Apple WWDC 2020: Everything Apple announced
Tech giant Apple today unveiled its latest product updates at the annual WWDC developer conference, streamed online from the Steve Jobs Theater in California for the first time.
Usually a five-day, $1,600 event for tech developers to learn about the latest tools for making apps, the WWDC — which stands for Worldwide Developer Conference — was entirely free this year.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook kicked off the keynote on a sober note by acknowledging the recent protests that have swept across the US, and thanking health care workers for their efforts during the pandemic.
“While the events of this past month are sadly not new, they have caused us to take note” he said. “Throughout history, great challenges have been met with great creativity and great breakthroughs.”
Cook then handed over to colleagues to introduce the newest Apple updates being launched. Here’s everything that was announced at the Apple conference:
iOS 14
App Library
Apple announced a streamlined version of the App Library to help organise messy home screens into categories. Similar to the Android model, apps are sorted into folders that auto-populate.
Widgets
Apple is applying what it’s learnt from Apple Watch to its main iOS software, and introducing more sophisticated widget embedding. Widgets will now be available from the home screen. Widgets will be draggable, will stay open in a pop-up window, and can be added to a “smart stack” that changes throughout the day.
Siri
“We’ve completely redesigned Siri [to be] smarter than ever”, Apple executives said. Siri will have 20x more facts than just three years ago, and will be able to process more advanced questions, sourcing answers from websites across the internet. You can now ask Siri to send an audio message, and Siri will start recording. Perhaps the biggest update to Siri is its help with translations. Siri translations now support new language pairs, alongside a new app called Translate, “designed to be the best and easiest-to-use app for conversations.” Side-by-side translations will allow people to watch real-time translations of two languages on one screen.
Messages
You can now pin messages to the top of your list, and text with new updates to Apple’s Memjoi library, including Memjois with coronavirus face coverings. Messages will take a lot of features from Whatsapp, such as in-line replies and mentions to specific people.
Maps
Apple’s Maps app will feature better navigation, richer detail and more accurate information. Apple is introducing its new Maps app to more locations, including the UK, Irealnd and Canada, and will roll out specific platforms for cycling and EV Routing.
Carplay
Apple’s biggest new CarPlay feature is Digital Keys, which will be premier exclusively with the 2021 BMW 5 Series from next month. Digital Keys will allow iPhone users to unlock their car with the tap of their phone and share their key with others, either giving them full or temporary access. Apple assured the update will be secure, allowing iPhone you to turn off keys remotely via iCloud if you lose your phone. Apple said it is working on standards with industry groups for precise spatial awareness for CarPlay.
App Store
The 12-year-old App Store will see minor updates with the new App Clips, which will enable users to download small versions of apps that save you from having to download a full app. For example, instead of buying something through eBay, users will be able to download the clipped webpage of something they want to buy on the site, and won’t have to use their credit card or to sign in to eBay — they can sign in with Apple Pay.
Apple investors appeared cheered by the new updates, with shares up 2.1 per cent to $357.16 on the news at 7pm.