“Apple has acquired a company named Workflow, a small company that develops an app under the same name,” Todd Haselton reports for CNBC. “Workflow is available for iOS devices, including the iPhone and iPad, and allows you to automate certain actions.”
“Maybe, for example, you want to tap a single button to request an Uber at a predetermined pickup location,” Haselton reports. “Or perhaps you want to make an animated GIF from the last five pictures you snapped. These are just two simple examples of what Workflow can do.”
“This sort of acquisition may be a very key indicator of the sorts of features Apple may eventually include in a future version of iOS. It may even be a small glimpse into Apple’s plans for augmented reality (AR), especially since quick execution of complicated tasks will be important if we’re relying on AR glasses,” Haselton reports. “Or even on your Apple Watch!”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Workflow is kind of like Automator (AppleScript) for your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
The Workflow app, an Apple Design Winner, is free right now and will continue to be available in the App Store for the foreseeable future.
More info and download link here.
Now the question will the app vanish and become obsolete?
I still have USB connected UPEK EIKON Fingerprint scanners that used AuthenTec Software to work on Macs. Apple bought the company, shut down AuthenTec, broke comparability with Macs, and discontinued software support. They gave no advance notice that they were killing the service and in fact had a “sale” to empty the shelves of the hardware. This to give you a Fingerprint reader on your iPhone. Nice guys, huh?
Will Apple keep this app and fsck it up as they have with other acquisitions, spike it and leave your purchase twisting in the wind, or integrate it into future versions of iOS? Since I am sure Apple is not saying anything, users might prepare for the eventuality of losing it.
Here you. It is unlikely that when Apple buys a software product like this that it will remain available.
Apple bought AuthenTec for the technology / expertise not the app. And in this case, the additional feature added to the iPhone was a big one. I understand the frustration but this is very often Apple’s approach for bringing in skill sets and technology that they have not developed in house.
true but did no one actually think maybe that Automator just might be useful on the iPad/iPhone when a lot of tasks can be quite frustrating on such a touch input device. Probably too busy working on super locks for the new Campus.
There is no interesting technology in Workflow. It’s only valuable because they’ve done a lot of hard work to integrate Apple’s APIs into a useful app.
Ever the optimist I was hoping for a tool to diagram and document corporate workflows.
Dav,
Are you the original DavGreg from the early days (before Sputnik)?
It -pears to be fairly powerful, kind of an automation tool for iOS.
Downloaded it. This could be very useful. I like where its going even more than IFTT. I can see this being updated at a future time as an app integrated with a variety of other apps like HomeKit. I can see it built-into the lock screen, too, especially if TouchID is capable anywhere on the screen. Lot of legs to this with 3D Touch. If Apple can find a way to eliminate the Lock Screen with Touch ID, this is even more compelling.
Good thinking Homekit would be a perfect base for this sort of technology.