iMessages Redone, In iOS 10.

Prepare to be more colourful (in your messaging)

For time immemorial, people have poked derision at Apple’s tendency to ‘maintain a walled garden’. They allude to Apple’s denial of access to third party (external to Apple) developers, to certain core parts of the iOS.

It’s not any one specific part of the OS platform. The march continues for feature after feature.

First it was an issue with access to the internals of Safari, then the iMessage framework, the Notification Centre, the Onscreen Keyboard, and then to ‘share sheets’ that function across the OS.

Forced into a moral corner, Apple began ‘liberalising’ back in September 2013 — with the opening of doors in iOS 7, and has continued to further liberalise with every subsequent release of iOS versions.

The latest OS to launch — iOS 10, carries third party access to Apple’s secure iMessage platform.

Under strict guidance, parlayed by a new Software Development Kit (SDK), Developers can create ‘App Extensions’ to add bells, whistles and capabilities to Messages, just as they did for third-party keyboard apps.

Not only does the new access enable Developers to create stickers (like emojis) for iPhones and iPads., it also allows them to create Apps that customise and enhance functionalities within iMessages. This will lead to the users being able to do more and more things without leaving the iMessage interface.

If that was gobbledegook for you, in plain English, it means that you can expect more colourful emoticons, stickers, GIFs and other more important interfaces that uncomplicate interactions right within the iMessage screen!
So not only will you be able to dress up your messages like never before, you could even be conducting commercial transactions right through iMessage!

iMessage has already started getting new stuff ahead of iOS 10’s release. Apple’s already released four animated sticker packs to stoke the excitement of fans around the world.
The sticker packs consist of Smileys, Hearts, Hands, and Classic Mac etc.

Needless to say, the Apple store is going to be flooded with sticker apps as and when iOS 10 releases officially, and Apple’s already given it a jumpstart.

On business opportunity — it’s huge, and more importantly, its the next evolution in m-commerce. Facebook is already providing such commercial and other interactions in their Messenger functionality. So Apple is smart to jump in right away.

Imagine if you could choose, transact, pay (and cancel) things directly from iMessage… No more webpages, or apps or entering card details! Heaven, right?

To help understand the scope and potential of this change, Apple showboated a few integrations already in play.

Following the announcement during the keynote at the WWDC, Apple allowed the developer of Square Cash to share some details about how their, Square Cash’s payments service works as an app extension for iMessages.
The whole procedure goes something like this — when a user installs Square Cash, the app can be located in the new iMessage “app drawer.” If an e-commerce company or a friendly business sends the user a message with a product recommendation, and the user likes it, all he (the user) has to do is just swipe up in the Message,N pick an amount to pay, and attach it to the message. And one more tap to deposit/pay for it!

Game changer!

Not only that, iMessages now do GIFs too! GIFs are trending these days, anything that happens around the world ends up being a GIF in the world of social media.
Entertainment-targeted apps like JibJab also found a mention. Cashing on the same fad, JibJab has drawn up an app that enables the users to access the iPhone’s camera to place their faces on GIF-like videos and share it with their friends. Instant personal entertainment!

During the keynote, another iMessage app called DoorDash was introduced by Craig Federighi. His demo showed a group lunch, whose order was placed without even leaving iMessages.

Once he decided what he wanted to order from the menu provided, and selected the quantity of the order, he shared his choice with one of those present in the ongoing iMessages group and added his lunch to the group ticket. Simply amazing, isn’t it?

Although Apple has not showcased or indicated too many other iMessage Apps, yet we are hopeful that Apple will live up to the things mentioned on its developer beta site which states that the users will be able to ‘share content, edit photos, play games, send payments, and collaborate with friends’.

The unknown and new always induces a sense of excitement. Although, it is expected that the execution of these third-party iMessage Apps might be similar to third-party keyboards (released in iOS 9), yet it may create a new world order in messaging.

Liberalising things always creates interesting new ideas that sometimes change the world.
This too, will yield more than just new kinds of shortcuts or simply message-enriching features.

There is a lot of build up around the public release of iOS 10, and this is amongst one of those changes that mayn’t strike the average user immediately, but it will definitely impact each of them in the near future.

Note: While some of you might be able to see these stickers if you are running iOS 9 but the sticker packs are only available for download to the users of iOS 10 (currently on Beta).
If you’re on the Beta, then go have fun. If not, then either sign up for the Public Beta or wait for the public launch in September this year.

Either way, have fun!

Originally published at Chip-Monks.