iPhone "slide to unlock" animation

Question

It can be easilly done by using Core Animation, animating a mask layer on the layer displaying the text.

Try this in any plain UIViewController (you can start with a new Xcode project based on the View-based application project template), or grab my Xcode project here:

Note that the CALayer.mask property is only available in iPhone OS 3.0 and later.

- (void)viewDidLoad 
{
  self.view.layer.backgroundColor = [[UIColor blackColor] CGColor];

  UIImage *textImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"SlideToUnlock.png"];
  CGFloat textWidth = textImage.size.width;
  CGFloat textHeight = textImage.size.height;

  CALayer *textLayer = [CALayer layer];
  textLayer.contents = (id)[textImage CGImage];
  textLayer.frame = CGRectMake(10.0f, 215.0f, textWidth, textHeight);

  CALayer *maskLayer = [CALayer layer];

  // Mask image ends with 0.15 opacity on both sides. Set the background color of the layer
  // to the same value so the layer can extend the mask image.
  maskLayer.backgroundColor = [[UIColor colorWithRed:0.0f green:0.0f blue:0.0f alpha:0.15f] CGColor];
  maskLayer.contents = (id)[[UIImage imageNamed:@"Mask.png"] CGImage];

  // Center the mask image on twice the width of the text layer, so it starts to the left
  // of the text layer and moves to its right when we translate it by width.
  maskLayer.contentsGravity = kCAGravityCenter;
  maskLayer.frame = CGRectMake(-textWidth, 0.0f, textWidth * 2, textHeight);

  // Animate the mask layer's horizontal position
  CABasicAnimation *maskAnim = [CABasicAnimation animationWithKeyPath:@"position.x"];
  maskAnim.byValue = [NSNumber numberWithFloat:textWidth];
  maskAnim.repeatCount = HUGE_VALF;
  maskAnim.duration = 1.0f;
  [maskLayer addAnimation:maskAnim forKey:@"slideAnim"];

  textLayer.mask = maskLayer;
  [self.view.layer addSublayer:textLayer];

  [super viewDidLoad];
}

The images used by this code are:

Yet another solution using a layer mask, but instead draws the gradient by hand and does not require images. View is the view with the animation, transparency is a float from 0 - 1 defining the amount of transparency (1 = no transparency which is pointless), and gradientWidth is the desired width of the gradient.

CAGradientLayer *gradientMask = [CAGradientLayer layer];
 gradientMask.frame = view.bounds;
CGFloat gradientSize = gradientWidth / view.frame.size.width;
UIColor *gradient = [UIColor colorWithWhite:1.0f alpha:transparency];
NSArray *startLocations = @[[NSNumber numberWithFloat:0.0f], [NSNumber numberWithFloat:(gradientSize / 2)], [NSNumber numberWithFloat:gradientSize]];
NSArray *endLocations = @[[NSNumber numberWithFloat:(1.0f - gradientSize)], [NSNumber numberWithFloat:(1.0f -(gradientSize / 2))], [NSNumber numberWithFloat:1.0f]];
CABasicAnimation *animation = [CABasicAnimation animationWithKeyPath:@"locations"];

gradientMask.colors = @[(id)gradient.CGColor, (id)[UIColor whiteColor].CGColor, (id)gradient.CGColor];
gradientMask.locations = startLocations;
gradientMask.startPoint = CGPointMake(0 - (gradientSize * 2), .5);
gradientMask.endPoint = CGPointMake(1 + gradientSize, .5);

view.layer.mask = gradientMask;

animation.fromValue = startLocations;
animation.toValue = endLocations;
animation.repeatCount = HUGE_VALF;
animation.duration  = 3.0f;

[gradientMask addAnimation:animation forKey:@"animateGradient"];

SWIFT VERSION:

let transparency:CGFloat = 0.5
let gradientWidth: CGFloat = 40

let gradientMask = CAGradientLayer()
gradientMask.frame = swipeView.bounds
let gradientSize = gradientWidth/swipeView.frame.size.width
let gradient = UIColor(white: 1, alpha: transparency)
let startLocations = [0, gradientSize/2, gradientSize]
let endLocations = [(1 - gradientSize), (1 - gradientSize/2), 1]
let animation = CABasicAnimation(keyPath: "locations")

gradientMask.colors = [gradient.CGColor, UIColor.whiteColor().CGColor, gradient.CGColor]
gradientMask.locations = startLocations
gradientMask.startPoint = CGPointMake(0 - (gradientSize*2), 0.5)
gradientMask.endPoint = CGPointMake(1 + gradientSize, 0.5)

swipeView.layer.mask = gradientMask

animation.fromValue = startLocations
animation.toValue = endLocations
animation.repeatCount = HUGE
animation.duration = 3

gradientMask.addAnimation(animation, forKey: "animateGradient")

