iOS

What Are App Clips on iPhone And How Do They Work?

iOS 14 is already getting attention from all over the world for its latest & improved features. Going public this fall, iOS 14 beta version has already been launched & is getting great reviews from users. & amid all of this, one of the new features is App Clips that’s been searched quite often these days.

With the continuous tech improvements & advancements, you have got almost everything you need on your fingertips. However, sometimes you don’t get the app you want at that moment like renting a vehicle or anything specific. & that’s when App Clips come to your rescue to help you out here.

Also Read: How to Use Picture in Picture Mode in iOS 14

App Clips on iPhone & How Do They Work?

Faster to open, an App Clip is actually a small part of your app that allows you to quickly access what your app has to offer. No matter what your purpose is (renting a scooter & taking out an order), App Clip offers you everything you need with lightweight apps.

And because it’s small, an app clip is fast to open even when it’s not already on the device. When you’re ready to submit for review, you’ll manage it as part of your full app in App Store Connect.

When & where you need the functionality of an app, App Clips is the concept you are looking for. If you take an example of a Coffee shop app, there are many features from ordering a coffee to earn rewards & save your favorite drinks to have them later on.

Now imagine you are using the App Clip version, here (summarized) you will get the option of ordering the coffee or a drink. All of this is based on the suggestions Siri gives to the users when he/she walks by a coffee shop. What the user needs to do is, tap on the suggestion, launch the App clip, & use it instantly to order the drink.

Users find an app clip by performing an invocation; for example, by tapping a location-based suggestion from Siri Suggestions or by scanning an NFC tag. The app clip launches instantly, helps the user perform an everyday task as quickly as possible, and only stays on the user’s device for as long as they need it.

Once you have used the App Clip successfully; the same concept recommends you the corresponding app & user downloads it. Next time, when you experience the location suggestions & tap on it, instead of App Clip, it launches the full app. “In case you don’t want to install the full app, just tap on the suggestion & launch the App Clip.

Simply can be considered as the time saving & faster than the actual app, App Clip is one of the most useful features you will experience in iOS 14 version.

App Clip Limitations

Not that they are definite but the way this whole concept works, it’s hard to imagine App Clips working offline. Since the Siri suggestion you will be getting would require you to be online to perform the action, we aren’t sure still about using App Clips offline.

In those cases, users might be okay with downloading the full app & using those offline with full features, rather than limited features on the App Clips concept.

Is The App Clips Concept New to The World?

Though the whole App Clip concept is new to Apple Inc, it isn’t that much new to the whole world. A few years ago, Google launched the Instant Apps feature for its users through Google Play Store.

The concept behind the Instant App lets developers provide specifically focused versions of the main full app (product) to the users. How this works is that the developers load the same amount of data that’s been needed to function the features. & later on, when the user’s purpose has been fulfilled, he/she can clear out the data. Simple as that!!

Wrapping Up

App Clips are like the shortcut you are taking to take care of your instant needs so that you won’t have to install the full app. Those specific purposes can be fulfilled by using these mini-app versions within seconds. As they are lightweight & faster, users may get attracted to them more & additionally, it’s a new concept for iOS devices, so the excitement graph goes higher.

Get ready to use the App Clip feature on your iOS device as early as this fall (possibly September 2020). & meanwhile, explore what things you can do with the App Clip feature.

Next Read:

How to Downgrade from iOS 14 to iOS 13

Ways to Use New iPhone Home Screen Widgets in iOS 14

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