Here we take an in-depth look at seven major announcements at the Apple WWDC 2017, without the geek speak.
iOS improvements
The next iteration of the revered operating system, iOS 11, for the iPad and the iPhone will be more synchronised than ever before thanks to the iCloud. Texts in the iMessage now live on the cloud, so you can delete a conversation on a single device and the action will be replicated on other Apple devices that share the same account. The personal assistant Siri will also be smarter with improved speech, the ability to translate sentences to some foreign languages and on-device learning.
Other noteworthy features include Apple’s own e-wallet, the Apple Pay, will also work on the iMessage, a new control centre, the ability to edit Live Photos, more photography effects such as long exposure, Do Not Disturb has been redesigned to work better during driving, a multitask interface that is similar to that of Windows’ whereby a second app can be dragged and shown on the same display separated by a slider, and ARKit, a framework targeted at app developers, through which they can develop augmented reality interactions in their apps.
iPad Pro in new sizes
When the iPad Pro was first revealed in 2015, it sported a large 12.9-inch display. Then it was scaled down to 9.7 inches for its second generation. The third and current iPad Pro will be resized again. This time to 10.5 inches. However, the 12.9-inch model will still be available, albeit refreshed with new chips.
The iPad Pro Retina display now supports a 120Hz refresh rate, meaning fast-moving objects will now be displayed smoother than before. The larger display also means that iOS 11’s new side-by-side multitasking ability will work better.
However, the best of all, the new keyboard will appease those who are annoyed by the extra step to switch over from typing alphabets to numerals and punctuations, because you will soon be able to simply flick down on a key to enable a shift to the pre-programmed numbers and symbols.
The App Store revamped
Apple’s app emporium has undergone a complete make-over, and according to Apple, from the ground up. The new App Store will showcase daily stories by experts, a dedicated Games tab, lists for all sorts of apps, among others.
iMac Pro
If everything else in the world of gadgetry gets a Pro treatment, why not the faithful iMac? The new iMac Pro will compete with other top-of-the-line PCs supported by an eight-core processor (upgradable to one featuring 18 cores) and a 5k display, as well as support of virtual reality, up to 4TB of SSD, up to 128GB of ECC memory, four Thunderbolt 3 ports and built-in 10GB Ethernet.
It will come loaded with a new operating system: High Sierra
High Sierra explained
The new desktop operating system will feature the Apple File System. Apple has claimed that it will be snappier due to its 64-bit architecture—meaning the date transfer rate is higher—and safer due to its encryption system.
On top of that, it will also run the H.265 video encoding standard, leading to faster compression and streaming of 4k videos without compromising the visual quality.
The Safari browser, meanwhile, will prevent videos from auto-playing on a per-website basis. All you have to do is to change in the settings.
watchOS 4
Apple’s smartwatch will become your pushy personal trainer after the update. It will display a piece of daily inspiration in the morning such as informing you of the next achievement you’re closing in on. Then, in the evening, a progress update. If you haven’t reached the daily milestone by then, it will suggest an activity to help to attain it, for example, a brisk walk.
For fans of high-intensity training, a new custom heart rate and motion monitor will accurately keep track of calories burnt. Additionally, gym rats can sync the Apple Watch with gym equipment.
HomePod
If you buy an Apple product, you are buying into its entire ecosystem. The HomePod is part of the bigger picture. Recently, Amazon’s Alexa has appeared on LG fridges. Similarly, Microsoft’s Cortana is the brain of Harman Kardon’s Invoke speaker. So there is no reason for Siri to be in the competitors’ rear-view mirrors. In this case, Siri helps search the music catalogue on the Apple Music to locate any song of your preference.
This voice-activated speaker comes with seven tweeters for crisp high notes, while a high-excursion woofer balances it out with deep bass.