Workflow, the automation app that enjoys huge popularity among iPad and iPhone users has now been acquired by Apple. The exact terms of the deal or the financial aspects of the same isn’t known at the moment though interestingly, the app continues to feature in the Apple App Store. That belies prevalent trend where an app that is acquired by Apple gets pulled down from the App Store.
The acquisition also makes a lot of sense for Apple considering the huge user base the Workflow app already enjoys among iOS users. The four-man team behind the app – Ari Weinstein, Conrad Kramer, Ayaka Nonaka and Nick Frey – will also be formally joining Apple post the acquisition. Not only that, but the app has also been made free to download, something that otherwise required paying $2.99.
This comes as a dream opportunity for the Workflow members as they have been associated with the app right from their college days and attended WWDC events as enthusiasts. In fact, such acquisitions as often as much about the app itself as they are about the men who have contributed in its development. The young team stated they are keenly looking forward to take the app to the next level.
As for the app itself, Workflow allows them to automate a series of tasks that they otherwise would have had to accomplish manually. That not only would have been time-consuming but also required pushing a lot of keys to achieve the desired outcome.
No wonder, the app had also been accorded the Apple Design Award in 2015 thanks to the excellent manner it made the best use of existing iOS features such as VoiceOver. All of it made the app to be extremely user-friendly, with even the blind or the visually impaired getting to be acquainted with the app easily.
Workflow also owes its success to many of the new found capabilities of iOS, primary among which is the ability of the app to communicate with them. The app has also been updated regularly to include support for recent developments such as the iOS Notification Center as well as the Apple Watch. Maybe we will get to see it integrated with Siri during the next stage of its evolution.
