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Apple Intelligence & Integration ​

Skills for integrating your app with Apple's system-level experiences: Siri, Apple Intelligence, Shortcuts, Spotlight, and more.

Available Skills ​

Foundation Models ​

On-device AI with Apple's Foundation Models framework (iOS 26+):

  • LanguageModelSession – Text generation and conversations
  • @Generable – Structured output with Swift types
  • Streaming – Progressive response display
  • Tool calling – Extend model capabilities

When to use Implementing on-device AI features, structured output, preventing context overflow

Requirements iOS 26+, A17+ or M-series chip

Background Processing ​

BGTaskScheduler implementation and debugging:

  • BGAppRefreshTask – Keep content fresh (~30s)
  • BGProcessingTask – Maintenance work (overnight, charging)
  • BGContinuedProcessingTask – User-initiated continuation (iOS 26+)
  • Debugging – "Task never runs" decision trees, LLDB commands

When to use Implementing background tasks, debugging execution issues, understanding scheduling factors

Requirements iOS 13+, iOS 26+ for BGContinuedProcessingTask

ShazamKit ​

Audio recognition and custom audio matching:

  • Song identification – Recognize songs via Shazam catalog with SHManagedSession (iOS 17+)
  • Custom catalogs – Match against your own audio (podcasts, TV, lessons)
  • Second-screen sync – Timed media items for content synchronized to audio
  • Library management – SHLibrary for reading, adding, removing recognized songs
  • Signature generation – From AVAsset, audio buffers, or Shazam CLI at scale

When to use Adding song recognition, building audio-synced experiences, creating custom audio catalogs, managing Shazam library

Requirements iOS 15+ (SHSession), iOS 17+ (SHManagedSession, SHLibrary)

Push Notifications ​

Remote and local notification implementation for iOS:

  • Permission flow – Standard, provisional, contextual timing
  • Token management – APNs device token lifecycle, server sync
  • Payload design – Alert, silent, localized, custom data
  • Rich notifications – Service extensions, media attachments
  • Communication notifications – Avatars, Focus integration (iOS 15+)
  • Live Activity push – Push-start, push-update, push-end transport

When to use Setting up APNs, designing notification payloads, implementing actionable or rich notifications, debugging delivery issues

Requirements iOS 10+ (core), iOS 15+ (communication/time-sensitive), iOS 18+ (broadcast push)

Networking ​

Network.framework patterns for custom protocols:

  • NWConnection – iOS 12-18 completion-based API
  • NetworkConnection – iOS 26+ async/await API
  • TLV Framing – Message boundaries
  • Service Discovery – Bonjour and Wi-Fi Aware

When to use UDP/TCP connections, peer-to-peer, custom protocols (NOT HTTP — use URLSession)

Requirements iOS 12+

Core Location ​

Implementation patterns for location services:

  • Authorization Strategy – When In Use vs Always, progressive upgrade
  • Monitoring Approach – CLLocationUpdate, CLMonitor, significant-change
  • Background Location – CLBackgroundActivitySession, relaunch recovery
  • Geofencing – 20-condition limit, radius requirements

When to use Implementing location features, choosing authorization strategy, debugging background location, geofencing

Requirements iOS 14+ (iOS 17+ for modern APIs)

MapKit ​

Map implementation patterns for SwiftUI and UIKit:

  • SwiftUI Map vs MKMapView – Decision tree based on requirements
  • Annotation Strategy – Direct, clustering, or server-side by count
  • Search & Directions – MKLocalSearch, MKLocalSearchCompleter, MKDirections
  • 8 Anti-Patterns – Common mistakes with time costs

When to use Adding maps, implementing annotations, search, directions, debugging map issues

Requirements iOS 17+ for SwiftUI Map, iOS 3+ for MKMapView

App Intents Integration ​

Comprehensive guide to the App Intents framework for exposing app functionality to:

  • Siri & Apple Intelligence – Voice commands and intelligent automation
  • Shortcuts – User-created workflows and automations
  • Spotlight – System-wide search integration
  • Focus Filters – Context-aware content filtering
  • Widgets & Live Activities – Dynamic system UI

Key Features ​

  • Three building blocks: AppIntent, AppEntity, AppEnum
  • Parameter validation and natural language summaries
  • Entity queries for content discovery
  • Background vs foreground execution patterns
  • Authentication policies and security
  • WWDC 2025 updates: IndexedEntity, Apple Intelligence integration, Mac Automations

When to use Exposing app functionality to system experiences, implementing Shortcuts support, debugging intent resolution failures

Requirements iOS 16+

Apple Documentation Access ​

Direct access to Apple's official for-LLM markdown documentation bundled in Xcode:

  • 20 Guide Topics – Liquid Glass, Foundation Models, Swift Charts 3D, SwiftData, concurrency
  • 32 Compiler Diagnostics – Swift compiler errors with official explanations and code fixes
  • MCP Integration – Auto-detected from Xcode, stays current with updates

