We
just re-launched the Ancestry App on version 6.0 for iPhone, iPad and
iPod touch devices. This isn’t just a re-launch on a new system, we’ve
worked hard to add some solid new features that we think you’ll enjoy.
Prioritized Hints View
We’ve
added a new section to the application which allows you to view all the
hints for a given tree from a single place. We’ve added a prioritized
sort order to the hints in this section so that
your very best hints automatically bubble up into view. In addition to
a priority sort, we’ve made it possible to view hints based on recency,
with the newest hints at the top of the list. Near the top of the new
hints view you will find sort order controls
titled “best” and “latest” which allow you to toggle between these two
sort orders to meet your needs. We’ve also included some filtering
capabilities for the hints in this section which will allow you to
filter hints by the last name of the person the hint
is for, or to filter hints by type (photo, story or record). When you
see a hint that you’d like to learn more about, simply tap; the details
of the hint will come into view and you will be able to accept or ignore
the hint from right there.
Comments
Every
day thousands of photos and stories are added to Ancestry by users of
the website and the Ancestry App. When one of these pieces of great
content might be associated with a relative of yours
you will get a photo or story hint and you get to share this content
and benefit from the work of other Ancestry users. Now you will have the
ability to comment on these shared pieces of content directly from the
mobile app - just like you can on the website.
When viewing a photo or story you will notice a new comment area within
the mobile app, here you will see comments from others and be able to
leave comments of your own.
Comments View
The
new comments section provides a running history of the new comments
that have been left on photos and stories I your tree, making it easy
for you to keep up to date on the latest comments.
When you see a comment that you would like to see in full context or
respond to, silly tap; you will be taken to the photo or story that the
comment was made on and be able to review the entire comment thread
associated with the content.
Badges
You
may notice a new red badge with a number in it that shows up on the
Ancestry app icon. This lets you know that you have new hints or
comments to review. We have also included badges on the
icons representing the hint and comment sections which allow you to
know exactly where the new content can be found.
Notifications
If
you have enabled the Ancestry App to send you push notifications you
will now be notified when the very best new hints or comments
are available. When you are ready to view the new hint or comment,
simply tap; the app will open and you will be taken dirtily to the hint
or comment.
Tree Viewer Enhancements
In
addition to family and pedigree views, you can now view your family
tree in a list view. From this view you can filter the list of tree
persons by name or using a number of useful filters (Direct
Ancestors, End of Line, Living Relatives, People with Hints, and People
with Recent Hints). We’ve also added a dedicated person search within
the pedigree and family views. Tapping on the search icon In the top
left corner of the tree viewer will allow you
to enter the name of the person you are looking for. When you see
the person you are looking for, simply tap; the tree will be refocused
on this person and you will be taken directly to his or her
profile details.
Navigation
We’ve
simplified and updated the navigation within app. You will notice
prominent tabs along the bottom of the app for Hints, Comments, Tree,
DNA, and Settings. Getting around the app will now
be quicker and easier than ever.
In
addition to the major updates highlighted above we have worked on
smaller touches within the app that enhance the overall experience. As
you use the app in more depth you will likely notice
other changes like: quick links to web content, side-by-side
comparisons between tree and record data, quick access to profile
information from hints and updated colors and styling. We hope that the
new version 6.0 app experience will be a good one, and that
the Ancestry Mobile App will become an ever more integral part of your
Ancestry experience. If you have ideas, thoughts or questions please
feel free to submit feedback by tapping on the “Feedback” tab within the
Settings section of the app.
The Ancestry Mobile Team
