Apple has at long last introduced a much-needed file management application for iOS that gives iPhone and iPad users significantly more control over their files.
According to an announcement made during the company’s flagship software WWDC keynote, the app will be called Files.
The management system will come with support for nested folders and spring loading. It will additionally offer a search option as well as a dedicated ‘Favourites’ tab for easy access.
This is a massive move for Apple as it will virtually transform iOS from a mobile operating system to something with legitimate desktop potential.
The closest thing to a file management system iOS previously had was iCloud drive as well as third-party solutions like Dropbox.
With the launch of Files, the company is giving iPhone and iPad users more flexibility to use their mobile devices as improvised desktop stand-ins — as far as file management goes at least.
The good thing about the app is that it will continue to work with iCloud and third-party apps like Dropbox, Adobe Creative Crowd and more.
In addition to the update to Files, Apple is also updating the file management system on macOS. The new High Sierra will land with a revamped file system with built-in crash protection measures, ‘Safe’ document saving functionality and native encryption.
Among other things, the newly introduced Apple File System (APFS) will support instant file and directory cloning, zero copy snapshots and fast directory sizing.