Top 10 New Features to consider in iOS App Development

Kirtan Thaker
6 min readAug 31, 2023

As all the iOS geeks and app creators pace up with speed and agility to get that competitive edge in the app development market, there are some outstanding features that they must keep track of and should incorporate in every iOS app project. These game-changing features are reshaping user experiences and creating newer possibilities. They can create responsive designs and become trailblazers for making the most impressive iOS apps. So before you begin making your dream iOS app, take a quick look at these groundbreaking features.

10 Most Lovable Features Considered in iOS App Development

The global revenue for the App market is predicted to surge every year (from 2022 to 2027) by an average of 8.58%. And can enhance the value to around $755.50 by 2027.

App- Worldwide statista

1. Cloud Integration

Developers are adopting cloud computing technologies for application and service development. Technology is facilitating businesses with multiple offers and soon cloud usage will surpass its current rate with the evolving technology. The Apple store has some popular cloud-based applications such as Dropbox, MS Office 365, iOS applications, and Google Drive. Some of the most known benefits of this feature are:

  • Backend data sending
  • Higher flexibility
  • More security
  • File sharing between users
  • Disaster recovery options

Also, Apple Cloudkit is an exclusive cloud platform used by developers for managing, organizing, and creating cloud apps. Developers harness the suite of APIs to develop apps that can enhance data storage on Apple servers and then sync on all user devices. Hence, cloud integration gets simpler and more seamless instead of handling a complex development process.

2. IoT Integration

The perennial rise of software sensors, electronic devices, connectivity devices, actuators, and other items has triggered the rise of IoT. The integration of devices enables objects to transfer data, communicate effectively, and connect easily with the physical world into computer systems with the available infrastructure. Users can control and monitor their smart home from remote locations with IoT devices. Hence, users have digitalized their daily routine lives in easy and smart ways. IOS developers are no wonder harnessing this outstanding technology and integrating it into their apps. Users get intuitive UI which helps them manage their daily routines efficiently with innovative apps.

3. Mobile Wallets

iOS app development is witnessing this latest trend recently. A mobile wallet, known as the digital wallet is an application that facilitates users to preserve their debit, credit, and loyalty rewards points in one place. Countries like India and China are highly concentrated with an increasing number of mobile devices. By embracing this technology, users can safely and securely store their money and can manage payments. Experts predict a sharp rise in mobile wallet users by 2026 and are expecting to see the augmented version of mobile wallet apps embedded with advanced features and benefits.

4. AR/VR Integration

IOS app development is incomplete without the integration of AR/VR technologies. With these technologies, users get immersive experiences that improve engagement and interaction. The forthcoming years will witness several companies utilizing such technologies to develop engaging apps. There will be a variety of apps created for different sectors such as:

  • Interactive and engaging gaming apps that provoke players to think critically, sharpen their problem-solving skills, and enhance collaboration
  • Educational apps that can create simulative real-world experiences teach students about the latest concepts with an innovative approach.
  • Medical apps help doctors to diagnose patients and provide accurate treatments by accessing their medical data and records.
  • Retail apps that render customers with innovative facilities such as virtual try-on, 3D products, virtual store tours, and real-time product comparisons for making better purchase decisions
  • Travel apps seek people to explore various destinations with accurate information about the destination, available hotels, restaurants, and flights.

To create a bigger impact with the AR/VR integration, Apple introduced various features that are relevant to this technology:

  • iOS developers can create augmented reality apps with the ARKit framework. They get various tools such as plane detection, motion tracking, and lighting estimation.
  • AR technology integrates with the Apple watch to give immersive user experiences
  • iPhone cameras are made AR-enabled improving the camera device features such as in-depth sensing and AR tracking.
  • Mac computers are given VR support such as VR headsets for developers to create VR experiences for macOS.

5. iBeacon Technology

One of the recent technologies is iBeacon which uses Bluetooth LE. It gives signals to mobile devices with location-aware notifications and promotions. The cost of the device is very nominal but it can take advantage of the latest technologies and retailers can give personalized experiences to their customers. Customers will get promotion offers and required notifications tailored to their needs, location, and shopping experience. iBeacons are used when:

  • Location tracking of people and items is important
  • Customers get personalized notifications
  • Interactive user experiences
  • Physical space performance monitoring
  • Data insights to check customer behavior
  • Process automation for increasing efficiency

Moreover, the introduction of SDK has made developers seamlessly incorporate iBeacons into apps without writing codes. Users can get rid of unwanted notifications received from various apps. Users can control how they need to be notified hence lowering the risk of intrusiveness.

6. High-level Security

iOS applications are developed with a priority on security. Developers are proficient in incorporating the best practices such as:

  • Data encryption in transit and at rest
  • Two-factor authentication for barring access to sensitive information.
  • Suggesting strong password creation to users and updating them regularly

Furthermore, developers can harness several security measures such as hashing, obfuscation, and key storage encryption to enhance iOS mobile app security. Recently, Apple has launched AppTransportSecurity (ATS) to ensure top-notch security and data privacy of iOS apps. With these features, developers are integrating advanced security measures to make sure confidential data is safe and out of reach from cybercriminals who make constant efforts to infiltrate mobile devices.

7. iPadOS

One of the most comprehensively created operation systems is designed especially for iOS applications. There are a range of powerful features and functionalities optimized for the device’s larger screen size. iPAdOS enables developers to create tailored mobile apps that can harness the full potential of devices. This feature provides the ultimate experience over the years and developers are creating powerful apps with advanced technologies such as ARkit and Core ML. Also, they are assimilating multiple tools and techniques that can leverage the power of augmented reality, graphics, and machine learning into the iPadOS apps.

8. Siri Shortcuts

With this feature, users can automate their daily tasks and can enable voice modulation techniques to execute specific actions. For example, Siri shortcuts can be rapidly created to order favorite meals from a delivery app. Users can now interact with the apps in simpler smarter ways with convenient ways. With NLP techniques, developers can easily create shortcuts in combination with various features like widget panels, notifications, etc. to give universal experiences to users.

9. Swift UI

Designed by Apple, Swift UI is a dynamic framework giving developers a large window to develop intuitive user interfaces quickly and easily. Powered to produce native apps for Apple devices, Swift UI will become one of the major trends in 2023 and the future ahead. With simple and stable syntax it can allow developers to write less code and create engaging UI for powerful presentation of the content. User interface layout can be easily predicted and debugged to build dynamic UI platforms.

10. Apple Pay

Apple device users use Apple Pay to make secured payments and transactions at a great pace. From paying bills for online purchases to sending and receiving money from family and friends, Apple Pay has been a proven feature that gives top-notch security for transactions. Other benefits are as follows:

  • Easy payments without cash and physical credit card
  • Quick transitions without waiting in line
  • Inbuilt security to store payment information
  • Accepted at all locations at online and physical stores
  • Items can be bought with simpler payment methods without entering payment information

Recently, this feature has been adopted by more customers for better convenience and security. It has easy-to-use features and will be seen gaining wider popularity in the coming years.

Conclusion

The iOS development market has brighter prospects due to the increasing usage of mobile devices across the globe. In addition, its improved performance, higher compatibility, and more stability have won the hearts of several users. The momentum will persist in 2023 and beyond. A promising iPhone app development company can build stellar iOS apps that can generate more business opportunities for companies and organizations. Businesses need to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies. By collaborating with the top iOS app development company, you can create outstanding iOS apps that can capitalize on opportunities, foster growth, and achieve better results through strategic partnerships.

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Kirtan Thaker

Empowering Startups, Enterprise and Govt. digitally with our software development services.