7 TIPS FOR iOS 7

iOS 7 is a major departure from past versions. Get your apps ready for the change.

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THE BIGGEST CHANGE SINCE THE ORIGINAL iPHONE

INTRODUCTION

s CEO Tim Cook described at the June 2013 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC), the upcoming iOS update brings some of the most

fundamental changes since the introduction of the operating system. And with iOS 6 adoption over 94%, it is important to be prepared for the changes when users begin to upgrade. With more than 1,500 new or updated APIs available to developers, there is a multitude of ways to modernize your iOS app. This eBook will provide you with seven focus areas to provide a great iOS 7 experience for your users.

Credit: Apple Developer site

// eBOOK // 7 Tips for iOS 7


WITHOUT A DOUBT, IOS 7 IS THE BIGGEST OVERHAUL THE PLATFORM HAS RECEIVED SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION AS iPHONE OS WAY BACK IN THE HEADY DAYS OF 2007.
DAN SEIFERT
THE VERGE

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EXTRA TIP

UPDATE UI

For more information on iOS app testing and the biggest iOS painpoints, check out:

The Essential Guide to iOS App Testing

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1. UPDATE YOUR UI
DONT GET LEFT BEHIND
The transition to iOS 7 brings a fresh UI designed to get out of the way of the user, provide clarity on interacting with apps and create depth and layers designed to foster a more enjoyable experience. Once these changes hit, users will expect your app to fit the flow of iOS 7. If you dont keep up, its all too easy for users to find another app that has embraced the changes. As more apps enter the marketplace, users will gain a sense for how a well-thought-out iOS 7 app looks, feels and operates. If you have created a custom experience without UIKit elements, you may want to revisit how your app looks and flows in the new paradigm. Conversely, if you are currently using UIKit elements, you will want to examine how they are coded into your app. Compiling your app against the iOS 7 SDK will automatically use newer kit elements, but you will want to ensure the elements still work with the look, feel and flow of your app.

// eBOOK // 7 Tips for iOS 7

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TRANSITIONING

2. BE CAREFUL TRANSITIONING
As you move your app forward or design a new app from scratch, there are several key areas you should keep in mind to make sure the transition goes smoothly. PAY AT T E N T I O N TO : App icons are losing their shine, drop shadow and will now have a different corner radius. Be sure to verify that your branding is not affected by these changes. Launch images should be extended all the way up to the status bar area. Since you can now tint the status bar to match your app, leaving this space as black by default may make your app feel dated. Drop shadows, gradients and bezels are de-emphasized in iOS 7 as the OS moves away from mimicking the physical world. Transition away from these metaphors to more smooth and layered layouts. Bottom-up swipes now launch Control Center. Be cautious when coding usage of this area of your app. Dynamic Type allows users to adjust the size of text they see in apps throughout their device. Implementing Dynamic Type will further satisfy users as your app will respond to their requested changes.

// eBOOK // 7 Tips for iOS 7


EVERYTHING APP DESIGNERS KNEW ABOUT THE LOOK AND FEEL OF iOS HAS BASICALLY BEEN TOSSED OUT THE WINDOW WITH iOS 7.
BUTTONS NO LONGER HAVE BORDERS, DROP-DOWN DISPLAYS ARE TRANSLUCENT, ICONS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. DESIGNERS ARE BASICALLY GOING TO HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH WITH iOS 7 TO MAKE SURE THEIR APPS FIT WITH APPLES NEW DESIGN GUIDELINES.
DAN ROWINSKI
READWRITE

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AUTO LAYOUT

3. VERIFY AUTO LAYOUT

Apples Xcode 5 brings powerful updates to the Interface Builder and Auto Layout. Introduced in Xcode 4 and iOS 6, these tools you can design a single interface that flexibly adjusts to the various iOS devices and states. Xcode makes it easier for you to handle views on different devices, orientations and localizations. While this capability is very helpful, it is important to verify the results. Apples iOS may not have as large of a fragmentation issues as Android, but even with the current supported lineup there are a minimum of eight orientation/ screen resolution combinations youll want to test. A well-defined test strategy would incorporate in-the-wild testing with a mix of iOS devices to verify implementation of the layout choices. Be sure to understand how your app performs on Retina and non-Retina devices, in portrait and landscape and how your app handles Dynamic Text.

