iOS 14: App Clips

Posted by Daniel Vela on June 24, 2020

App Clips

App clips allow a fast access to a part of a mobile app.

Launchers

Launchers have an URL or a MFC tag, this way they can by launches with a NFC label or a QR code.

  • NFC tag
  • QR Code
  • Siri location suggestion
  • Safari App Banner
  • Links in messages
  • Place Cards in Maps
  • Recentyly Used App Clips
  • Email

Characteristics

  • 8-hour locations. App Clips can present a notification within the eight hours of the user launching the clip.
  • Can check if the App Clip is checked by the user at an specific location.
  • Can offer a button to install an app.

HIG

Human Interface Guidelines

  • A simple app or fucntionality.

Possible uses samples

  • Cycle renting, a tag in the cycle can launch the App Clip.
  • Ask for a coffe
  • Launch a restauran menu from the Map app.
  • Launch the film list of a cinema from the Map app.
  • A museum can put tags near pictures to launch an App Clip with information.

Desing principles

  • Focus on the essential
  • Don’t use it for marketing purposes.
  • Design a linear, easy and focused UI.
  • On launch, show only the relevant.
  • User must use the App clip inmediately.
  • Small
  • Allow to share hte App Clip (they are URL)
  • Use Apple Pay
  • Don’t require user to create a account.
  • Don’t require the user to install a complete app.
  • Require access to notifications if they are needed along time.
  • Use more graphics than text.
  • Simple verb for actions.

Configuration

  • App CLips require a complete app to upload it to the App Store Connect.
  • Requires: a header image, a subtitle, a call-to-action.
  • Add the URL that launch your app in the section advanced app clip experiences in the App Store Connect. And
    • nfc tags
    • pyshical location
    • multiple bussines to use.

Frameworks NOT avialable to App Clips

  • CallKit
  • CareKit
  • CloudKit
  • HealthKit
  • HomeKit
  • ResearchKit
  • SensorKit
  • Speech

Reserve some functionality to the main app

  • Advanced networking features like Bonjour, or configuration of local Wi-Fi networks
  • App extensions
  • Customization and settings; for example, creation of a settings bundle
  • Data handoff and document opening
  • In-app purchases and in-app provisioning of payment cards
  • Low-level Unix functionality; for example, BSD notifications
  • Multiple scenes on iPad
  • Registration of custom URL schemes
  • Requests for user reviews of the app, using StoreKit’s requestReview(in:) method
  • Searches for paired Bluetooth devices

Code shortcut

#if !APPCLIP
  // Code you don't want to use in your app clip.
#else
  // Code your app clip may access.
#endif

Notiffications

Is not needed to require user for permissions if the notification only is going to happen before next eight hours.

Respond to invocation

  • Responding to Invocations

    func respondTo(_ activity: NSUserActivity?) {

      // Guard against faulty data.
  guard activity != nil else { return }
  guard activity!.activityType != NSUserActivityTypeBrowsingWeb else { return }
  guard let incomingURL = activity?.webpageURL else { return }
  guard let components = NSURLComponents(url: incomingURL, resolvingAgainstBaseURL: true) else { return }
    
  // Update the user interface based on URL components passed to the app clip.   }

Tips