Apple is expected to enhance third-party support for Siri in iOS 13 and give developers the ability to port iOS apps over to the Mac for the first time, according to a report.
The upcoming software release, expected to be teased at this year’s WWDC in June, will give developers more power to integrate Siri into their applications for a number of new use cases, such as playing media, searching for content, voice calling, sending attachments via messages and mail, as well as checking seat and time information for trains and flights.
The news comes from respected Apple journalist Guilherme Rambo, who writes at 9to5Mac.
Rambo said in a report that he expects to see a number of new developer-focused features in iOS 13, designed to empower developers to create better applications and software for both iOS and macOS.
macOS and iOS come together
According to Rambo, developers will also be able to port iOS apps to the Mac and take advantage of Mac-specific features, like Touch Bar, as well as support multiple windows.
The Marzipan project, rumored to be completed in 2022, is thought to have been brought forward, with Rambo telling readers that adding macOS support for an iOS app is now as “easy as checking a checkbox” in Xcode, suggesting cross-compatibility is coming sooner.
New frameworks
That’s not all: Apple is expected to make “significant improvements” to its ARKit for iOS 13, such as a new Swift-only framework for AR experiences that allow developers to create new virtual and augmented reality experiences visually, empowering inexperienced AR devs.
It’s also expected that Apple will open up a bunch of new frameworks for developers, such as the ability for them to use Apple’s Taptic Engine, as well as document scanning, and capturing photos from external devices, such as cameras and SD cards, without the need for going through the Apple Photo app, unlocking major new opportunities for developers.
Rambo also reported that Apple will allow developers to use their own file provider extensions, which could improve applications like Dropbox and its ability to work with Finder.
A major software release
This year more than ever, developers and consumers are hyped to see what’s coming to the next iteration of iOS and macOS, and with so many leaks and rumors already, both are shaping up to be major releases with a tonne of new features and functionality designed to give both developers and consumers more power and customization.
We can’t wait for both to be released later in the year, and try out the cool new features during the Public Beta.
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