WWDC 2018: Everything Apple announced
If you missed the WWDC keynote or you don’t have time to watch it, Jason Cross reveals all of Apple’s announcements
This year’s WWDC was all about software. That meant no new Mac announcements, no low-cost HomePod, no iPhone SE... nothing but iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and macOS. There was still plenty to get excited about, though. Apple’s upcoming operating systems are going to deliver a host of improvements and new features when they
are released this autumn. Here’s everything Apple announced at its keynote presentation.
iOS 12
This is the big one. Apple’s most popular devices run iOS, and they are getting a big, fat pile of improvements. Here’s a quick list of everything announced, but for a deeper dive, check out our iOS 12 feature on page 11.
Performance:
Apple is paying special attention to performance, particularly on older devices. The company says that, on an iPhone 6s Plus, apps launch up to 40 percent faster, and twice as fast when there’s lots of heavy multitasking going on. The camera launches 70 percent faster, the keyboard pops up 50 percent quicker, and the share menu is twice as fast, all on an iPhone 6S Plus.
FaceTime:
Apple is adding group FaceTime with up to 32 people, the ability to add people in the middle of a FaceTime call, the ability to use Animoji and Memoji in FaceTime calls, stickers in FaceTime calls, and even video filters.
Animoji:
There are four new Animoji: T-Rex, Ghost, Koala, and Tiger. Plus, clips have been lengthened to 30 seconds. Animoji (and Memoji) recognize when you stick out your tongue or wink.
Memoji:
iOS 12 introduces a new form of Animoji that is made to look like your face (or someone else’s, if you
want). Think of it as an animated 3D version of Bitmoji. You can customize how your face looks, adjust your hair, and accessorize.
Screen Time:
Track how much time you or your children spends glued to their iPhone or iPad. You can set time limits by app type and day, and they even sync between iPhone and iPad. Plus, create exceptions for apps you always want available, such as education apps. For details see page 30.
Notifications:
Finally, better iOS notifications. These will be grouped together by app, and you can choose to
have notifications for particular apps delivered silently. You can also mark certain alerts as critical so you get them even while in Do Not Disturb mode.
Do Not Disturb:
Choose a bedtime, and your display will dim and silence notifications until you unlock your phone the next day. You can also quickly set DND mode to end in an hour, at the end of the meeting you are in, or when you leave your current location. Perfect for school or the cinema.
ARKit 2:
With ARKit 2 (see page 35), Apple extends its leadership in mobile augmented reality. There’s improved face tracking, better rendering, a new cross‑platform AR file format called USDZ, the ability to save persistent AR states, and the ability for multiple people to share in a single AR experience together. Apple is even including its own app named Measure that lets you quickly measure real‑world objects.
Photos:
Photos gets a bit of a facelift with a new For You tab, event search, sharing suggestions, and smarter search suggestions. It now supports RAW images, including the ability to edit them on an iPad Pro.
Camera:
Portrait mode is improved, the QR code reader is better, and there’s an API for developers to separate layers in a photo, so they can do their own portrait modes and other special effects.
Siri:
It looks like Siri is getting a host of improvements in iOS 12. The big one is Siri Shortcuts, which lets you
perform a set of actions all with a single command. This represents the first real integration of Workflow into iOS, too. Siri makes intelligent suggestions on the lock screen based on your past history. Plus, it can give you more facts about more things (including nutrition facts), and help you search for a password, too.
Privacy and Security:
Safari can do more to prevent websites from tracking you. iOS can help you automatically generate strong passwords for websites and apps, and store them in Keychain. The passwords list will flag reused passwords, too. If you get one‑ time use passcodes via SMS, they’ll be suggested for autofill so you don’t have to pop back and forth or memorize them. Third‑party password apps get an API to integrate into the keyboard, too.
Overhauled apps:
iBooks (now just Books), Stocks, News, and Voice Memos have all been given a redesign and new features.
CarPlay navigation apps:
At long last, thirdparty navigation apps will work in CarPlay. That means you can use Google Maps or Waze in your CarPlay‑equipped car.
watchOS 5
We don’t know what features the next Apple Watch will bring, but the next version of watchOS has plenty of new features. Unfortunately, Apple is cutting off support for the original Apple Watch), so if you want its new features, you’ll need a Series 1, Series 2, or Series 3.
Activity Competitions:
Challenge someone to a seven-day contest where you earn points based on the percentage of your rings you close.
Workout features:
Apple Watch will automatically sense you are working out, prompt you to start a workout, and give you credit for the workout you’ve already done. Then, it will remind you to end a workout. Apple has added new workout types such as Yoga. Great new features for runners include keeping track of pace, rolling miles, and cadence.
Podcasts:
Yep, the podcasts app is coming to Apple Watch.
Walkie-Talkie:
Probably the most fun new watchOS 5 feature, you can have a one-on-one push-to-talk conversation through your Apple Watch.
Siri watch face:
The Siri watch face uses machine learning to get better at surfacing the right content for you at the right time.
No more “Hey Siri”:
If you enable ‘raise to speak’, you can just lift your watch to your mouth and tell Siri what to do without saying “Hey Siri” first.
Better notifications:
You get grouped notifications like you do on iPhone, better Do Not Disturb options, and more functions that can be done right from the notification itself.
Student ID cards:
Some universities will integrate their student ID cards with Apple Wallet and Watch, so you can just tap your wrist to do everything you need your ID card for – building access, buying stuff, whatever. This feature is rolling out with six universities, with more coming over time.