App news roundup 31 May 2019

May has been a busy month in the app community and there has been a whole host of developing news stories. If you’ve missed any of the key events, read on as we round up some of the biggest and most interesting app news stories of the month…

Are parking apps the next big thing?

Apps which help drivers to find a parking space could be the next big thing in the app development space following plans to standardise council data on parking spaces. The BBC reports that local councils can now release parking data in a standardised format – something which could fuel app developers to create apps making the hunt for parking in busy towns and cities much easier.

The BBC says that apps could be developed using the standardised data which helps drivers both find a space and pay for that space online. It could also feasibly offer additional information such as the location of the cheapest parking facilities or those located close by to certain amenities.

The project is being trialled in four regions including Manchester and some parts of Essex and comes on the back of a government report in March which suggested the move to the standardised data could make cheaper, safer and greener.

Local government minister Rishi Sunak told the BBC, “An intelligent parking system will not only make life easier for commuters, but could also improve footfall to our town centres - meaning both people and local businesses benefit.”

Virgin Trains launches split ticketing app

Virgin Trains has launched a new app which it says will help passengers save money on train fairs. The split ticketing app could save those travelling by train £1billion says the transform firm by allowing those searching for tickets to find multiple tickets for individual parts of a journey rather than taking the more expensive direct fare.

App developers demand Apple gives them an API

A group of app developers specialising in parental control apps have joined forces to pressure Apple into developing a technical solution to ensure they can still work on iPhone devices. Many parental control apps use the Mobile Device Management (MDM) iPhone tool and as a result, have begun to be blocked by Apple. It says the MDM should only be used by companies, which means parental control apps are finding themselves squeezed out.

The developers say that the presence of Apple’s own parental control features and Screen Time tool make this an anti-competition move – developers want an API which will allow them to continue their work. No word from Apple as yet.