Australian developers talk about working with iOS 7
Since the announcement of iOS 7, there's been tons of discussion about aesthetic changes the update has brought to the iPhone and iPad interface. What hasn't been talked about widely is how the update changed the various APIs developers used for building apps. Alec Fraser of Reckoner, a site dedicated to covering Australia's tech scene, has interviewed a group of the county's top developers to get a look at how the recent update has changed how they work.
It's a long, but informative look at the struggles and stumbling blocks updates can bring for developers. Fraser drives this point home with the simple example of a change to the status bar.
Even seemingly minor user interface changes-such as the status bar no longer being separate from the app in iOS 7 (as it was in iOS 6) can be a stumbling block, especially when trying to maintain backwards compatibility with iOS 6 while also updating an app for iOS 7.
Understandably, some of the changes to iOS 7 have made backwards compatibility with iOS 6 difficult for some developers. Some of the designers Fraser spoke with said that they've come to terms with this reality and are no longer worrying about making an app designed for modern hardware to run on the obsolete OS. Considering iOS models dating back to the reliable, but long-in-the-tooth iPhone 4s can support iOS 7, the developers believe most users with a compatible device will update.
Fraser interviews developers at every part of the process, including new apps and apps that have found iOS 7 as a sign that their time is done. For example, the developers behind Consume, an app for monitoring information on your iPhone, will no longer be updating it because of the dramatic changes in the APIs.
For a development outsider looking for a better understanding of the constantly changing landscape, Fraser's piece is enlightening. Beyond providing a look at what Australia's app development community is like, it gives a clear image of the struggles that all iOS developers face. Head over to Reckoner to read the full piece.
