5 ways iPhone X is going to affect App Entrepreneurs
May 28, 2020
All the dust from the Apple X launch event has somewhat settled down and the reviews are out on almost all tech sites out there. Our CEO Thomas has signed up to be on the line to buy it when the pre-orders start on October 27th. So watch this space for a comprehensive review later on. While consumers are busy debating about the price tags, the new features especially the edge to edge display and absence of the Home button, very few tech gurus have given insights on what the iPhone X means to app developers or more specifically app entrepreneurs. They might have spent a fortune developing and perfecting an app for the masses and certainly do not expect the requirement of a massive technology overhaul to accommodate the new phone’s specifics. It isn’t the first time that Apple has made significant changes to the dimensions of the iPhone as well as the screen resolutions. The display now supports a resolution of 1125 X 2436 pixels. In comparison, for the first 5 years since the iPhone was launched by Steve Jobs, the resolution maintained a consistency of 320 X 480 pixels for the screen size.
From the iPhone 5, there has been regular upgrades to the screen resolution and moving forward to 2017, with the launch of iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X, Apple is showing signs of going the Android way of supporting multiple screen sizes. So as an app entrepreneur, is there a need to worry about the iPhone X? Not really would be our answer. App owners should in fact learn to bring in whole new experiences for iPhone X users thanks to all the engineering bonuses the phone has to offer. Let us have a look at the top 5 areas that App entrepreneurs need to re-focus for creating a successful iPhone X experience.
Full Screen
The iPhone X is the next best thing you can see to a bezel-less screen. Some of our staff here with high end Android phones would obviously argue, but let’s just focus on Apple for now. After all the Android vs iOS debates never end. Coming back to the screen size. It means you have a decent screen real estate to play with and apps should support scalability for the new screen size. The scalable feature isn’t new to developers as earlier iPhone variants also created the same requirement. So that is one less challenge on the technical front, because the solution is out there already. Just for the records, the UI of your app may have to adjust or curve its outer boundaries to ensure that it flows elegantly on the screen rather than throwing up void spaces at the top and bottom with a solid square design. Usage of proper vector based image files will ensure that no elements like icons or buttons appear pixelated in the enlarged display.
iOS 11
Though the iPhone X is not the only device to run on iOS 11, it is touted as the best match for the OS by Apple themselves. The iPhone X lets users enjoy the full power of iOS 11 and app makers should not be lagging. Ensure that your apps are optimized to utilize the advanced API’s and feature functionalities on offer from iOS 11. Our iOS wizards are already working on their R&D efforts to see how they can create a one-stop plan to migrate apps to the new framework without glitches. Our advice to app entrepreneurs would be to carry out extensive QA audits to guarantee a glitch free user experience for your user.
Facial Recognition API’s
The Animoji’s may be a hit with some or not so with some, but the underlying technology is sure to be a hit. Apple’s Face ID also opens up new possibilities for app makers to use the facial recognition API’s to craft new experiences for their users. Authentication, User Account Management and Permissions, fraud detection, etc. are the many ways these could be used in other apps to provide an improved customer experience.
Advanced AI enabled Processor
Apple is touting the iPhone X to have on-board, the most advanced AI processor ever in a smartphone till date. The A11 bionic chip has AI modules embedded in it that includes trained neural networks for supporting facial recognition and other natural image processing capabilities. In essence, developers can focus on creating advanced image recognition and processing capabilities for their applications if they require so. The processor would support high performance computing like never-before on a smartphone device. This essentially translates into faster apps, better graphical support for heavy games and smoother video and image rendering.
AR Capabilities
One of the most notable takeaways from the iPhone X launch event was that Apple has claimed the device along with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are engineered to bring augmented reality into mass adoption. Similar to virtual reality, augmented reality is fast catching up with consumers of today. From mall guidance to street shopping to AR enabled games (did someone say PokemonGo?), the possibilities are countless. The camera and the phone’s processor combine to provide a seamless digital experience that is overlaid on real time physical user experience. Realistic sense is imparted to the augmented vision through advanced gyroscopes as well as powerful accelerometers. AR apps could utilize the powerful A11 Bionic chip’s capabilities along with the advanced AR toolkit API’s to integrate more digital imagery into their applications.
If you have been hearing stories of mass extinction that is headed for app entrepreneurs with the advent of iPhone X, it is time to brush them aside. iPhone X is perfectly engineered to make you cooler than ever with your app. Minor tweaks, plus major thinking on how to utilize all the smart features that came along with the iPhone X is the real game changer. If you feel you need assistance, drop us a line and we’ll be glad to help.