What an incredible WWDC keynote. So many things were announced. Which means there are lots of updates on the horizon for Apple. As I’ve said before, many times, any of these tech giants need to stay relevant. On the heels of the Google I/O Conference last month, there was some speculation about what WWDC would bring. And whether or not it would make any kind of difference. But I’m here to say, the announcements were incredible. So without further ado, here we go.
tvOS – Apple is getting a new content partner when it comes to AppleTV. During yesterday’s keynote speech, Tim Cook announced that Amazon will be joining them shortly. Not much more was said, but more information will be revealed later in the year.
watchOS4 – Apple announced some really cool new features with the Apple Watch. Including a new Siri face and the ability for Siri to machine learn your habits and behaviours to provide you with a customized watch face. In addition, Apple has really stepped up it’s game when it comes to the Activity App. With so many new features coming to the Apple Watch, I will be writing about it extensively in another post shortly.
macOS High Sierra – Apple has updated Safari to prevent videos from automatically playing when you open a new website. Which is awesome as those videos can be annoying. And potentially give away the fact that you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing… like work? In addition, they are using “intelligent tracking prevention” to minimize the amount that you are tracked by advertisements. macOS also includes better editing and organization within Photos. They have updated their file system, and improved the graphics capabilities to support VR development. Hold on, for those of you who don’t want to read anymore & those that don’t have two and a half hours to watch the full WWDC keynote, here is a 3 minute video summary by Daily Dish.
Still reading? Good let’s continue. Apple announced a new iMac Pro designed for super users. An incredible piece of machinery, which I will be discussing in more detail in a different post. But what I will say is that the system is going to amaze you. The ability to design in VR and 3D is now going to be at your fingertips. All I can say is be creative!
HomePod – In an attempt to get in on the home assistant market, Apple has created a new home speaker. Linked to HomeKit, you will be able to control your smart home devices. In addition you can ask Siri questions around weather, news, messages, podcasts and stocks. The HomePod is essentially a speaker. But this is big news for Apple, given the lag behind Amazon Echo and Google Home when it comes to Home Assistants. That price will not be helpful but then again; Apple does not care about the little guy. It is after the high end clients.
Lastly, iOS 11 – There are a ton of updates for iOs 11. Including the ability to sync iMessages between devices and store the messages in iCloud. Apple Pay will now support person-to-person payments via iMessages using a new “Apple Pay Cash” card. Siri will now be able to translate your questions into other languages such as Spanish, French and Chinese. They have also included a really neat “do not disturb while driving” safety feature. With so many updates to iOS announced yesterday, I thought it would be prudent to put them into another post.