This underrated iPhone feature is something you should be using all the time



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Apple releases a slew of new iOS features every year, and as a result, it is inevitable that some cool features will be oddly overlooked. Even to this day, I am shocked at the number of people who are completely oblivious to the wonders of AirDrop, an iOS feature that has been around for almost 10 years now. A newer feature that has apparently flown under the radar is App Clips.

Originally introduced with iOS 14, the primary goal of App Clips is simple: to allow users to experience the usefulness of certain apps without requiring them to download them first.

Why are app clips useful?

Developers are still taking advantage of App Clips, but there are already a number of use cases where the technology is useful. Imagine, for example, that you are a tourist walking around a new city. As you walk around, you come across a kiosk with bicycles for rent. Instead of having to download the corresponding app and go through what could be a tedious installation process, an app clip can help you rent the bike quickly.

You can also use the feature for activities like paying for parking, setting up a smart device, ordering food, and even playing games.

How the feature works

App clips are basically a small part of an app that focuses on a specific use case activity. If an app supports the feature, it can be discovered through App Clip codes (an image of which can be seen below), NFC tags, or QR codes.

Apple adds:

The best way for your users to experience your App Clip. It’s visually beautiful and distinct, so when someone sees one, they’ll know there’s an app clip waiting for them. Each Clip Code App encodes a URL and can embed an NFC tag, so the code can be typed in or scanned by the camera.

Once launched, an app clip will appear at the bottom of your iPhone screen with an option, if any, to pay for an item or service with Apple Pay. Again, all of this is possible even if you don’t have the app on your device. Of course, users who wish can then download the app to their device after the fact.

Which iOS apps support this feature?

While this is not an exhaustive list, some of the apps that support this feature include:

Application clips are not yet widely used, but they are remarkably useful, practical, and well-designed. Hopefully, developers in the future will embrace the feature more so that it is more than just a niche feature.

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See the original version of this article on BGR.com

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