Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, commonly called WWDC, is the event where the tech giant unveils its upcoming gadgets and software. It spotlights new devices and platform updates, with demonstrations that often become consumer realities in the months ahead. For instance, last year’s reveal of the Apple Vision Pro virtual reality headset led to its eventual availability for purchase. This article highlights the most noteworthy moments from WWDC 2024 and what they mean for users in Canada and the United States.
Company representatives celebrated the ongoing success of AppleTV+, noting it has topped its peers for three years straight, according to industry reviews.
visionOS 2 for Apple Vision Pro
The opening announcement centers on visionOS 2, the operating system designed for the Apple Vision Pro headset. New gestures streamline interactions with battery life and system menus, such as easily opening the app list.
Enhancements extend to Mac interactions as well, including the ability to resize windows using virtual monitors. Neural networks add depth to photos, enabling richer 3D-like visuals. Developers gain additional software interfaces to create more sophisticated experiences for this headset.
iOS 18 for iPhone
The iPhone lineup will ship with a redesigned look, a system-wide dark theme, icon resizing, and the option to customize the Control Center. Users can pin apps on the lock screen quick-access panel and opt to send delayed messages, plus apply a range of visual effects and reactions to texts. Password protection for individual apps becomes possible, while Wallet enables near-field transfers between iPhones. It’s noted that this feature is currently not available in Russia.
A dedicated game mode reduces background activity when games launch and boosts refresh rates for a smoother experience. The Photos app can generate smart topic feeds for travel or outdoor activities, while Mail helps surface important messages by focusing on priority items and grouping corporate emails in a separate folder.
AirPods updates
The wireless AirPods now recognize gestures, allowing users to reject calls by a simple head turn, though this may feel conspicuous in busy public spaces. They also mute ambient noise during calls, and developers can add surround-sound effects to games.
AppleTV improvements
AppleTV gains compatibility with 21:9 aspect ratio projectors. InSight brings real-time insights about a movie while watching or pausing, enriching the viewing experience.
watchOS 11
Smartwatches now track workout load more precisely and support a broader set of training widgets. Users can pause activities without losing monthly progress, while the Vitals app enhances health monitoring with proactive alerts. New watch faces and improved inter-device communication, especially with iPhone, are introduced. A translator with voice input is available directly on the wrist.
Which Apple device are you using?
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iPadOS 18
iPad tablets receive expanded tools for Apple Pencil interactions. The Calculator app can recognize and solve handwritten math problems, while Notes help correct handwriting errors. The overall home screen and Photos app experience see meaningful updates. The ability to control another iPad from a single tablet is introduced, enabling access to apps and files across devices.
macOS 15 Sequoia for MacBook and iMac
Sequoia brings centralized app management through an iPhone connection and brings features from iPadOS 18 and iOS 18 to macOS. A new Passwords app stores credentials across services, including Windows environments, while window management becomes more intuitive.
The Safari browser trims extraneous content from pages, letting the core text shine, and neural networks help automatically highlight essential information. Picture-in-Picture mode remains available while watching videos. The Game Porting Toolkit 2 facilitates porting Windows games to Mac and then to iPad and iPhone.
Apple Intelligence
Apple’s neural networks will be woven into its devices, with a focus on personalizing experiences for each user. The AI can assist with writing in various styles, correcting errors, prioritizing notifications, and more. Users can create their own emoji if they wish.
Through the Image Playground, users can generate images from text prompts or repurpose existing photos. Voice commands can rewind video frames and edit at the frame level. Siri improves in understanding complex requests, with more capable speech recognition that accounts for stutters or mispronunciations and leverages the user’s apps and files, including sensitive data.
Apple emphasizes strong personal data protections, using dedicated servers. Apple Intelligence runs on A17 Pro, M1, M2, M3, and M4 chips, and language support is initially English only, with other languages arriving in 2025.
There is mention of ChatGPT 4o support across iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and iMac, with a core database available at no cost and premium features requiring OpenAI registration.
Release timing for new systems
Closed developer testing begins today. Public beta versions will arrive in July, and the full rollout is planned for this fall.
New iOS games
A number of new games are planned for Apple devices, including the iPhone. The final two titles are timed to launch with the devices.
Did you enjoy the Apple conference, or were you hoping for more? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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