Apple acquires powerful iOS automation app Workflow, makes it available for free

Apple today acquired popular iOS tool Workflow, which allows users to combine the functionalities of various apps together to automate normally complex processes. According to TechCrunch, Apple finalized the deal today but financial details are not yet available.

In a statement, Workflow developer Ari Weinstein said that the team is thrilled to be joining Apple and remarked on how amazing of a journey it has been going from the company’s beginnings to today:

“We are thrilled to be joining Apple,” said Weinstein in a statement. “We’ve worked closely with Apple from the very beginning, from kickstarting our company as students attending WWDC to developing and launching Workflow and seeing its amazing success on the App Store. We can’t wait to take our work to the next level at Apple and contribute to products that touch people across the world.”

Apple has also confirmed the acquisition. The company said in a statement that Workflow’s use of iOS accessibility features is something that really makes the app standout out from other services. In 2015, the app won an Apple Design Award, something Apple attributes to those accessibility features in today’s statement:

“The Workflow app was selected for an Apple Design Award in 2015 because of its outstanding use of iOS accessibility features, in particular an outstanding implementation for VoiceOver with clearly labeled items, thoughtful hints, and drag/drop announcements, making the app usable and quickly accessible to those who are blind or low-vision.”

Workflow is based around the idea of transforming a process that would normally take a handful of interactions with iOS into a single tap. The goal is to “hide” a complex set of commands under a single, instant tap of a button.

What’s somewhat unusual about Apple’s acquisition of Workflow is that the app will remain on the App Store and has transformed into a free offering today. It’s unclear at this point how the Workflow team will be integrated into Apple, but the acquisition is good news for pro users who have called on Apple to make iOS more powerful, as well as good news for those who have called the iOS interface overly complicated.