Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) was everything rumored, teased and then some. If you didn’t sit through the keynote, here’s a rundown of the highlights you shouldn’t miss.
Over 55 percent of active Mac users are using Yosemite. The name of the latest OS X 10.11: El Capitan. New features headed this way include new gestures, such as shake to enlarge mouse cursor, and a new way to pin websites on Safari. The browser will also add a speaker icon on the URL bar to mute music coming from any tab opened. El Capitan will also allow users to split their screen into multi-tasking windows (Windows 10 style) by holding the Maximize button and dragging left or right. El Capitan is available for developers today, with a public beta coming in July and a full, free rollout to all this fall.
The core improvement Apple wanted to make on iOS 9 this go-round was adding intelligence to the operating system. Improvements to Siri include the ability to tell Siri to “remind me about this” and it will know you are referring to the webpage currently on Safari. If you receive a phone number but are not sure who’s calling, you can also ask Siri to search through your emails to find any matches. Apple also unveiled an API for search to help developers deep link their apps from mobile Spotlight searches.
Apple announced a new app for iOS 9 called News to personalize news content, updating anytime the user opens the app.
Some updates coming to the iPad: New gestures are being added such as using two fingers to tap on the keyboard to turn it into a touchpad. This is helpful for when you want to drag text during an email, for example. Multi-window support is also coming to the iPad. There’s a new slide-over view as well, so you can drag in another app from the side for a quick glance while you’re using another app in fullscreen. Just like El Capitan, iOS 9 is available for developers today, with a public beta this July and a full roll out in the fall.
New watch faces are headed to watchOS 2, such as a Photo Album face to rotate through your pictures in the background (e-picture frame style). Users can rotate their digital crown to “Time Travel” and see ‘future’ data, such as appointments later in the day and what the weather will be like at that time. Other updates include the ability to respond to emails, watch videos and make FaceTime audio calls straight from the Apple Watch. You can also tell Siri to start the Workout app without ever touching the watch. HomeKit will also be natively on the watch, so you can control your home temperature from the digital crown.
Apple officially confirmed Apple Music, its streaming service powered by iTunes. Siri will also work with contextually with Apple Music when you prompt for things like “Play me the top songs from 1982″ or “Play that song from ‘Selma.’” Apple Music will give users “the right song, at the right moment” – one way of doing this is via its radio station, Beats1. Beats1 is a 24/7 global radio station. The service hopes to not only play great music, but help users discover new content. Apple Music will launch on June 30 for $9.99 a month. A family plan will also be available for $14.99 a month for up to six members. Android support is coming in the fall.
sources: thenextweb.com, forbes.com