Issue 146

Comment

Split screen iPad, iOS apps in movable windows, smaller iPads and bigger iPhones? The internet has gone rumour crazy this week but I'm sure you're all sensible enough not to believe a word of it. As always, expect small incremental changes with a new version of iOS (7 was the exception and I don't think we'll see anything like that again for a while). 16 days to go!

News

Two Apps at the Same Time

I disagree with Jason Brennan saying that split screen apps in iOS 8 are likely (even with Mark Gurman's track record, which was discussed recently on The Talk Show) but I agree wholeheartedly with his conclusion. I know I've mentioned this several times before but the #1 feature that iOS needs is better inter app sharing technology (note, I am not being specific about how this needs to be implemented as there are plenty of possible solutions). Please, please let there be some news on this topic announced at WWDC.

Possibility of Promo Codes for IAPs through App Store Code Program

The lack of promo codes for IAPs has been a bit of an issue for a while now and has led to developers implementing various in-app workarounds to allow self generated codes to be redeemed. Looks like Apple are experimenting with IAP promo codes through their App Store Code Programme which has allowed large companies to distribute 100,000+ promo codes for paid apps.

Note that this is not available to developers right now but I do hope this is a sign that we might see a change to iTunes Connect promo codes to support IAPs soon.

Tools

Why You Should Use Interface Builder With Auto Layout

Justin Williams with a follow up to Kirby Turner's post which I linked to last week. Justin takes the other side of the argument and goes through some of the benefits of Auto Layout with Interface Builder. As I mentioned last week, I'm firmly on the IB side of the fence and so predictably I agree wholeheartedly with Justin.

DynamicXray

Chris Miles with a visualisation tool for UIKit Dynamics. Simply add an additional behaviour to your dynamics scene and instantly visualise physics bodies and collision boundaries. This is going to be very useful if you're debugging UIKit Dynamics code. Just a quick warning with this though: Although you shouldn't be leaving debug code like this in your app anyway, this is GPL licensed so you need to be super careful to make sure it's removed before shipping.

Code

Mesh Transforms

Bartosz Ciechanowski with an implementation of the private CAMeshTransform class which allows mesh transforms to be applied to UIView objects (it's explanations like that which keep you all reading, right? ☺️). A class like this really needs a demo rather than more words trying to describe it though so check out the GitHub repository and run the example app. The best thing about this is that if CAMeshTransform ever gets opened publicly, Bartosz has designed BCMeshTransformView to be compatible with the current private API.

MTDActionSheet

Ever tried customising the functionality or look and feel of a UIActionSheet? Looping around subviews and fixing it with every major iOS release. You need this replacement class by Matthias Tretter.

macOS Development

Coda 2.5 and the Mac App Store

Cabel Sasser on why Coda 2.5 will not be available in the Mac App Store. This is a complex issue and I'm not going to rage against sandboxing in a single paragraph here. However, it's a tragedy for all parties involved that an app which holds a 2013 ADA will have to be removed from the Mac App Store due to sandboxing rules. Not only is this a pain for consumers but it also excludes an increasing number of features from Mac apps (notably iCloud but also MapKit and others...) A sad situation for everyone.

Design

I Only Work On Shiny Products

Great article by Jeff Domke on why we shouldn't always be looking to work on the most "shiny" products and services. Benjamin De Cock gave a wonderful talk at Úll this year on the same subject, concentrating on the humble payment form. I am acutely aware that linking to this makes my company name look rather silly, I don't care 😘.

Business and Marketing

Growth Hacking with the iTunes Affiliate Program

If you're not using the iTunes Affiliate Program you are missing out on at least some additional revenue. Nik Fletcher has some impressive stats on the revenue from Realmac affiliate links and some good tips on getting everything set up.

Books

iOS Human Interface Guidelines on iBooks

Apple have taken the essential iOS Human Interface Guidelines and put it out as an iBook this week. I would hope you've all read this already but just in case you haven't, now is your chance. As far as I am aware there are no major changes in content here but putting it in iBooks has allowed for a few bits of video and interactive content, and of course as a iBook it's also annotatable.

And finally...

NSHipster Quiz #5

I love Mattt's NSHipster quizzes.

Issue 146 May 16th 2014