{"id":2057,"date":"2016-06-14T01:33:57","date_gmt":"2016-06-14T07:33:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jamesonquave.com\/blog\/?p=2057"},"modified":"2016-06-23T02:34:13","modified_gmt":"2016-06-23T08:34:13","slug":"creating-imessage-apps-with-xcode-8-tutorial-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jamesonquave.com\/blog\/creating-imessage-apps-with-xcode-8-tutorial-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating an iMessage Sticker App on iOS 10 with Swift – Tutorial (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Creating iMessage Apps with XCode 8<\/h1>\n

This is part of a series of tutorials introducing new features in iOS 10, the Swift programming language, and the new XCode 8 beta, which were just announced at WWDC 16<\/em><\/p>\n

Intro<\/h2>\n

Among the most exciting additions in iOS 10 are some of the new app extension types, and the new extension type that really caught my attention was the iMessage app, which allow you to add functionality to the built-in Messages app on iOS.<\/p>\n

Unlike other extension types, which requires you to bundle your extension with a standard app, iMessage apps can be released as standalone apps through the the new iMessage App Store, which will be accessible from within the Messages app. While you can include your Messages app extension as part of a standalone app, with this new branch of the app store, for the first time, you don’t have to.<\/p>\n

When users use your iMessage app to communicate with people who don’t have it, the recipient will be prompted with a link to download it from the store.<\/p>\n

The purpose of this tutorial is to create a quick, searchable guide for creating a sticker app (which you can do without writing a line of code), and very briefly introduce the new Messages framework (Messages.framework) for building interactive apps.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

Creating Content and Apps for iMessage<\/h2>\n

iMessage Sticker Apps<\/h3>\n

There’s a very easy option for artists (even non-programmers) who want to release content for the iMessage app store. You can offer sticker apps: purchasable packs of stickers (even animated stickers) that users can “peel” (using a long press) and slap onto any balloon in a conversation. Like all iMessage apps, these packs can be a bonus bundled with your existing app, or a standalone package offered for sale. Apart from creating the assets, releasing a sticker app couldn’t be much easier.<\/p>\n

\"Still<\/p>\n

A sticker pane, with a sick computer stuck onto a message<\/em><\/p>\n

The sticker packs themselves don’t require any code to create. All you really need is a copy of XCode 8 and an Apple Developer account. The few simple guidelines for creating the assets can be found under “Sticker Packs” in the Messages Framework reference<\/a>. For convenience, I’ve copied a slightly-edited version here.<\/p>\n

Each sticker image should meet this criteria:<\/p>\n

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