Quark Software has announced that a collection of new digital publishing features and enhancements have been added to App Studio. App Studio is the digital publishing solution that allows users to create branded content apps using QuarkXPress, InDesign, HTML5 and XML. Individuals and creative agencies through to large organizations and publishers use App Studio to create apps that offer “the best user experience without the high cost or complexity of custom app design,” said the company. The new features in App Studio make it easier to deliver modern, interactive apps to consumers across a range of digital and mobile devices. In addition to supporting the latest iOS and Android platforms, the new release adds powerful new features and enhances App Studio Web apps so designers can create app-like experiences that run in any modern Web browser. New responsive and adaptive layout capabilities are available for any platform. App Studio customers using QuarkXPress who are not currently on the newest version, QuarkXPress 2017, can download a fully-functional free trial for Mac and Windows. With QuarkXPress 2017, it’s possible to test all the new App Studio features within an existing app or with the App Studio Issue Previewer App, which is available for free on both Apple and Google App stores.
Features include:
- Responsive HTML support: In addition to fixed layouts, App Studio apps are now capable of handling responsive HTML5. With this new feature, apps can be responsive to various screen sizes, plus the App Studio portal has been enhanced to auto-generate thumbnails for each device.
- Multi-layout support: App Studio now introduces the capability to create, package and deliver rich, device-specific designs for various screen sizes. Users can design publications for different aspect ratios (with multiple orientations) and package device specific output for a single app. This feature is available when using QuarkXPress 2017.
- HTML5 Publications: Users can now easily turn print publications into HTML5 publications with just a few clicks in QuarkXPress. Simply convert a print layout to a digital layout, add interactivity, and export as a HTML5 Publication. The HTML5 Publication contains a Web App you can host directly on a website that will render on all devices – desktops, tablets and mobile devices. This eliminates the need to submit apps to app stores.
- Enhanced Web App: The App Studio Web App is now configurable, enabling users to change the Toolbar options, Page Fitting options, Lock Orientation options, Navigation Arrows, and more. QuarkXPress users benefit from a simple UI for turning these features on and off.
- HTTPS support enabled: App Studio has been enhanced to secure client communication with content (hosting) servers and subscriptions.
- Support for ToCs: Users can now design a Table of Contents (ToCs) in QuarkXPress and make the ToC accessible to readers at any time. No longer will readers need to scroll back to the beginning of the publication to jump to new topics.
- Pinch Zoom support: App Studio Web Apps can now take advantage of pinch-and-zoom gestures on touch-enabled devices.
- Facing Pages support on devices: Web Apps have been enabled to support a facing page view (spread views).
- Support for Page Stacks: Enhanced page stacking support now available on Android devices to allow readers to scroll pages and sections vertically.
- Reading and Auto-fit Modes: App Studio Web Apps offer fit-to-screen and reading view features for improved readability.
- New App Studio Exporter plugin for InDesign CC2017: Completely re-written and enhanced App Studio Exporter for InDesign CC2017 “is coming soon.”
- Enhanced multi-publications support.
- Adds support for Localytics push notification services.
- UI support for Italian and Spanish.
- Improved validations with App Build forms.
- All the new layout and typography features in QuarkXPress 2017.
- Support for creating adaptive layouts using the dynamic scaling features in QuarkXPress 2017.
- Support for Privacy Policy and Terms of Use app configurations through customization.
- Support for continuous publishing (article-based publishing).
