{"id":337005,"date":"2017-03-29T04:24:58","date_gmt":"2017-03-28T20:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/?p=1469949"},"modified":"2017-03-29T04:24:58","modified_gmt":"2017-03-28T20:24:58","slug":"mlb-com-at-bat-and-nhl-are-first-to-launch-personalized-app-icons-on-ios-10-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/mlb-com-at-bat-and-nhl-are-first-to-launch-personalized-app-icons-on-ios-10-3\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB.com At Bat and NHL are first to launch personalized app icons on iOS 10.3"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

The MLB.com At Bat<\/a> and NHL<\/a> iOS\u00a0applications have been updated today to take advantage of one of the new, but still under-the-radar features available in\u00a0the just launched version of Apple\u2019s mobile operating system, iOS 10.3<\/a>: personalized home screen icons. That\u2019s right \u2013 you can now replace either of these apps\u2019 default icon to one featuring your favorite team\u2019s logo instead.<\/p>\n

The ability for developers to offer alternative icons was spotted<\/a> earlier this year in the beta builds of iOS 10.3, but it wasn\u2019t clear at the time how the technology would be put to use.<\/p>\n

Some wondered<\/a>, for example, if this meant app developers could create icons that continually\u00a0update with changing conditions \u2013 like a weather app that reflected the current conditions, for instance.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

As it turns out the implementation isn\u2019t quite that dynamic. Developers who\u00a0want to offer personalized icons have to include files they create in advance with their app. Users can then manually choose one of the new icons from the app\u2019s settings or a prompt.<\/p>\n

In addition, Apple recommends that user-selectable icons, as these personalized icons are called, are offered\u00a0only in apps where theme customization is a primary feature.<\/p>\n

In a guide for developers<\/a>, the company\u00a0explains that icons can only be changed at a user\u2019s request, and the system must always\u00a0provide the user with a confirmation of that change afterwards. This is a very explicit opt-in type of system, not one where developers could\u00a0change the icon at will, without an app update. (Developers can update their icons today, but it\u2019s through the traditional app updated process.)<\/p>\n

The personalized icons also have to be a collection of related images that vary in size, like the primary icon, so there\u2019s consistency throughout the system, Apple says. That is, the user should not see one icon on their Home screen, but a different one in iOS\u2019s Settings.<\/p>\n

In addition, the icon selection screen \u2013 if one is used \u2013 has to be designed in a way where it feels like a natural extension of the app.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

MLB and NHL\u2019s apps are a perfect use case for the new feature.<\/p>\n

Already, the apps are focused on helping users get information about their favorite teams. The apps today prompt users upon first launch to customize the experience to their needs by asking them to select which teams they want to follow in the app and through push notifications.<\/p>\n

According to MLB, over 93 percent of At Bat\u2019s millions of subscribers today customize the app\u2019s experience to receive updates about a favorite team\u2019s news, scores, video highlights, tickets, and more.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Starting today, that personalization will extend outside of the app for the first time, with the added ability to change the standard icon to one for your favorite team.<\/p>\n

Both the MLB.com At Bat and the NHL apps\u00a0will prompt users to make this selection, but it can also be changed at any time in the app\u2019s settings.<\/p>\n

The company behind both apps, BAMTech, is often ahead when it comes to adoption of new iOS features. For instance, MLB\u2019s app last year was among the first<\/a> to offer the new Split View feature on iPad.<\/p>\n

The app personalization feature is available to\u00a0those who have upgraded to the new version of the apps as well as the new release of iOS 10.3, which was released yesterday. \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"\" The MLB.com At Bat and NHL iOS\u00a0applications have been updated today to take advantage of one of the new, but still under-the-radar features available in\u00a0the just launched version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 10.3: personalized home screen icons. That’s right – you can now replace either of these apps’ default icon to one featuring your favorite… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n

\n<\/img><\/a> <\/img><\/a> <\/img><\/a> <\/img><\/a> <\/img><\/a> <\/img><\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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