Swift 3

fileprivate func addGradientMaskToView(view:UIView, transparency:CGFloat = 0.5, gradientWidth:CGFloat = 40.0) {        
    let gradientMask = CAGradientLayer()
    gradientMask.frame = view.bounds
    let gradientSize = gradientWidth/view.frame.size.width
    let gradientColor = UIColor(white: 1, alpha: transparency)
    let startLocations = [0, gradientSize/2, gradientSize]
    let endLocations = [(1 - gradientSize), (1 - gradientSize/2), 1]
    let animation = CABasicAnimation(keyPath: "locations")

    gradientMask.colors = [gradientColor.cgColor, UIColor.white.cgColor, gradientColor.cgColor]
    gradientMask.locations = startLocations as [NSNumber]?
    gradientMask.startPoint = CGPoint(x:0 - (gradientSize * 2), y: 0.5)
    gradientMask.endPoint = CGPoint(x:1 + gradientSize, y: 0.5)

    view.layer.mask = gradientMask

    animation.fromValue = startLocations
    animation.toValue = endLocations
    animation.repeatCount = HUGE
    animation.duration = 3

    gradientMask.add(animation, forKey: nil)
}

You can use the kCGTextClip drawing mode to set the clipping path and then fill with a gradient.

// Get Context
CGContextRef context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();
// Set Font
CGContextSelectFont(context, "Helvetica", 24.0, kCGEncodingMacRoman);
// Set Text Matrix
CGAffineTransform xform = CGAffineTransformMake(1.0,  0.0,
                                                0.0, -1.0,
                                                0.0,  0.0);
CGContextSetTextMatrix(context, xform);
// Set Drawing Mode to set clipping path
CGContextSetTextDrawingMode (context, kCGTextClip);
// Draw Text
CGContextShowTextAtPoint (context, 0, 20, "Gradient", strlen("Gradient")); 
// Calculate Text width
CGPoint textEnd = CGContextGetTextPosition(context);
// Generate Gradient locations & colors
size_t num_locations = 3;
CGFloat locations[3] = { 0.3, 0.5, 0.6 };
CGFloat components[12] = { 
    1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.5,
    1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0,
    1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.5,
};
// Load Colorspace
CGColorSpaceRef colorspace = CGColorSpaceCreateDeviceRGB();
// Create Gradient
CGGradientRef gradient = CGGradientCreateWithColorComponents (colorspace, components,
                                                              locations, num_locations);
// Draw Gradient (using clipping path
CGContextDrawLinearGradient (context, gradient, rect.origin, textEnd, 0);
// Cleanup (exercise for reader)

Setup an NSTimer and vary the values in locations, or use CoreAnimation to do the same.

I added the code provided above by Pascal as a category on UILabel so you can animate any UILabel in this fashion. Here's the code. Some params might need to be changed for your background colors, etc. It uses the same mask image that Pascal has embedded in his answer.

//UILabel+FSHighlightAnimationAdditions.m
#import "UILabel+FSHighlightAnimationAdditions.h"
#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#import <QuartzCore/QuartzCore.h>

@implementation UILabel (FSHighlightAnimationAdditions)

- (void)setTextWithChangeAnimation:(NSString*)text
{
    NSLog(@"value changing");
    self.text = text;
    CALayer *maskLayer = [CALayer layer];

    // Mask image ends with 0.15 opacity on both sides. Set the background color of the layer
    // to the same value so the layer can extend the mask image.
    maskLayer.backgroundColor = [[UIColor colorWithRed:0.0f green:0.0f blue:0.0f alpha:0.15f] CGColor];
    maskLayer.contents = (id)[[UIImage imageNamed:@"Mask.png"] CGImage];

    // Center the mask image on twice the width of the text layer, so it starts to the left
    // of the text layer and moves to its right when we translate it by width.
    maskLayer.contentsGravity = kCAGravityCenter;
    maskLayer.frame = CGRectMake(self.frame.size.width * -1, 0.0f, self.frame.size.width * 2, self.frame.size.height);

    // Animate the mask layer's horizontal position
    CABasicAnimation *maskAnim = [CABasicAnimation animationWithKeyPath:@"position.x"];
    maskAnim.byValue = [NSNumber numberWithFloat:self.frame.size.width];
    maskAnim.repeatCount = 1e100f;
    maskAnim.duration = 2.0f;
    [maskLayer addAnimation:maskAnim forKey:@"slideAnim"];

    self.layer.mask = maskLayer;
}

@end

//UILabel+FSHighlightAnimationAdditions.h
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
@interface UILabel (FSHighlightAnimationAdditions)

- (void)setTextWithChangeAnimation:(NSString*)text;

