Apple reveals new proprietary iOS graphics tech Metal

The processing cost of outputting high-end graphics on iOS devices is to be reduced.

That’s thank to a new proprietary tech from Apple called Metal that allows devs to get more out of an iPhone or iPad’s innards, in much the same way as AMD’s Mantle promises to do for desktop PCs.

It works on Apple’s A7 chip that is currently found inside the iPhone 5S, iPad Air and iPad Mini.

Metal will arrive alongside the newly revealed iOS 8 this autumn, which itself will offer a number of tweaks and additions to Apple’s mobile OS – not least of which are improvements to app discoverability on the App Store.

Listings will also be able to carry video previews and devs will be able to at last create their own single-click purchase app bundles. There’s also a new Family Sharing option and promises of greater controls over kids’ purchases.