Every year, Apple creates something new that is inspired by existing technology or just copies an app outright. Apple does it, so does Google. And this year is no different. Here are some of the apps, services, and features that Apple killed by integrating it directly in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.
Apps, Services and Features Apple Killed with iOS 13
To learn about the new features in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, check out our lists for What’s New in iOS 13 and What’s New in iPadOS 13.
1. Bitmoji Stickers
Apple now automatically creates Bitmoji style stickers for your Memoji character. So you’ll find personalized stickers for more than a dozen emotions sitting in the Memoji Stickers app. What’s better is that these stickers are integrated directly in the iOS keyboard. So you can use them from any messaging app on your iPhone.
2. Single Sign-On
Once Apple is done with rolling out the Sign in with Apple button and all developers know about it, Facebook and Google sign-in buttons are going to have a tough time. Apple’s option is completely private and doesn’t share any personal user data, not even their image, with the app. But it still authenticates the user with Face ID to make sure it’s not a bot, a robot or a malicious party.
It’s clear that Apple’s option here is better. And it will only take a while for it to be understood by the industry at large.
3. Menstruation Tracking Apps
There are a couple of popular menstruation and fertility tracking apps like Flo that should be worried. iOS 13 integrates this feature directly in the Health app and in the Apple Watch. And this data is completely private. It’s not shared with anyone and Apple doesn’t have access to it either. This is more than what can be said for third party apps.
4. Duet and Luna Display
iPadOS 13 and macOS Catalina come with a brilliant new feature called Sidecar. When enabled, it turns the iPad into a secondary screen for the Mac. You can use the Apple Pencil to interact with buttons if you want a precise cursor input. Or you can use your finger as well. This works both wirelessly and over a wired connection. Even though it’s in beta right now, users on Reddit have reported that it works quite smoothly, with almost zero lag, even when using the wireless feature.
This is because Apple controls the whole hardware and software stack of Mac and iPad and can create the code at a fundamental OS level to achieve this feature.
There are products and apps already that achieve this feature. Duet is a popular app that brought this functionality for $20. Luna Display actually created a physical accessory for this feature in hopes that it would be a strong and reliable second screen connection. But neither of the products were never up to the mark. And now they’ve been upstaged by Apple’s own feature that can be enabled with one click, doesn’t require extra money or third-party software installation.
Read: The Best New macOS Catalina Features
5. Drawing Tablets
Once you connect your iPad with your Mac, you can actually use it as a drawing tablet with the Apple Pencil. And with the reduced Apple Pencil latency, it makes for a damn good drawing tablet. Some creative and design Mac apps like Affinity Designer and Sketch are adding official support for it.
6. Google Street View
Apple has started mapping the major part of US cities this year. And next year, it will expand to more countries. This means more detailed, accurate maps. But as a bonus, we get Apple’s version of Google Street View. Which is actually much better to use. You can pan around anywhere in the city and tap on one street to another to zoom to it.
7. Basic Photo and Video Editing Apps
iOS 13 includes a redesigned photo and video editor. Now, it’s much easier to apply basic photo edits. You can finally edit filter intensity and there are new tools like Highlights, Vibrance and more. If you used an app like Darkroom or Snapseed to do minor edits or enhancements, you won’t need them anymore.
It’s a similar story for the video editor. First, all the photo editing tools are here, and you can now crop a video, either as free form or as a popular aspect ratio, right from the app.
8. Security Camera Cloud Storage
Using a cloud-connected security camera sometimes feels like a fool’s errand. Yes, you’re capturing the home video looking for trespassers or anything out of the ordinary. But then this data goes to a third party service where servers process the video and store it. You’re literally putting your most private life in a server somewhere. It’s not public but that might be just a hack away.
Apple has a new feature in HomeKit that enables this feature but does it privately and securely. The data from the home security video is processed and encrypted on an Apple device in your home, then it’s set to Apple’s iCloud servers after it’s encrypted. And it stays encrypted there. Apple doesn’t have the decryption keys. It gets decrypted after the video stream is downloaded on a local and trusted device.
Apple will give 10-day free back for home security cameras that support this new HomeKit feature.
9. SwiftKey
Apple’s new keyboard in iOS 13 finally includes gesture typing. You can now type by using on the keys, like with an app like SiwftKey, Swype or Gboard. This is one less reason to download and install a third party app (that don’t work reliably anyway).
10. Tile
Apple has a new system for tracking lost Apple devices even when they are offline, so long as there’s enough battery left. Apple is creating an offline Bluetooth mesh network that’s used only for communication the location of Apple devices. And this data is shared from one device to another, in the background and totally anonymously.
This is something that people use the Tile tracker for. Now there’s no need. In fact, Apple might be releasing its own Tile style physical tracker in the future.
Your Favorite Feature in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13?
What are some of your favorite features in the new release of iOS 13 and iPadOS 13? Share with us in the comments below.