@end

not so fresh...but maybe it'll be useful

#define MM_TEXT_TO_DISPLAY          @"default"

#define MM_FONT             [UIFont systemFontOfSize:MM_FONT_SIZE]
#define MM_FONT_SIZE            25
#define MM_FONT_COLOR           [[UIColor darkGrayColor] colorWithAlphaComponent:0.75f];

#define MM_SHADOW_ENABLED           NO
#define MM_SHADOW_COLOR         [UIColor grayColor]
#define MM_SHADOW_OFFSET            CGSizeMake(-1,-1)


#define MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS_TOP      0
#define MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS_LEFT     10
#define MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS_BOTTON   0
#define MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS_RIGHT    10
#define MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS          UIEdgeInsetsMake(MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS_TOP, MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS_LEFT, MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS_BOTTON, MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS_RIGHT)

#define MM_TEXT_ALIGNMENT           UITextAlignmentCenter
#define MM_BACKGROUND_COLOR         [UIColor clearColor]

#define MM_TIMER_INTERVAL           0.05f
#define MM_HORIZONTAL_SPAN          5


@interface MMAnimatedGradientLabel : UILabel {  

    NSString *textToDisplay;
    int text_length;

    CGGradientRef gradient;

    int current_position_x;
    NSTimer *timer;

    CGPoint alignment;

    CGGlyph *_glyphs;
}

- (id)initWithString:(NSString *)_string;

- (void)startAnimation;
- (void)toggle;
- (BOOL)isAnimating;

@end

#define RGB_COMPONENTS(r, g, b, a)  (r) / 255.0f, (g) / 255.0f, (b) / 255.0f, (a)

@interface MMAnimatedGradientLabel (Private)
- (CGRect)calculateFrame;
@end


@implementation MMAnimatedGradientLabel

// Missing in standard headers.
extern void CGFontGetGlyphsForUnichars(CGFontRef, const UniChar[], const CGGlyph[], size_t);

- (id)init {
    textToDisplay = MM_TEXT_TO_DISPLAY;
    return [self initWithFrame:[self calculateFrame]];
}

- (id)initWithString:(NSString *)_string {
    textToDisplay = _string;
    return [self initWithFrame:[self calculateFrame]];
}

-(id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame {  
    if (self = [super initWithFrame:frame]) {

        // set default values
        //
        self.textAlignment      = MM_TEXT_ALIGNMENT;
        self.backgroundColor    = MM_BACKGROUND_COLOR;
        self.font               = MM_FONT;
        self.text               = textToDisplay;
        self.textColor          = MM_FONT_COLOR;

        if (MM_SHADOW_ENABLED) {
            self.shadowColor        = MM_SHADOW_COLOR;
            self.shadowOffset       = MM_SHADOW_OFFSET;
        }

        text_length = -1;

        CGColorSpaceRef rgb = CGColorSpaceCreateDeviceRGB();
        CGFloat colors[] =
        {       
            RGB_COMPONENTS(255.0, 255.0, 255.0, 0.00),
//          RGB_COMPONENTS(255.0, 255.0, 255.0, 0.15),
            RGB_COMPONENTS(255.0, 255.0, 255.0, 0.95),
//          RGB_COMPONENTS(255.0, 255.0, 255.0, 0.15),
            RGB_COMPONENTS(255.0, 255.0, 255.0, 0.00)
        };

        gradient = CGGradientCreateWithColorComponents(rgb, colors, NULL, sizeof(colors)/(sizeof(colors[0])*4));
        CGColorSpaceRelease(rgb);

        current_position_x = -(frame.size.width/2);// - MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS.left - MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS.right); 
    }

    return self;
}

- (CGRect)calculateFrame {
    CGSize size = [textToDisplay sizeWithFont:MM_FONT];
    NSLog(@"size: %f, %f", size.width, size.height);
    return CGRectMake(0, 0, size.width + MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS.left + MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS.right, size.height + MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS.top + MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS.bottom);
}

- (void)tick:(NSTimer*)theTimer {
    if (current_position_x < self.frame.size.width)
        current_position_x = current_position_x + MM_HORIZONTAL_SPAN;
    else
        current_position_x = -(self.frame.size.width/2); // - MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS.left - MM_CONTENT_EDGE_INSETS.right);

    [self setNeedsDisplay]; 
}

- (void)startAnimation {    
    timer = [[NSTimer alloc] initWithFireDate:[NSDate date] 
                                     interval:MM_TIMER_INTERVAL
                                       target:self 
                                     selector:@selector(tick:)
                                     userInfo:nil
                                      repeats:YES];

