Flutter has been consistent at offering new updates to its users and helping them build innovative applications. Just earlier this year, we saw Flutter 3.7’s advanced and constructive features. Businesses depend upon Flutter for their app development requirements, which is not a surprise as this technology comes in the top 4 app dev frameworks. In this blog, we will explore the latest Flutter update and try to understand what it means for businesses across the globe who want to get their app developed through this framework.
What’s New in Flutter 3.10.5
Without wasting your time, let’s get straight to the point. The latest version of Flutter was released on 14th June, 2023, with a series of mind-blowing features. Used by one-third of App developers according to a global survey, Flutter is in great demand for mobile app development. If you are a Flutter developer or a business owner in need of Flutter app development, the notable features of the latest version of flutter we have mentioned below will help you make a clear judgement.
Navigation Bar
This offers an M3 version of the BottomNavigationBar widget. In M3, there are variations in colours, highlighting, and elevation, but its functionality remains the same as before. To customise the default appearance of the NavigationBars widget, you can use the NavigationBarTheme widget. Although it’s not necessary to update your existing apps with this component, it’s recommended for new app development.
Navigation Drawer
This offers an M3 destination selection widget based on the Drawer widget. The NavigationDrawer displays a list of NavigationDestinations widgets that allows for single-selection. You can also include other widgets in this list. If necessary, the NavigationDrawer can scroll to accommodate the content. To customise the default appearance of the NavigationDrawers widget, you can use the NavigationDrawerTheme widget.
DatePicker Upgrades
The Flutter DatePicker widget allows you to incorporate date selection functionality into your Flutter applications. With the DatePicker widget, users can choose a specific date from a calendar-like interface. The M3 DatePicker enhances the colours, layout, and shape of both the calendar and textfield versions of the widget. These updates do not alter the underlying API but introduce a new DatePickerTheme. The M3 DatePicker provides a visually appealing and cohesive design, ensuring a consistent user experience across your application without requiring changes to your code.
TimePicker Upgrades
The TimePicker widget in Flutter allows you to incorporate time selection functionality into your Flutter applications. With the TimePicker widget, users can choose a specific time using a clock-like interface or input the time manually.The M3 TimePicker enhances the colours, layout, and shapes of both the regular and compact versions of the widget. These updates bring a fresh and modern look to the TimePicker, ensuring a consistent visual experience across your application. The M3 TimePicker maintains the same functionality as before while providing a refreshed and visually appealing design.
Reduced Loading-Speed
This latest version of Flutter has successfully tackled a very crucial issue. Now, apps built through Flutter 3.10.5 will load faster than ever. The file size of icon fonts has been reduced significantly. Unused glyphs from both the Material and Cupertino icon sets have been removed, resulting in smaller file sizes. This change improves the efficiency and performance of your application by reducing the storage space required for icon fonts without compromising the availability of commonly used icons.
Performance
The latest version of this widely-used app development framework has made significant advancements in terms of performance. One of the key reasons why businesses favour Flutter is its excellent performance, and this latest version further emphasises and enhances that aspect. The focus on performance remains a top priority, and the latest version of Flutter showcases notable improvements in this area.
Foldable Device Support
The latest update of Flutter enables developers to create applications that seamlessly work on foldable devices. This is a significant and noteworthy enhancement, especially considering the surge in popularity of foldable devices in recent years. Introducing this feature is a remarkable step forward, particularly with the addition of two advanced menu widgets in Flutter 3.7.
Key Takeaways
If you are looking to get an app developed through a team of flutter developers, now is the best time. The latest Flutter 3.10.5 version can provide everything you need in an application. Flutter app development has become widely popular due to the consistent transformation of the framework through upgrades. If you are looking to grow your business with the help of a flutter app development agency, Mobile App Experts will be the best option for you.