APPLE’S WORLDWIDE DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE began on Monday with a keynote address, during which the company announced a slew of new software updates as well as a few stray pieces of hardware. Rather than sticking to Apple’s all-virtual event model during the pandemic, 2017 WWDC was an unusual mix of pre-recorded footage shown in front of a live audience at the company’s California headquarters. Apple, as expected, spent a lot of money on software updates. However, there is a new MacBook Air as well as a new M2 CPU.
New MacBooks
The installation of the MagSafe frees up the two Thunderbolt-USB 4 connectors as well. There’s a new M2 chip inside that enhances performance and battery life (more on that below). Apple claims that the new Air can run for 18 hours on a single charge, even when playing videos nonstop. The new laptop is only 2.7 pounds in weight and is available in four distinct colors. The MacBook Air has a starting price of $1,199.
A new 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 processor is also available. It has a 20-hour battery life and can be expanded with 24 GB of memory and a 2 TB SSD, according to Apple. The Pro starts at $1,299 and goes up from there.
The M2 Chip
Apple’s new processor is based on the same proprietary hardware used in the majority of the company’s new computers. Apple claims that this second-generation chip’s 8-core CPU is 18% quicker than the M1. The GPU has up to ten cores, and Apple claims that it performs 25% better than its predecessor. It will be available in the new MacBook Air and the new MacBook Pro 13-inch.
iOS 16
The next version of the iPhone’s operating system will be released this fall, and it will include a slew of improvements to the user experience. More options are being added to the lock screen. You may now alter the look of your phone without having to unlock it. Simply press and hold to change colors and typefaces, or to access widgets such as your calendar, workout applications, and images. Apple’s Focus app is likewise linked to the lock screen. Set a lock screen for each of your Focus modes, and your alerts and apps will be filtered to show just the notifications and apps that are relevant to your current mode, allowing you to avoid those pesky texts and distractions.
Messages has also been updated by Apple. The capacity to alter and even erase texts after they’ve been delivered is maybe more remarkable. The voice-to-text dictation tool is also getting some upgrades, including the ability to switch between voice and finger input, which is made possible by the keyboard being on-screen as you dictate. Apple has improved its Live Text feature to allow you to copy text directly from films, images, and the translation app. A Multistop planning function in Apple Maps allows you to arrange up to 15 separate stops along your route.
Apple has updated its Home app to make it more compatible with all of your smart home’s gadgets. Apple is collaborating with Matter, a forthcoming smart home standard that aims to make it easier for gadgets from different companies to communicate in your house.
Apple News has been updated to include sports scores; Apple Wallet has a new “buy now, pay later” option for major purchases; and Apple CarPlay will enable for bespoke dashboard displays on new vehicles that accept it.
watchOS 9
The Apple Watch has also received some cosmetic updates, such as new faces that display lunar calendars or real-time astrological alignments.
macOS Ventura
Ventura is the name of Apple’s new desktop operating system. The new features demonstrated at WWDC are largely focused on productivity. Stage Manager is a new tool that keeps all of your wayward apps and tabs off to the side in an easily viewable sidebar and allows you to quickly switch between groups.
Mail and Safari are also getting some performance improvements. Have too many tabs open in your browser? The good news is that you can now share your Safari tab groups with others and allow them to add their own. There are certain privacy enhancements, such as Passkey, an on-device security tool that allows you to sign into websites and apps without requiring passwords. Apple’s Metal gaming rendering technology has been updated to smooth framerates and enable for more demanding, realistic gameplay on Macs.
With its new Continuity capabilities, Apple continues to work toward its aim of establishing a seamless, all-encompassing ecosystem of products. When your Mac or iPad detects that you’re on a FaceTime call on your iPhone, it will offer to transfer the call to one of the larger devices. You’ll also be able to use your iPhone as a wireless webcam for video calls, which will undoubtedly be useful in our Zoom-Meet-Teams. When you attach a plastic adapter to the rear of your iPhone, you may place it on top of the screen with the lens pointing at you; macOS recognizes the phone and switches the camera function to utilize the phone’s camera rather than the computer’s webcam.
iPadOS 16
Apple introduced a number of changes that make its competent tablet seem a little more laptop-like, continuing the inexorable convergence of the iPad and MacBook.
In split-screen mode, a new screen scaling feature allows iPad users to modify the pixel density of windows, cramming more information into the sliver of screen that each app takes up. Most importantly, Stage Manager will be available on the iPad. iPad users will be able to organize and combine windows together for improved workflows, just like in macOS Ventura. It’s the same as on a computer.
Multiple users can collaborate live in video conferences while editing documents thanks to new collaboration tools in iPadOS 16. Freeform, a collaborative whiteboard app for iPad, Mac, and iPhone, will be released soon. There are also new collaborative gaming capabilities, such as the SharePlay option, which allows players to play games together while simultaneously sharing video. Reference Mode, a color grading mode intended at producing more accurate color representation on the screen, is one of the features aimed at artists.