// eBOOK // 7 Tips for iOS 7

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EXTRA TIP

BE FLUID

To learn more about mobile app testing, download this free eBook:

The Essential Guide to Mobile App Testing

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4. CREATE A FLUID EXPERIENCE

BUT DONT GO OVERBOARD
Updates to the UIKit enable your user interface to come alive in iOS 7. You can now quickly build animations and motion into your app. As users interact with your app, the user interface can react and move based on how users are holding and moving the device. Adding translucency and depth to your app can draw users in and make navigation easy. However, just because you can do something, doesnt mean you should. Think about the best use of the new UIKit features before implementing them. Adding new interactions because you can, not because its needed, does not make for the best user experience. Too much of a good thing can be overwhelming and a user may grow frustrated trying to accomplish basic tasks within your app.

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DEVICES

5. NOT ALL DEVICES ARE CREATED EQUAL

The move to iOS 7 marks the first upgrade in which non-Apple processors will no longer be supported. If you have an audience that heavily uses the iPhone 3GS or earlier or the iPad 1, you may need to consider supporting iOS 6 as well. Additionally, despite the supported device list utilizing A-series processors, certain devices will not support all iOS 7 functionality. If your app utilizes any of the features in the sidebar, think about an alternative or an alert for users with older devices. Beyond feature compatibility, older devices may mute or tone down aspects of the UIKit in order to maintain optimal performance. Testing across a range of iOS devices will provide insight as to how your app performs on the newest iPhone to the oldest iPad.
// eBOOK // 7 Tips for iOS 7

FEATURES WITH LIMITED SUPPORT

Camera Filters are only available on the iPhone 5 and iPod Touch 5, however Filters are available in Photos on the iPhone 5 or later, iPad 3 or later and iPad Mini Panorama is only available on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and iPod Touch 5 AirDrop is only available on the iPhone 5, iPad 4, iPad Mini and iPod Touch 5 Siri is only available on the iPhone 4S or later, iPad 3 or later, iPad Mini and iPod Touch 5.

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AUTO UPDATES

6. AUTO UPDATES AND

FRIEND FOE
Users will no longer have to enter the App Store to download the latest app updates. When devices have a reliable connection over WiFi, it will automatically download and install updates. You can now more quietly update bug fixes without requiring action or alerting the user. You can also better insure the vast majority of users are running the latest version of your app within days. But be careful, just because you can push updates more frequently without disturbing users doesnt necessarily mean you should. With quieter updates, a user may be avoiding your app unaware that youve since fixed the bug that drove them away. You should also know how your app handles upgrade flows to minimize user disruption. Does your app logout when upgraded? Does it save users data? Be sure to put the user first when thinking about upgrades. Additionally, without the user making the conscious decision to update, you miss out on educational opportunities to let them know about new features or substantial changes. Since apps now update automatically, you should consider how to inform users about new features and flows.

// eBOOK // 7 Tips for iOS 7

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MULTITASKING

7. MAKE MULTITASKING USEFUL

New multitasking code makes it easier to keep your content up-to-date and more accurate. Previously, iOS versions allowed a limited window of time when an app was inactive to receive updates. Now, iOS 7 will intelligently schedule updates according to your apps usage and other device conditions to prevent battery drain while providing up-to-date content. You can register intervals for your app to be woken up or tie content downloads to push notifications to ensure users are getting the latest data when they open the app. This helps eliminate load lag on your social networking, location-based and content-driven apps. Implementing the new multitasking code will provide a more seamless user experience.

// eBOOK // 7 Tips for iOS 7

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ABOUT UTEST

ABOUT UTEST
Test provides real-world testing services for web, desktop and mobile applications. By leveraging a community of 10,000+ professional testers from 200 countries and territories, uTest helps companies test their products under real-world conditions. Thousands of companies from startups to global enterprises such as Google, Microsoft, HBO, Amazon and USA Today turn to uTest to complement their in-the-lab testing, and to help them launch better apps. uTests services span the entire software development lifecycle, including functional, usability, security, localization and load testing. The company is headquartered near Boston, with offices in Silicon Valley, London and Israel. uTest has raised more than $37MM in funding and consistently generates triple-digit annual revenue growth. The company won the American Business Associations Most Innovative Company of 2011 award, and was named a Best Place to Work by the Boston Business Journal two years in a row. More info is available at www.utest.com or blog. utest.com. For more info on mobile app testing, visit www.mobileapptesting.com
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