Apple to launch Business Chat feature to take on messaging rivals

Apple is set to introduce a new feature called 'Business Chat' that will enable users to chat directly with businesses. Business Chat will allow users to chat directly with select companies including Wells Fargo, Lowe's, Hilton and Discover, through the iMessage app.

The new feature will enable users to jump right into an app and talk with a business about issues, to schedule an appointment, make payments via Apple Pay or even make purchases. Business Chat doesn't share the user's contact information with businesses and gives users the ability to stop chatting at any time, the Cupertino-based iPhone maker added.

The company is going to launch this feature in beta when iOS 11.3 is publicly released this spring. iOS 11.3 is also going to bring the much-anticipated feature to disable processor throttling on old iPhones with degraded batteries, this has been at the center of Apple’s recent battery controversy.

Also, the company is going to introduce ARKit 1.5 to developers, in order to enable new AR experiences. It provides better views of the real world through the camera, along with better detection of odd-shaped surfaces. Additionally, iOS users will have access to Health Records in the Health app and four new Animoji to be used in Messages. Finally,  iOS 11.3 introduces four new Animoji, giving iPhone X users the ability to express themselves as a lion, bear, dragon or skull.