IOS 7 App Store - What's New?

2023 Author: Gordon Kinson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 08:36

Like all standard apps and features, the App Store in iOS 7 bears the imprint of Jony Ive's design talent. The appearance of the program window has become not only more beautiful or representative, purely cosmetic, at first glance, the changes actually turned out to be functional.

When there is a lot of light background, it is more convenient to work with text than when using the old, dark scale. As a result, the app looks visually faster and more user-friendly than its iOS 6 predecessor.

In addition, the updated version of the App Store provides several not only interesting, but also very useful functions. So, let's try to briefly familiarize ourselves with all the innovations in the App Store in iOS 7.

The application interface has become flat and light, and this is only part of the changes on the way to achieving maximum readability. Another striking interface update is the speed of its operation, which is strikingly different from what we are familiar with from iOS 6. If before half a minute waiting between switching from the main window to the content page seemed almost "painful", now everything happens completely differently. Moreover, the work of all sections of the application store has become fast, which is very useful for its daily use.

Now you just need to click on the selected preview picture, as the program opens it into a perfectly designed full-screen version, without depriving the user of the ability to quickly switch to other screenshots.

Automatic update

The app update module in iOS 7 is much more flexible and is more subject to user control. For example, a simple fact - the program will not try to download even the most necessary and important update if the device is not connected to a constant power source and is not in a zone of stable Wi-Fi coverage. Why waste battery power unnecessarily?

In the standard application Settings, in the "iTunes and App Store" section, there is an update mode switch that allows you to enable downloading data using a cellular connection. There are also options for automatic updates for the most popular types of content - music, books, applications and service files. It is not necessary to include them all or even selectively, although in most cases this will be the right decision. It all depends on the tariff plan used by a particular user and its traffic restrictions. Although the App Store downloads data in small batches without overloading the network, the mere fact of constant traffic consumption may not be beneficial.

But even the activation of all options does not mean that the data download will start at the same minute. No, the new App Store in iOS 7 only checks for updates and generates a list of applications for which they are available on the main page. In fact, the automatic update starts only after connecting the device to the charger and takes place in the background.

However, it is worth noting the moment associated with significant changes in the operation of individual applications after updates. For example, in the new version of the rather popular client MCTube Pro, data caching was removed at the request of Google developers. There is a mention of this - in a medium-sized gray font under the icon of the application itself, but how many users read such notes? If you do not want the system to automatically install such updates of questionable benefit, disable the automatic service altogether. Fortunately, the new App Store provides such a function.

Section "Near me"

One of the most entertaining and useful innovations in the App Store, an app with a very apt name, which can be translated as "What's nearby?" It uses a fundamentally new mechanism for detecting the location of the device and its owner and generates a list of those applications that will be relevant here and now. Depending on the situation, this may be a guide to museums and attractions, train schedules, advertisements for concerts or master classes, etc.

Unfortunately, this service cannot yet boast of a large selection of geolocation offers in the cities of the former USSR.

Such a system has enormous potential and allows much more flexibility to work with regional application markets and those programs that are focused on tourism. Moreover, according to rumors, it is based on the recently acquired Apple Chomp engine, which has a lot of room for improvement.

A wish list

In iOS 7 it appeared a fundamentally new and useful option - "Wishlist", or a list of applications that "I want to get." It works only with paid programs, which is obvious - those laid out for free access are usually downloaded immediately, while the prospect of parting with their money makes the user think. For this, the "Wish List" is provided, in which, with a slight movement of the finger, everything that interested the user is entered - for the future. Interestingly, this list is tied to an Apple account and is available for viewing on all iOS devices.

The stake is made on the magic of temptation - over and over again looking through the list, users will become more and more lustful for this or that application, and so on until they are ripe to purchase it. However, the function works well as an official list of planned purchases for the future for those who know how to control themselves and manage finances wisely. Moreover, the interface "Wish list" is thought out to the smallest detail - there is a division by application categories, a function of prioritizing the display of names in the list. And after purchasing and downloading a specific product, it is automatically removed from the list - very prudently on the part of the developers.

Read iTunes Gift Cards with Built-in Camera

Another App Store innovation in iOS 7 that's easy to overlook at a quick glance, when in fact it can make life a lot easier for active users. This is a fast scan service for iTunes gift cards, organized by analogy with the functionality of the Mac App Store. Instead of manually entering a long card code, all you need to do is focus the camera lens on it and take a picture.

A few rules: when taking a picture, it is necessary to position the smartphone so that the image is inside the virtual frame on the screen, to align the distance to the object to achieve the desired level of picture clarity. The main advantage of this function is not so much the acceleration of the code scanning process itself, but the appearance of new APIs, on the basis of which independent developers will create many useful applications.

Sort alphabetically

New functions in the App Store appear not only due to drastic changes in the OS, but also through constant updating of the service itself. At the same time, the key point is the analysis of criticism and requests from users, which contributes to an increase in the comfort of working with applications. For example, one of the latest updates for the App Store in the iPad version is the new alphabetical sorting bar in the Purchased section, located to the left of the main window. This has become a practical addition to the classic search engine integrated into the service back in 2011 and designed to search for specific applications.

Summing up

During a presentation at WWDC-2013, Apple announced that the payments by developers of applications for the App Store are estimated at billions of dollars. And the level of income from their sale is three times higher than from sales of applications for the Android system - 74% versus 20%. It remains to wait for the fall and the official release of iOS 7 and the new App Store.

As for the personal assessment, in the aggregate, the new service makes a pleasant impression - it really has become easier and more convenient to work with it. Almost all of the new features, including Wishlist, Next to Me, and more, are likely to quickly grab the attention of the targeted user segment. And new APIs will empower third-party programmers to create revolutionary products and inspire them to be productive. We are waiting for new services based on the capabilities of iOS 7 - AirDrop data exchange, Flickr and Vimeo functionality, in the future, work with LinkedIn and much more.

Of course, not everyone will be able to fully appreciate the capabilities of the updated iOS 7 and the App Store due to hardware limitations. On the other hand, the new operating system is full of little described functions and hidden options that are still unknown to the general public. In addition, this is just a beta version - by the fall, everything can change, and possibly for the better.

See also:

iOS 7 Overview in Detail.

Apple: iOS 6 is installed on 96% of devices.

10 secrets and tricks of iOS 7 (video).

How to Know Who's Calling Without Looking at the iPhone Screen (Personal Vibration Setting).

iOS 7: release dates for all beta versions, official iOS 7 and iPhone 5S announcement.

Test iOS 7 without installing it on your device.