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Don't Sit On Your Ideas…

How to Not Get Left Behind with the Latest iOS Updates?

Randy RayessRandy Rayess

If you’re building an iOS app, you probably know how challenging it can get to keep up with latest iOS updates.

Apple makes carefully planned moves. First it introduced the auto-layout, then the large screen and now the two-factor authentication. So when Apple doubles down on technology, you better pay attention. Imagine this, your app survived iOS 7 update and you got away for the year. But then comes in iOS 8, Apple builds on things it introduced in iOS 7. What do you do? You now have two years of updates to catch up on. And if you plan to skip the update again, you sure to land your app in trouble! So it’s best to follow what’s cooking in the Apple camp.

iOS Software Update

iOS Software Update

The OS has seen 8 version updates and several stability updates. The table below highlights various OS versions for each new feature that became available across Apple devices.

Keeping up with such a massive feature trail can be challenging.

What Can I do to Keep Up?

Quite a lot, actually!

Track Apple Change Logs

These aren’t typical developer logs. Rather they are put together very well and are only available to registered Apple developers. The logs are meant to explain in detail the different developer-level features introduced with each new iOS version. You can find the delta reference documents for each shipped release iOS 5.0 onwards here.

 

iOS 8.1 Beta Change Log

iOS 8.1 Beta Change Log

Apple Developers Center

Here you can have access to presentations on how to use the latest SDKs, tools and new features that become available with every new version of iOS. And, you can access the developers forums as well!

Subscribe to the iOS Dev Weekly

What do top developers read to keep up with what’s going on inside the Apple camp? The iOS weekly, of course! Compiled and curated by Dave Verwer, this weekly mailer includes links to hand-picked news, code, design, tools and business sections. Delivered to your mailbox every Friday, free of cost. You can subscribe to the weekly here.

iPhoneDevSDK Forum

Dubbed as world’s largest iPhone community, this forum has super-active threads dedicated to iPhone SDK development. Go ahead, ask any questions boggling your mind and there are a bunch of active developers cum bloggers that will come to your rescue!

iPhone Dev SDK Forums

iPhone Dev SDK Forums

Ray Wenderlich

Well-known for his iOS development tutorials (especially the very popular ‘iOS Games by Tutorials’), Ray Wenderlich forum is worth spending time on. Most discussions related to version updates, app marketing and development tips here.

Ray Wenderlich Forum

Ray Wenderlich Forum

Follow Star Developers on Twitter:

Twitter can be your ultimate news source if you follow the right people. Medium lists down 52 people every ios developer should follow on Twitter. Check it out to see if you are in the right company. Additionally, you can follow these Twitter feeds to stay up to date.

Cocoa is My Girlfriend:

Cocoa is My Girlfriend is a blog by Marcus Zarra (Core Data Guru) and Matt Long about programming and a passion for programming on the Mac, and includes Cocoa tips and sample code. Being a regular on this blog will tell you about what’s coming up in the iOS universe.

Stackoverflow & Github:

New updates generate new buzz! Enough said.

Stackoverflow

Stackoverflow

Finally, Never Give Up on Building

Keep developing  new apps, incorporating new features, testing and fixing. Nothing else can keep you updated than being hands-on. Stuart Hall, Founder of AppBot suggests, “Often your 9-5 job isn’t the best place to experiment, so ask to do hack days, do your own side project or even just rebuild your favourite app for fun.”

Have more ideas? Feel free to share in the comments below!

 

CoFounder at VenturePact Passionate about software, marketplace startups & remote work. Previously at SilverLake Partners, Ampush and Wharton.