Highlights of WWDC
WWDC, Apple’s developer conference, ended two days ago, on June 5. As the chaotic scene settles, what stands out and what is important? Let’s start with the small updates:
iPadOS: Nothing crazy. We will now get interactive widgets, which is actually pretty nice. We also get multiple timers, which is a feature that should’ve come out a long time ago, but at least it’s here now.
MacOS: Widgets. All of Apple’s computers will all now be able the have widgets, which will fade into the background when a window is open. Subtle, but smart touch. Also, there will be slight upgrades to the current presentation of slideshows on video meeting sites.
WatchOS: There will now be better features for hikers and cyclists, the biggest thing being the new waypoint for hiking. It will now show where on the path was the last place you had cell coverage and the last place SOS calls were available to you.
iOS: Firstly, contact sharing. This is the new alternative to switching phones with people to get their contact. Instead, we will soon be able to hold our phones close to each other in order to share contacts with each other. Super convenient. Call posters. These are banners that show up as the background when somebody is calling you. What’s awesome is that you get to chose what poster people see, so if you want your family to see a different banner than your boss, that is possible. Next, we have live voicemail transcription. Now, instead of listening to the voicemail after someone calls, you will be able to read what they are saying instead of picking up. Super helpful if you’re not sure if you want to answer a call from someone. Same thing goes for audio messages on text. You can just read it instead of trying to listen to it. We will also be able to download maps, instead of having to take a screenshot of the map. Lastly, Apple announced they have been working with some hotels in order to allow AirPlay on their TVs, so you can cast your shows and movies, as opposed to signing in on the built in services.
Okay, now the Vision Pro. The Vision Pro is Apple’s new AR/VR headset. It looks incredible. The resolution looks great, and people can see your eyes on the outside screen to see if you are looking at them. There is a dial to control the amount of reality you allow in your vision. Also, to unlock the headset, they have this thing called Optic ID, where it scans your eyes, which is so Sci-Fi, but I guess it works nonetheless. But here’s the thing: no controllers. You use your hands and eyes to control it. You use your eyes as your mouse on a computer, and your fingers select. Crazy. Now what am I forgetting? Hmmmm…oh yes! The price! Just a nice cheap $3499. So yeah. That’s WWDC 23.