgrade the user experience of the app. Also, including other users in your reminders and alerting you while conversing with them in Messages is another welcome enhancement.
5. Sign in with Apple

Privacy has been the foremost focus of Apple. Moreover, it is one of the reasons why users of Apple continue to stay loyal to the company. By avoiding annoying ads or their data being sold left & right to multiple marketers. Apple has taken one more step towards securing user information by providing an option to sign-in with Apple – a service that generates a unique email id for each application for the user – thereby protecting user data and identity. It is also integrated with Face ID and Touch ID making it a seamless experience on the iPhone.
Now, as I am typing this, my phone notified me about the iOS 13.1.2 release and iOS 13.2 is in the public beta with some exciting updates – yes iOS 13 is not bug-free and the updated iOS 13.1 was not either. We should probably see another 3-4 updates before the end of the year. However, with great powers come great responsibilities. Apple has made a generational release with iOS 13 and thereby, the bug fest is expected. As Apple always does, they will release bug fixes and performance enhancements making the OS more stable and more bug-free.
Meanwhile, as app owners and developers, our priority is to make sure that our apps deliver the latest iOS 13 experience to the users who have already updated their phones. It would be good to note that Apple has the industry record for most users updating to their latest OS version as soon as it is released.
Make your apps iOS 13 compatible –
1. Dark Mode – It is recommended to make your app support the Dark Mode. Since users of Dark mode are used to the darker interface, it is a strain on the eyes (personal experience!) when suddenly an app opens up with bright or white-coloured backgrounds. If you do not want to adopt dark mode or while migrating your iOS apps to support dark mode you better disable it initially or at least do not rely on the default colours so that you do not find scenarios like black text on black background.
2. Permissions – We need to evaluate the use of permissions in the app so that it works hassle-free. The option to permit the use of location just once or only while using the app has been introduced. If not handled properly, this can affect the working of the app.
3. Sign in with Apple – This is now an available option but not a compulsory one. However, providing this as early as possible helps your users understand that you care about their privacy.
4. iPad moves away from iOS – You may have had the same app for iPhone and iPad devices. While that will still work, Apple has introduced iPad OS for iPad devices. This helps to leverage the luxury of a larger screen and Apple Pencil like devices. Your iPhone apps in iOS can easily be ported to iPad OS to improve the experience of your iPad users.
5. Updated AR support, Low data mode, and multi-language support – Apple have religiously upgraded the Augmented Reality experience on the iPhone making it one of the best handheld gaming devices. However, on the other side, a low data mode has been introduced for apps that take up more data and screen time, thereby helping to reduce data consumption. A new set of 38+ languages have been added to the Keyboard; if your users were previously left out in terms of their native language, this is the time to upgrade.
Therefore, the iOS 13 is here and more features are on the way. This is Apple and they are born to excite. It is our responsibility to keep up and for that, you need an expert mobile development team.
SectorQube is ready to leverage the changes and features offered by iOS 13 and the new iPad OS. Our team of skilled iOS developers can help you create a new app or upgrade your app to iOS 13 environment thus helping you stay at par with the industry and a step ahead of your competitors.
Contact SectorQube today. Let us go big, bold and better.