    [[NSRunLoop currentRunLoop] addTimer:timer forMode:NSDefaultRunLoopMode];
}

- (void)toggle {

    if (!timer) {
        timer = [[NSTimer alloc] initWithFireDate:[NSDate date] 
                                         interval:MM_TIMER_INTERVAL
                                           target:self 
                                         selector:@selector(tick:)
                                         userInfo:nil
                                          repeats:YES];

        [[NSRunLoop currentRunLoop] addTimer:timer forMode:NSDefaultRunLoopMode];
    } else {
        [timer invalidate];
        [timer release];
        timer = nil;

        current_position_x = -(self.frame.size.width/2);
        [self setNeedsDisplay]; 
    }
}

- (BOOL)isAnimating {

    if (timer) 
        return YES;
    else
        return NO;
}

- (void)drawRect:(CGRect)rect {
    CGContextRef ctx = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();

    // Get drawing font.
    CGFontRef font = CGFontCreateWithFontName((CFStringRef)[[self font] fontName]);
    CGContextSetFont(ctx, font);
    CGContextSetFontSize(ctx, [[self font] pointSize]);

    // Calculate text drawing point only first time
    // 
    if (text_length == -1) {    

        // Transform text characters to unicode glyphs.
        text_length = [[self text] length];
        unichar chars[text_length];
        [[self text] getCharacters:chars range:NSMakeRange(0, text_length)];

        _glyphs = malloc(sizeof(CGGlyph) * text_length);
        for (int i=0; i<text_length;i ++)
            _glyphs[i] = chars[i] - 29;

        // Measure text dimensions.
        CGContextSetTextDrawingMode(ctx, kCGTextInvisible); 
        CGContextSetTextPosition(ctx, 0, 0);
        CGContextShowGlyphs(ctx, _glyphs, text_length);
        CGPoint textEnd = CGContextGetTextPosition(ctx);

        // Calculate text drawing point.        
        CGPoint anchor = CGPointMake(textEnd.x * (-0.5), [[self font] pointSize] * (-0.25));  
        CGPoint p = CGPointApplyAffineTransform(anchor, CGAffineTransformMake(1, 0, 0, -1, 0, 1));

        if ([self textAlignment] == UITextAlignmentCenter) 
            alignment.x = [self bounds].size.width * 0.5 + p.x;
        else if ([self textAlignment] == UITextAlignmentLeft) 
            alignment.x = 0;
        else 
            alignment.x = [self bounds].size.width - textEnd.x;

        alignment.y = [self bounds].size.height * 0.5 + p.y;
    }

    // Flip back mirrored text.
    CGContextSetTextMatrix(ctx, CGAffineTransformMakeScale(1, -1));

    // Draw shadow.
    CGContextSaveGState(ctx);
    CGContextSetTextDrawingMode(ctx, kCGTextFill);
    CGContextSetFillColorWithColor(ctx, [[self textColor] CGColor]);
    CGContextSetShadowWithColor(ctx, [self shadowOffset], 0, [[self shadowColor] CGColor]);
    CGContextShowGlyphsAtPoint(ctx, alignment.x, alignment.y, _glyphs, text_length);
    CGContextRestoreGState(ctx);

    // Draw text clipping path.
    CGContextSetTextDrawingMode(ctx, kCGTextClip);
    CGContextShowGlyphsAtPoint(ctx, alignment.x, alignment.y, _glyphs, text_length);

    // Restore text mirroring.
    CGContextSetTextMatrix(ctx, CGAffineTransformIdentity);

    if ([self isAnimating]) {
        // Fill text clipping path with gradient.
        CGPoint start = CGPointMake(rect.origin.x + current_position_x, rect.origin.y);
        CGPoint end = CGPointMake(rect.size.width/3*2 + current_position_x, rect.origin.y);

        CGContextDrawLinearGradient(ctx, gradient, start, end, 0);
    }
}


- (void) dealloc {
    free(_glyphs);
    [timer invalidate];
    [timer release];

    CGGradientRelease(gradient);
    [super dealloc];
}

Thanks to rpetrich for the clipping gradient recipe. I am a newbie iPhone and Cocoa developer, so I was real happy to find it.

I've implemented a decent-looking Slide to Cancel UIViewController using rpetrich's method. You can download the Xcode project of my implementation from here.

My implementation uses a repeating NSTimer. I was unable to figure out how use Core (or Gore) Animation to have the iPhone's graphics engine continuously move the highlighting. I think that could be done on OS X with CALayer mask layers, but mask layers are not supported on iPhone OS.

When I play with Apple's "Slide to Unlock" slider on my iPhone's home screen, I occasionally see the animation freeze. So I think Apple may be using a timer as well.

If anyone can figure out how to do a non-timer based implementation using CA or OpenGL, I would love to see it.

Thanks for the help!

I know, I am a bit late with the answer, but Facebook has great library Shimmer that implements exactly that effect.