Following the release of the new iPhone, iOS 7, which marks the biggest transformation in iOS history, is set to make its mark on Apple's range of new products. From a consumer's perspective, this shift represents a move from skeuomorphism to flat design and the introduction of features like the Control Center. However, for developers, it means 1,500 new APIs.
What value will the new iOS 7 bring to developers? What are their thoughts about the new iOS 7? To answer these questions, Fast Company interviewed seven iOS app developers to gather their opinions on iOS 7.
Due to potential conflicts of interest, all interviews were conducted anonymously, focusing simply on pros and cons.
Developer of a Very Popular Photography App
Cons: Transitioning from iOS 6 to iOS 7 is a massive challenge. It’s not because the new APIs are difficult to understand, but rather due to the confusion developers face when encountering them. Developers are naturally excited about new system versions, but they often forget about older ones. These new tools and APIs hold no meaning for users who don’t upgrade to iOS 7. For developers with a large user base, you can't force users to upgrade.
Another difficulty lies in adapting to the animations and graphics in iOS 7. As a developer, it’s impossible to ignore the cool animations and interface adjustments, but learning to work with these changes takes time and effort. Imagine if others quickly adapt and use these features to develop better apps while you stay behind; you would fall out of the competition.
Pros: On the positive side, iOS 7 is sleek, stylish, and organized. It offers many interesting solutions to common challenges faced by developers. The transition from 6 to 7 is more than just a numerical update; Apple deeply understands the problems developers face and strives to simplify everything. Developers will gain new tools that make their products more stable, efficient, and attractive.
This developer expressed his love for iOS 7, stating that solving problems and creating beautiful, easy-to-use apps alongside iOS 7 is one of the best experiences of his life. iOS 7 will be a landmark event in mobile development.
Developer of a Popular Fitness App
Cons: Supporting iOS 7 requires a significant investment. Since WWDC, this team has been hard at work adapting their app for iOS 7. For a team with limited time, spending a lot of effort on compatibility means delaying other planned improvements. Nevertheless, they believe it’s worth it.
Supporting older versions is also an important consideration. Many developers think their apps should only support iOS 7, but this is a mistake. This team spent effort ensuring their app works on iOS 5 through iOS 7, which helps maintain user loyalty. In a few months, most users will upgrade to iOS 7, but some won’t. Responsible developers will consider these users.
Pros: Following iOS 7 development principles leads to better apps. The major changes in iOS 7 present an excellent opportunity for developers stuck in old ways to innovate. This developer stated that iOS 7 came at the right time; after four years of feature integration, they upgraded their user interface.
In terms of competition among developers, software development is like a marathon, and iOS 7 may be the turning point where great developers distinguish themselves from good ones.
Veteran Developer of Medical Software
Cons: Officially, the iPhone 4 supports iOS 7, but running iOS 7 on this older device is another story—it’s very sluggish. This means many iPhone 4 users won’t experience iOS 7. Not to mention even older devices like the iPhone 3GS and iPods. Consequently, users with these devices won’t upgrade to apps specifically developed for iOS 7, resulting in lost users.
The UIKit framework in the iOS 7 SDK differs significantly from previous versions. Many standard UI controls look different and sometimes unappealing, forcing developers to modify, correct, and recreate them, adding extra work.
Some new features only work on a few newer devices, even if those devices support iOS 7. For example, AirDrop isn’t available on iPad 2, iPad 3, or iPhone 4. If an app uses the AirDrop SDK, developers must invest additional effort to ensure the app doesn’t crash and to inform users about feature-device conflicts.
Pros: Generally, the new features in iOS 7 are pretty cool, such as AirDrop and 60 FPS video recording, which could be blessings for certain specific applications. Background multitasking fully utilizes processor performance, allowing some apps to function more independently. Enhanced social network support expands app functionality and adaptability to various fields.
Developer of Scanning and OCR Applications
Cons: Developing iOS 7 applications took longer than expected. While iOS 7 makes it easier to develop new apps, existing apps require significant effort. Developers had to adjust their plans accordingly, making it hard to justify from a business perspective.
Additionally, developers heavily using text will face substantial adaptation work.
Since this change is unprecedented, making design choices without precedent or experience is challenging. Even Apple's official apps didn't perform well during testing, such as figuring out how to apply paper textures in a flat world.
Some APIs are hard to access unless developers request them, and Apple remains silent otherwise. In short, it's tough being an early adopter.
Pros: Initially, this developer disliked iOS 7, but with each beta update, he noticed improvements, though he still doesn’t like it.
They redesigned new icons and removed textures. Now, they’ve found the right color schemes and subtle animation transitions. Supporting both iOS 6 and iOS 7 is challenging, so they plan to focus solely on iOS 7 going forward.
Half a year ago, such fresh designs on a new system might have seemed radical, but now people have become accustomed to them.
Home Decoration App Developer
Cons: There weren’t too many downsides. The workload for improving graphical user interfaces and code was larger than expected. Feedback from users on other platforms was also unpleasant.
Pros: iOS 7 looks more modern, meaning developers will create new visual effects based on the new version. Additionally, due to iOS 7’s new features, download and update volumes will surge. Better control over app graphical user interfaces, improvements in iCloud storage and AirDrop sharing, and OpenGL extensions mean faster graphic rendering.
To-Do App Developer
Cons: When they initiated their iOS 7 plan, they immediately realized it was more work than anticipated. After redesigning, their app still didn’t fit well with iOS 7.
A bigger challenge was that the redesigned app looked too generic. A wave of early-released apps looked similar because they adopted safe strategies based on iOS 7. Standing out required knowing when to break the rules and innovate. From a coding perspective, the new APIs didn’t make much of a difference, and supporting both old and new versions remained difficult.
Like many developers, due to resource limitations, they decided to update only for iOS 7. Currently, they can only develop a "cross-compatible" app to satisfy both sides.
Pros: Thanks to the new APIs, their developers eliminated "tons" of custom code. Tasks that previously took days now take minutes. This means they can focus more on adding features and testing software, giving them more time for refinement.
Because of iOS 7, users expect more from updated apps, and developers who think they can complete adaptations in a day may pay a price.
Experienced iOS and Android Developer, Programming Book Author
Cons: iOS 7 is currently Apple's most disruptive update. Until now, migrating apps from older versions to the new one has been painful. For Apple, this migration will be a victory, but developers will endure the pain.
The biggest uncertainty comes from app design and appearance, so he advises developers to keep up quickly to avoid looking outdated. This is a comprehensive shift and an opportunity to break away from current design trends and establish a new feel.
From a coding perspective, developers face frustrating user interface issues. In iOS 7 SDK-based development, developers must check every screen detail to uncover potential interface flaws. For instance, Apple has changed the status bar handling, leading to some development challenges.
Pros: iOS 7 brings many interesting features, such as background tasks, peer-to-peer Bluetooth, and new ways to handle text. In summary, if you can upgrade to iOS 7, do so. Sticking to iOS 6 isn’t the way forward. Apple will move the development toolchain to Xcode 5, meaning future developers who want to stay with iOS 6 will face two development environments. Therefore, developers should switch to Apple's latest tools and platform as soon as possible.
After compiling the opinions of these seven developers, it was found that their dissatisfaction with iOS 7 mainly stems from the need to redesign and redevelop apps, a task often larger than expected. Additionally, it’s challenging to stand out in the new environment. Moreover, the significant changes between iOS 7 and iOS 6 make dual-version support costly, forcing many developers to abandon older versions and focus on iOS 7.
As for the advantages of iOS 7, the new APIs and features will enhance app functionality and ease development. Once the app is completed, it will be more fashionable, beautiful, and user-friendly.