With iOS 8, Apple is opening previously closed doors. Developers can now get their hands on functionality that was previously limited to the OS. Extensions are just one of the ways Apple is doing it (widgets and iCloud Drive being the other two).
What exactly is an extension? If you already use Chrome or Firefox on your desktop then you already know about them. Extensions are small pieces of code that add functionality and communication between applications. For example, after installing the Pocket extension in Chrome on your PC, you can click the extension icon to send the current page to your Pocket queue. Easy. Until now, this was not possible with iOS.
But since this is Apple and iOS for mobile devices, the implementation of the extensions is different from what you and I already know. So learn more about what they are, what they can do, and how to enable them.
How useful are extensions?
The extension allows you to directly share the content you are watching with any compatible application. This means you can send entire web pages to Evernote, save a page to Pocket, etc. More powerful extensions like the free 1Password app let you sign in to websites or apps with Touch ID, all without leaving the screen you’re on.
To compare this to iOS 7, you need to leave the login page you’re on, go to 1Password/LastPass, open the vault, find the username and password you’re looking for, copy and then come back app page to paste them. Now, thanks to extensions, it all happens with the tap of your thumb.
There are three main types of extensions in iOS 8.
Sharing extensions are highlighted in the top row in share sheet and are represented by application icons.
The action extension is available in the bottom row of share sheet. These extensions display interactive menus that exchange data with the application. For example, 1Password and LastPass secure login extensions.
Document Selector allows users to access files from iCloud or Dropbox in any app. We will cover that topic in a separate article.
Extensions that come with the app
There is no separate App Store “Extensions” section. Extensions are grouped into apps. When you download/purchase an app, the extension is automatically downloaded and installed. Although it is not enabled by default.
Right now, Apple didn’t allow developers to monetize extensions. Meaning they can’t charge extra for the extension with an in-app purchase.
How to enable extensions
Apps like Evernote, Instapaper, Pocket, Day One and more have updated their apps for iOS 8 with extension support. Just update the apps to the latest version to install them.
When extensions are invoked using the share panel, that’s where we can enable them. Go to any app or Safari, tap Share icon. You should now see two rows of icons.
Share extensions will be enabled by entering Than menu from the first row while Work extensions like 1Password and LastPass will be enabled from Than button in the bottom row.
Here you will see a list of all available extensions and an on/off button. Enable newly installed extensions and come back.
Now tap on app icon from extension bar to share content with specific app. When using Evernote, you get a pop-up menu to customize the note’s title, and you can also choose which notebook to go to without opening the Evernote app.
Children, the future is here.
Are you excited about the extensions in iOS 8?
If you’ve been using iOS for more than a few years, you can finally appreciate how great extensions are. And as more apps are updated, it will only get better. Let us know which extension you plan to use in the comments section below.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
