Re:Apple has acquired Workflow, an automation tool for iPad ...
by canistr on Wednesday March 22, 2017 @08:28PM
(#13936456)
Well it's most a matter of Apple sherlocking features vs. shutting down because they want complete control over the user interaction model. As with most acquisitions, unless the team will continue to work on that app (and based on Sunrise, etc. even if they did), the existing version of Workflow will probably languish and the team's output probably won't surface to actual users for another couple of years.
It's mainly the idea that Apple doesn't want anybody else dictating how iOS should be used.
On the other hand, this functionality would be a brilliant match for Siri, and they've been looking to move in exactly that sort of direction for some while now, as Alexa and Google Assistant have increasingly made Siri's rough edges and limitations show by comparison.
Also worthy of note is that Apple doesn't have a first-party tool in the iOS automation space. So I'm not sure what purpose you suggest it would serve to buy Workflow for the purpose of killing it.