The latest iteration of Apple’s iOS has just arrived and, as expected, it’s their best ever. It comes with some important new features and all sorts of tweaks.
Where you’ll see the most significant differences, however, are the apps, with Apple having added impressive new tools to help developers come up with some amazing innovations.
They’ve also revamped the App Store for the first time, making it easier to find incredible apps you didn’t know you needed.
These are 3 types of apps you should look out for once you’ve upgraded to iOS 11.
1. Augmented Reality
By far the most transformative tool that Apple gave to developers is the ARKit. AR (Augmented Reality), if you’re not familiar with it, is the technology that lets your apps superimpose their reality on the outside world. Pokémon Go is an example of AR, with the ability to go outside and catch Pokémon that hang around in public places. The original app was sorely lacking in its development, but with ARKit, developers are having a much easier time creating stunning apps that are also highly functional.
There are lots of possibilities, and opportunities are being exploited by eager developers.
Already, new and improved toolkits have popped up which measure the dimensions of objects and rooms, determine whether surfaces are level, and so on. Of course, there are many less useful apps which are still fun, like those that give you virtual pets who you can play with and throw balls to.
2. Security apps
While Apple has improved its security, as always ironing out bugs which have made us vulnerable in the past, that does not lessen the need for added safety. The online world is an increasingly dangerous place, with everything about you available to a capable hacker. Identity theft is a very real problem.
Your iPhone UI has been revamped and is enjoying its new features, you should use the opportunity to download some apps for security purposes. Make sure you look out for the best VPN for iPhone but don’t leave it at that. Apple’s system is secure, but the user (yes, that’s you and I) is always the weakest link.
3. Stickers
I’ve never used stickers in my life (not the virtual kind, at least), but there are millions out there who add them to everything. Fandoms in particular love stickers – I’ve noticed Rick
And Morty and Bojack Horseman sticker apps popping up. But they’re also great for anyone who loves giving some extra edge to their messages.
With its latest evolution of iMessage, iOS has made it far easier to integrate stickers into every single message you send, along with streamlining iMessage’s connection to external apps. If you want to express your love for your favorite TV series, or simply want to add your face to messages to annoy your friends (and impress your S.O. maybe?), take a look at what sticker collections are available on the App Store.
