On September 19^th Apple released the much anticipated iOS 11. This operating system upgrade comes with numerous UX/UI changes designed to help the consumer. It is being dubbed as one of the most radical and progressive iOS updates that Apple has released in a long, long time.

Given all of these changes being released to millions of iPhone and iPad users, how will the updates affect the world of Local Presence Management? Here are six iOS 11 updates that we believe will make a major impact on the LPM industry.

1. Siri improvements

   The Apple voice assistant has long been seen as more of a novelty than a useful search device. Apple is now confirming that several updates have been made to Siri, which will improve the overall functionality and ease of use. Consumers can now text their search in to Siri instead of just speaking to her. Siri can also now translate languages.

   How will this affect local marketing? Voice search is becoming more and more prevalent in every day usage. Businesses need to be optimizing their local presence for those moments when a consumers says or types, “Hey Siri, what is the closest pizza shop near me?”

2. Augmented reality

   A major new addition to Apple is the introduction of augmented reality. Sure there are a lot of gaming benefits and the wow factor is in full effect, but will this be a valuable tool for local business owners? Augmented reality is connecting the physical world to the digital world in brand new ways. As new apps are developed, consumers will be able to interact with local businesses like never before. Augmented reality could make a restaurant menu come to life, provide games in a dentist waiting room, or could even give you more information about a home that is for sale… the business applications are nearly endless!

3. Do not disturb… while driving

   One feature that could become a detractor for the local presence management industry is the do not disturb feature. This new application can detect if you are in a car or driving and will turn off, or suppress, most of the distracting calls, messages, and notifications. This is a wonderful feature that will ultimately help keep drivers safe while driving, yet it will be interesting to see if there is any negative effect in how local businesses are found via mobile devices.

4. Safari pixel tracking changes

   Another new feature that may negatively affect the local marketing world are the anti-tracking features now installed in Safari, the default search engine on iPhones. Through this new push, Safari will only be tracking cookies, otherwise known as tracking pixels, for 24 hours. This change means that advertisers will need to adapt the way they are tracking mobile conversions. Advertisers will now become “more generic and less timely and useful”. To me, this means that advertisers will need to adapt the way they track and measure online mobile moments within the Apple ecosystem in order to stay relevant.

5. Improved Apple Maps (coming soon!)

   There are much anticipated improvements coming to Apple Maps later this fall. This application will now provide indoor mapping capabilities—think malls and airports—to help with consumer guidance. Additionally, Apple Maps will now provide lane guidance (a feature that has long been available in Google Maps) to help drivers know which road lane they should be in to ensure you do not miss an exit or turn.

   These improvements, although they may seem small, should provide great value to local businesses. With a properly listed and optimized Apple Maps profile, business owners will be able to ensure their clients and prospective clients can find their locations with ease.

6. Apple Pay via messenger (coming soon!)

   The Apple Pay feature has been active for quite some time now yet the mobile wallet revolution has yet to hit its tipping point. Later this fall, Apple Pay will become available where consumers can send friends (and businesses) cash or payments through via the messenger feature. This may be the first step in making the virtual wallet and payment processor more part of a consumer’s everyday life. If so, this iOS 11 enhancement will drastically change the way local commerce is completed.

Brett Fritz is VP Business Development and LPM at DAC. What is your favorite new iOS feature and how do you see it changing the local presence management industry? Get in touch and let’s chat!