Yesterday Apple introduced the new operating systems iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 Yosemite, but, in addition, it paid special attention to application developers, who were provided with many new tools that open up new horizons for creativity.
Since the appearance of the App Store, iOS 8 has become the largest release for developers. There are 4000 new API functions that will expand the content and functionality of applications. We will be able to see new games with incredible features that have not been available so far this year. In the meantime, let's try to figure out the new products presented yesterday.
HealthKit
HealthKit includes a set of tools that allows an iOS device to interact with a huge number of sports gadgets and third-party fitness programs. The Health app will collect all the information about the user's condition, and applications will be able to use it to achieve different goals. For example, the Nike+ application will help you create correct and effective workouts, selected in accordance with many parameters of the user's activity and health status.
HomeKit
This new tool provides a way to manage smart devices in the home. HomeKit is supported by iOS 8 and integrated with the Siri voice assistant. This means that thanks to voice commands, you can, for example, turn on or off the lights, close the locks or control the camera installed in the house.
Touch ID
In addition to unlocking the iPhone and buying in the App Store, developers will be able to use data from Touch ID in third-party applications. At the same time, you will no longer need to enter numerous passwords, and your data will be securely protected thanks to the uniqueness of fingerprints.
Camera API
In the new version of the operating system, developers will have full control over exposure, focus, white balance and other camera settings of iOS devices.
CloudKit
Thanks to CloudKit, developers have gained significantly more control over iCloud, and now the development of the server part of the application will become much easier for them. Using the CloudKit API, you can easily implement things like authentication, search, notifications, things that previously required much more effort.
SpriteKit
The updated SpriteKit will allow developers to create powerful simple games with two-dimensional graphics that consume a small amount of energy. Several new technologies have been added to iOS 8, thanks to which characters will move more naturally, it will be easier for developers to add actions of various physical forces, detect collisions of objects and apply new lighting effects in their games.
SceneKit
This new set of tools gives developers the ability to implement simple 3D applications. SceneKit includes a physics engine, a particle generator and easily describes the actions of 3D objects. SceneKit is fully integrated with SpriteKit, so developers will be able to use SpriteKit resources in their 3D games.
Metal
Metal is a new technology created for developers of advanced games to extract maximum capabilities from the A7 processor built into the iPhone 5s. The technology is tailored to the collaboration of the CPU and GPU to achieve optimal performance. Metal is designed with parallel computing in mind, and XCode offers excellent tools for working with them efficiently.
New XCode
In the new version of Xcode, it will be possible to create applications simultaneously in several languages: Objective-C, C++ and Swift. In addition, the developers have an updated debugger, an interface editor, new testing opportunities and much more.
Swift