When to use Authoritative API details, Swift compiler error explanations, official code examples

Requirements Xcode installed locally

Integration Categories ​

System Services ​

  • Siri & Voice Control – Natural language command handling
  • Apple Intelligence – AI-powered automation and reasoning
  • Shortcuts – Custom workflow creation
  • Spotlight – System-wide search
  • Background Processing – BGTaskScheduler, background URLSession

Context & Personalization ​

  • Focus Filters – Context-aware content filtering
  • Live Activities – Dynamic Lock Screen updates
  • Widgets – Home/Lock Screen content

Platform-Specific ​

  • Action Button – Apple Watch Ultra quick actions
  • Mac Automations – Automated workflows on macOS
  • Spotlight on Mac – Desktop search integration

Getting Started ​

  1. Define your app's capabilities – What actions should users be able to perform?
  2. Choose building blocks – AppIntent for actions, AppEntity for content
  3. Implement intents – Create AppIntent conforming types
  4. Test with Shortcuts – Verify intent appears and executes correctly
  5. Add to Siri – Test voice command handling
  6. Integrate with Apple Intelligence – Enable AI-powered automation

Apple Docs Research ​

Methodology for researching Apple frameworks using WWDC transcripts and sosumi.ai.

When to use Getting WWDC session transcripts, finding Apple documentation, researching framework APIs

Extensions & Widgets ​

WidgetKit, Live Activities, Control Center widgets for iOS 14-18+:

  • Standard widgets – Timeline providers, intent configuration
  • Interactive widgets – iOS 17+ button/toggle support
  • Live Activities – Dynamic Island and Lock Screen

When to use Implementing widgets, Live Activities, Control Center widgets

Requirements iOS 14+ (iOS 17+ for interactive, iOS 18+ for Control Center)

Camera Capture ​

AVCaptureSession, photo/video recording, camera preview:

  • Session configuration – Inputs, outputs, presets
  • Photo capture – Still images, HDR, depth
  • Video recording – Movie file output, frame processing

When to use Adding camera features, capturing photos/video

Photo Library ​

PHPicker and PhotosPicker for photo selection:

  • PHPickerViewController – UIKit photo picker
  • PhotosPicker – SwiftUI photo picker (iOS 16+)
  • PHAsset – Photo library access and management

When to use Selecting photos from library, managing photo assets

Now Playing ​

MPNowPlayingInfoCenter for media apps:

  • Info display – Title, artist, artwork on Lock Screen
  • Remote commands – Play, pause, skip controls
  • MPNowPlayingSession – Automatic management (iOS 16+)

When to use Audio/video apps needing Lock Screen controls and Now Playing display

SharePlay ​

GroupActivities sessions shared through FaceTime and Messages:

  • Session lifecycle – Activities, activation, joining, and teardown
  • Distributed state – Messenger for commands, journal for files
  • Swift 6 isolation – GroupSession is not Sendable, and observation is Combine-only
  • Late joiners – Catching up someone who arrives mid-session

When to use Any shared, synchronized experience between people already on a FaceTime or Messages call

See the SharePlay overview for the map across all three pages, or go straight to the GroupActivities reference.

SharePlay Coordinated Playback ​

AVFoundation playback coordination for shared media:

  • Clock agreement – hostClockTime rather than broadcasting positions
  • Custom engines – Adapting a non-AVPlayer engine via AVDelegatingPlaybackCoordinator
  • Suspensions – Interruptions, stalls, and scrubbing without desyncing the group

When to use Audio or video that must stay in sync across every participant

In-App Purchases ​

StoreKit 2 implementation for consumables, subscriptions, and non-consumables:

  • Product configuration – Store setup, pricing
  • Transaction handling – Purchase flow, verification
  • Subscription management – Renewal, upgrade/downgrade

When to use Adding purchases, subscriptions, or restoring transactions

Haptics ​

UIFeedbackGenerator and Core Haptics for tactile feedback.

When to use Adding haptic feedback, designing custom haptic patterns

Localization ​

String Catalogs, type-safe symbols (Xcode 26+), plurals, RTL layouts.

When to use Localizing your app, supporting multiple languages

Privacy UX ​

Privacy Manifests, just-in-time permissions, App Tracking Transparency.

When to use Implementing privacy-first permission flows, preparing Privacy Manifests

Networking (Legacy) ​

URLSession patterns and legacy networking code modernization.

When to use Working with URLSession, modernizing older networking code

tvOS ​

tvOS app development patterns — focus engine, top shelf, platform differences from iOS.

When to use Building a tvOS app, adapting an iOS app for Apple TV, implementing focus behavior

See Also ​

Released under the MIT License

Copyright © 2026 Charles Wiltgen • v27.2.1