UIApplicationShortcutItem - Can I use an image downloaded from the web as UIApplicationShortcutIcon?

Question

I'm setting up some 3D Touch functionality and would like to use an image that has been downloaded from the web (can access via SDWebImage's cache) as an audio cover image in a UIApplicationShortcutItem, just like Apple's music app (see screenshot).

Is this possible? It looks like it isn't as I can't put the image in to the app's bundle as far as I know? I guess Apple is doing something that devs can't do yet?

UIApplicationShortcutItem's docs only have the following:

// Create an icon using a system-defined image.
+ (instancetype)iconWithType:(UIApplicationShortcutIconType)type;

// Create an icon from a custom image.
// The provided image named will be loaded from the app's bundle
// and will be masked to conform to the system-defined icon style.
+ (instancetype)iconWithTemplateImageName:(NSString *)templateImageName;

Answer 1

You are correct. It is not currently possible (at least with the public API) for third-party apps to use a non-template image, nor is it possible to download an image and use it as the UIApplicationShortcutIcon. If you would like to see these abilities added in a future release, please consider filing an enhancement request at bugreport.apple.com.