iOS 11 beta 3 review: Apple releases a string of new features for developers

Apple released the third beta version of iOS 11 and offers interesting features for developers.

Toronto, ON – 11th September, 2017: While the Second Beta introduced several fixes to iOS 11 beta, with iOS 11 beta 3 profile, iOS 11 features have matured considerably. The third beta adds polish everywhere to existing features, with few new surprises and improvisations in task performances of existing features.

BluEnt’s developers did a hands-on analysis on iOS 11 beta 3.

Here’s what’s new in iOS 11 beta 3:

Consolidated Control Center

The biggest haul of new features is in the Control Center. Apple has changed it significantly from iOS 10. The new control center is consolidated in a single tab. Apple has also enhanced the usefulness of Control Center toggles with new menus, accessed primarily through 3D touch.

Upgrades in Safari

The iOS 11 beta 3 Safari has been upgraded with several new features.

Take a look at some of these:

• The Apple developers have come up with a new API for Safari authentication called as SFAuthenticationSession. It can be used with OAuth for directly authenticating users from websites and apps.

• The in-app browser in Safari has been updated visually. The toolbar has been collapsed. Apple has added default preview to make the UI better.

• In the previous Beta release, content blockers in Safari were broken. With the Beta 3, they are working again.

• A brand-new syncing system has been put into place for bookmarking and reading list features. This system is expected to elevate security and increase performance.

Third Party App Updates

• Developers can now include Dropbox storage too in Files. This feature was not present earlier.

• For devices, which have access to server setups, for OS X Server shows up as an option. This way, these devices will interact directly with server files from iPhone or iPad.

New feature – Notification Centre

The Notification Centre also got a boost with a new feature in the third beta. Earlier, one had to first see the notification screen and then had to swipe for notifications. With Beta 3, all notifications can now be accessed with a single swipe down.

Updates in Siri

Just like Safari, Siri, Apple’s famous voice assistant has been upgraded with more capabilities. Some of these are:

• Update of Siri’s voice for both genders in Chinese and Japanese languages

• Text translation is now possible with Siri. The third beta supports translation from US English to Spanish, German, French, Italian and Chinese.

• Siri voices for both genders of Dutch, Swedish, Brazilian Portuguese and Canadian French as well as female voices for Mexican Spanish and English have been added.

New App Switcher for iPad

For iPad developers, the iOS beta 3 public update brings back swipe up features for quitting apps. Earlier, one had to tap and hold the app to reveal the close button.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Toggle

The Wi-Fi toggle behavior has drastically changed in iOS beta 3. When the toggle is pressed now, the Wi-Fi is not turned off. It simply disconnects from the present network and does not connect to any new network. This will now allow using features like AirDrop. Once you tap the toggle again, it will search for networks or connect to previous network again.

The Bluetooth toggle also works on similar lines.

We also found out some bonus fixes. Have a look:

• AirPlay for third party apps has been fixed.

• The Live TV adds listing for additional providers including Comcast XFINITY.

• The iMessage sync section now has a counter which shows messages being backed up.

• The music application does not shuffle sons by default anymore.

• The new Apple App Store shows Family Purchases.

In a nutshell, the third beta was a pleasant surprise. We were thrilled with the stability, bug fixes and cannot wait for the final release. The official release of iOS 11 for public is slated for September 12th, 2017. Let us know if you’re thinking of iOS app development with iOS 11. We’d be happy to discuss more in detail with you.

About Us:

Formed in 2003, BluEnt specializes in proving custom websites, mobile apps, e-commerce, and internet marketing services for companies running an online dependent business or looking to develop tools to efficiently automate and monitor active processes in their organization. With 11 growing offices situated around the world, BluEnt is respected globally for its consistent quality of services and timely delivery of projects. We use our experience across industries and software applications to help enterprises derive maximum value out of their resources and investments.