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Apple's Workflow app updated with new image mask action, bug fixes

Apple on Wednesday issued a minor update to its Workflow app, adding a few new features and a number of bug fixes to the popular automation software.

A new action to apply image masks tops the release notes of Workflow version 1.7.8, allowing users to quickly cut an image into a desired shape. Current defaults include a rounded rectangle, ellipse and icon, though there is an option to create a mask from a custom image.

The app also builds on its Things integration with an updated "Add Things To-Do" action that features new fields for inputting data into the task manager.

In addition, items in the Dictionary action can now be reordered, while the Workflow URL scheme has been updated to support opening other workflows. The latest Workflow version also offers better text extraction from PDF files and improved drag-and-drop handling of items from the My Workflows section.

A number of bugs were squashed with version 1.7.8, including multiple crash issues, authentication problems, file handling quirks and more. The update also includes VoiceOver improvements and the usual slate of performance enhancements and minor bug fixes.

A full list of this update's patches can be found on the Workflow website.

Apple purchased Workflow nearly one year ago in what appeared to be an acqui-hire of developers Ari Weinstein, Conrad Kramer and Nick Frey, who joined Apple to work on unspecified projects. The app, which allows users to cobble together powerful actions by tapping into backend integrations with other apps, received an Apple Design Award in 2015.

An email sent to Workflow customers shortly after the acquisition suggested development of the app would for the most part cease, with users expected to see only minor updates that address bugs. Apple appears to have other plans, as the app was most recently updated in November with iOS 11 support and optimizations for iPhone X.

Workflow is a free 113MB download from the iOS App Store.