Aquafadas Blog
iOS 8 Means Big Changes for Publishing Apps
With the 2014 keynote presentation just a few days behind us, the arrival of iOS 8 today caps Apple’s biggest week of the year. Though the new OS will not bring with it a redesigned UI as 7 did, there are some significant updates and improvements under the hood—changes that will affect app creation and digital publishing alike.
So what do you need to know before the update?
If you’re publishing apps on a digital publishing platform, not much! Because the architecture of the content container apps used by digital publishing platforms can be updated simultaneously, publishers using these tools for app creation will be iOS 8 compliant without any additional steps. Adobe DPS and Mag+ have also updated their platforms in anticipation of the release.
Of course, there are also a host of new features that anyone developing or publishing apps will love—so let’s get to the good stuff!
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Interactive Notifications
One of the most exciting features for app marketers is the introduction of interactive push notifications. This change will allow users to respond differently to push notifications than simply opening the app or dismissing the message. For instance, when responding to a notification about new content in an app, a user could choose to preview the new issue or be reminded later at a more convenient time.
Video Trailers in the App Store
App discoverability has become an increasingly pressing issue for those publishing apps to the Apple App Store. With the store growing by over 20,000 new titles per month, it’s more difficult than ever to launch a successful app without a strong marketing campaign. Video trailers are a huge step towards increasing discoverability across the board, as they enable users to be able to view a short video of the app in action rather than simple screenshots.
Scrolling Results
Video trailers aren’t the only new change affecting discoverability. With scrolling results, users searching for apps will immediately be able to view many that are related, rather than just one, and scroll through them. There will also be two screenshots shown for each result, giving publishers the ability to showcase more of their app’s content. This has the potential to be both a good and bad feature depending on how well you market your app. Publishers who take advantage of this feature and use two compelling images will likely see more downloads, while some may be left behind as others improve their App Store visibility.
App Bundles
Of all the new features, app bundles are likely to have the greatest direct impact on the profitability of app creation. Now, it will be possible to bundle a group of apps together for sale at a discounted price. For developers and publishers with several related apps, this discount could be a great way to incentivize users.
Pre-Loaded iBooks
Apple also announced that it will now pre-load the iBooks app onto iOS 8 devices. For e-book publishers and indie authors, this is huge. Previously, users who wanted to shop for e-books had to go to the App Store, search for iBooks and download the app manually. According to a recent blog post by Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords, this created an “unnecessary friction.” He went on to add that “It’ll be like having a bookstore in nearly one billion pockets and purses. It’s not a stretch to speculate that within a couple years, the iBooks app will be ever-present on over one billion devices around the world. Apple’s brilliant move will place your books just one or two clicks from being discovered by readers.”
More Device Continuity
With the last few OS iterations, Apple has established a trend of increasing connectivity between its devices. iOS 8 and the upcoming OS X Yosemite are no different—introducing new continuity features that could prove groundbreaking for developers. The most important of these for digital publishers is called “Handoff.” This feature will allow users to instantly and seamlessly move documents and activities between iCloud connected devices. This is key for publishers who want to increase content engagement, and it means an even greater focus on optimizing content for multiple platforms.