Automation service provider IFTTT unveils new ‘applets,’ extending functionality

By Anthony Thurston Published November 3, 2016

ifttt maker applet update applets — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you are someone who likes automation and more importantly, easy automation, then chances are that you are at least familiar with the IF This, Then That (IFTTT) format even if you have not used it directly. The popular automation tool allows users to easily create automation ‘recipes’ that direct devices.

But it seems that a somewhat big change is coming to IFTTT Inc., which operates the automation service, with the company announcing that Recipes are no more — now users will be able to create “applets.” The difference between these new applets and the old recipes? Simple really, the Applets allow you to get more complicated to create multiple reactions to a single If.

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For example, an Applet will support an instruction along the lines of If This Than That, That, and That. But there is a catch to this new functionality that has been long requested by IFTTT faithful … only manufacturers and service providers will be able to make these multilevel applets. Regular users will still be limited to the single If This, Then That recipe-style formulas — at least for now. The company could always open Applets up to the whole user community at some point down the line.

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Another big change coming to the IFTTT automation service is the remerging of the IF and DO formulas. This comes after IFTTT originally tried to separate the two types of automation recipes and then heard feedback from the community. The company is pulling both types of formulas back under one area. This will be a nice return to normal for longtime users of the service who found the split to be an annoyance.

You can find out more information about these new IFTTT changes over on its official blog, here.

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Anthony Thurston

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Anthony is an internationally published photographer based in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Specializing primarily in…

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