Apple had a LOT of news to share with us at today’s WWDC. From killing off iTunes to Minecraft making a surprise appearance, there’s a lot to process.
We took the key takeaways from the WWDC and compiled them for you below. This way, you can save yourself from listening to Tim Cook’s bad jokes and Apple’s constant humblebrags, and go straight to the important stuff.
WWDC key takeaways
The new iOS 13 is coming this fall
Going with the trend, Apple announced that iOS12 will be replaced with iOS13.
The theme of iOS13 is “faster.” Face ID unlocks 30% faster, app downloads are 50% smaller, and updates are 60% smaller. Because of this, apps will launch twice as fast.
Dark mode is coming to iOS. Different apps such as Messages, Safari, and even your home screen will appear darker, giving them a cool sleek new design.
Google Calendar and Keep apps get the dark mode treatment
Read now ►More focus on privacy
You will soon be able to sign in with Apple rather than Facebook or Google to help protect your privacy.
For apps that still require an email address, signing in with Apple can also give apps a fake email address. Apple will forward emails sent from your fake address to your real one. This way, the apps will not have your real email address, and you can disable those fake addresses if you want to stop receiving messages.
Your iPhone is probably packed with thousands of trackers sending private data
Read now ►While talking about a new cycle-tracking feature for women coming to the Apple Watch, a spokeswoman talked about sharing data with apps. The new takeaway from Apple is that “you control your data, and you control what gets shared with what apps IF you want to share anything at all.”
Basically, Apple is trying to be more transparent about what data users are sharing with apps. The message is that they don’t want you to divulge what you don’t want to share, and what you don’t have to share.
Facebook steals information about your menstrual cycles, home buying, more
Read now ►You can now edit videos
Editing will now include the following new tools:
- Vibrance
- White balance
- Sharpen
- Definition
- Vignette
- Noise reduction
These tools can help edit photos as well as videos. You can even rotate videos and give them filters.
Other key takeaways from WWDC:
An OS system for all devices!
Every Apple device will have its own OS system. iPhone will be keeping iOS and Mac is keeping MacOS, but iPads will get iPadOS, Apple Watch is getting WatchOS, and AppleTV is getting TVOS.
What’s new with iPad?
The new iPadOS will have all the same features that iOS13 will have.
However, probably one of the wildest features coming to the iPad is the ability to plug in a thumb drive.
This small little change sparks a slew of questions. The new iPad they showed did not appear much thicker than your typical iPad. That said, we don’t know if a new iPad is coming that is thick enough to receive a normal USB. We also don’t know if a special type of USB must be purchased, or if you have to use an intermediary device to connect a USB to an iPad.
With all Apple devices getting thinner and thinner, we find it hard to believe that that the iPad will break the mold in this regard. However, being able to plug in a USB can potentially save us a lot of headaches.
Apple wants users to be able to use their iPad as if it were a normal desktop computer. Going along with this change, iPads will be able to use split-screen to view multiple apps at once.
Going along with this theme, when viewing websites through Safari, you will now see the desktop version of the page rather than the mobile version.
Along with new keyboard shortcuts being added, you will be able to use touchscreen commands to copy, paste, and undo by extending or retracting your fingers.
If you need extra space when working on your Mac, a new app called Sidecar will allow you to use your iPad as a second display screen for your Mac.
Apple TV+ is coming this fall with an original show
Apple TV+ will stream video in 4K. Along with featuring music and music-related content like videos, Apple TV+ will also have its own original show called “For All Mankind.”
“For All Mankind” takes place in a reality where the Soviets beat the U.S. in the race to put a man on the moon. It goes into how the U.S. would react to this reality, and how we would try to bounce back.
The show looks… okay, but not good enough to warrant purchasing Apple TV+. We will have to wait and see what other original content might come our way before making a decision. For now, we will just plan on buying Disney+, and be happy with that call.
Everything we know about Disney+
Read now ►Airpods
Siri will be able to read your messages to you while you’re listening to your AirPods. You can even respond to her. This works for other messaging apps as well.
During the demonstration, a man was on an exercise bike listening to music when Siri informed him that a friend sent a message. After reading off the friend’s message, the man was able to immediately reply by telling Siri what to say. Throughout the process, the man did not have to stop riding.
It’s a cool feature, but we can’t help but point out a flaw in their demonstration. Apple also owns Beats by Dre, which is coming out with a wireless headphone of its own, similar to AirPods. These are supposed to be used while working out, not AirPods. Basically, we’re all sorts of confused.
Beats by Dre to launch first wireless earphones
Read now ►Apple Watch is a proud, independent device that don’t need no iPhone
Apple Watch will soon be able to operate completely independently without needing to be managed through an iPhone app.
The App Store is also coming to Apple Watch. New apps will include, but are not limited to:
- Audiobooks
- Voice Memos
- Calculator
- Podcasts
Homepod hopes to compete with Alexa
Homepod can now understand who in your house is talking to it and can personalize the request. For example, if your roommate asks it to play a song, HomePod will play a song it knows your roommate will like.
Amazon employees use Alexa to listen to you
Read now ►Apple Arcade is coming this fall
With more than 100 titles to choose from, Apple Arcade will be a subscription service like Netflix or Hulu, but for gaming. Gamers will be able to play with both an Xbox One and a PlayStation 4 controller.
Wrapping up
Some of these new features are far more significant than others. When the iPad’s split-screen capabilities were unveiled, the audience members erupted. Why they went bananas for a feature we’ve had on computers for years, we don’t know.
However, the new privacy tools from Apple do deserve praise.
We can’t wait to see how some of these new features and products will unfold for Apple, and we will keep you updated the whole way.
