We have already covered major announcements from Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2016 and how it opens doors for a lot of new possibilities. But here we will focus on how Apple’s recently introduced technologies, especially iOS 10 benefits enterprises.
In the midst of all the clamor about the newly-launched iPhone 7, Apple launched iOS 10 on September 13 to support the new iPhone’s hardware. Even though the launch of iPhone 7 has overshadowed the launch of Apple’s first double-digit iOS, features of iOS 10 will surely gain some attention from businesses. Enterprises can rely on the new iOS for better collaboration, higher productivity, and improved security.
Some of the features of iOS 10 that can be leveraged to achieve some tangible business benefits are:
Fast lane – Assigning business the top priority
Fast Lane is the result of the partnership between Apple and Cisco, which aims to provide better services for enterprises and has given priority to business apps and business users.
With the increased need of mobility, a lot of employees use their iPhones at work, but due to lack of prioritization, they end up connecting to a guest connection and have to deal with a lower speed. With a fast lane for iOS business users, a network admin can set priorities for different types of apps. As a result of this, someone who is using his iOS device for business purposes will receive higher priority than someone who is using it to watch a viral cat video.
Cisco Spark – Bettering business communication
The Apple-Cisco partnership has made Cisco Spark completely optimized for iPhones and iPads. Business communication is made easier with the new functionalities provided by Spark. Spark will use new iOS APIs to integrate with iPhone, providing voice and video capabilities. Users would be allowed to make an enterprise video or voice call by simply tapping on a contact.
The new iOS makes Spark’s Voice over IP services an integral part of the phone. Using this, users would be able to receive calls directly from the lock screen, eliminating the need to open the app prior to receiving Spark calls. This will benefit businesses by reducing call costs and making international calls smoother. These VoIP calls will go through the enterprise’s corporate PBX, thus allowing the business to record calls for better security.
Siri – Newer and better
When Google Home was launched to compete against already established Amazon Echo, both of them acted as smart speakers as well as virtual assistants. Everyone was busy comparing Google Home with Amazon Echo; meanwhile, our beloved Siri was forgotten. So, it was expected that Apple will empower Siri and announce the big news during WWDC 2016.
With iOS 10, comes the all new and powerful Siri that can work with some of the most downloaded apps from Apple Store. Siri can now control third-party apps, which means businesses can use voice commands to perform certain tasks, whether it involves initiating a video call with the client or booking a cab to go there and meet them directly. Businesses can assimilate some mission-critical business and productivity apps with voice activated help to make things easier for employees.
Universal Clipboard – Enabling content syncing
Gone are the days when you needed to send a list of links or number of photos from your iPhone to Mac. Here comes Universal Clipboard. If you need to share some URL, images or any other types of data between your Apple devices, you can copy them and they would be stored in the iCloud through the Universal Clipboard.
Suppose you found an interesting page on your iPhone or iPad, you can simply copy the link and get the URL on your MacBook or Mac Desktop from the Universal Clipboard. This increases compatibility between Apple devices and shaves off a lot of time that could otherwise be wasted in emailing the links, photos or sharing it using some other mediums.
Visual Voicemail – Eliminating the need to jot it down
Have you ever noted down the details that are mentioned in a client’s voicemail? If yes, you know the pain. With iOS 10 comes Voicemail Transcripts, which will transcribe every voicemail that you receive, which you can view in the form of text.
However, the addition of this feature does not manipulate the way in which it conventionally worked. You can still listen to the voicemail using pause and rewind functionality. So if you miss a call from a client, jotting down the information that you hear in the voicemail will no more be a requirement. You can simply read the visual voicemail that is generated using voice recognition by iOS 10.
Contextual prediction – Proactively providing what you may need
The new iOS feels more like a companion than an operating system. It helps you convey yourself in a better manner by popping some suggestions that you may need next while conversing with someone.
iOS 10 offers contextual prediction that can suggest some actions based on what you type. Suppose you are planning a meeting with your team and you type “I’m available at,” it will search for the free slot in your calendar and will prompt some options for you to pick from. This will not only make it easier for you to communicate, it will also make you more productive than you ever were.
Now that you know how iOS 10 features are apt for businesses around the globe, you might want to start iOS 10 app development for your business. If you need some help with getting started or are looking for reliable iOS app development services, feel free to contact our expert team that is willing to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.
