Apple WWDC event UPDATES: Focus on app developers with Xcode Cloud, in-App events & more

Apple says it has paid $230 billion to app developers since it was launched. App developers will be able to show customer screenshots, logos, depending on the user. Apple is adding a new 'In-App Events' which will be shown on the App Store so that users will know when an app is hosting a special event. 

Developers will get more options to showcase their apps. One example: Different ways to showcase an app to different sets of users. And there is Xcode Cloud. And Test Flight for Mac.

Tim Cook in back on stage to wrap things up and say goodbye. All the software updates announced will be available to developers from June 8, and will be launched in public beta from July. Public betas are coming next month. Final builds for all software is coming this fall. 

“Thank you for joining us,” he says. “Let’s have a great week.”

Apple is now highlighting features for developers, such as API, which will make it easier for them to create their apps. Object Capture will turn 2D images into 3D images easily and get an AR preview of the model. 

Safari is also getting some updates in macOS. It has a new tab design and a new experience. Tab bar changes colours on the basis of the website colour. Tabs can be saved into new groups, which are contextual. For example, all travel-related tabs a user opens can be grouped together.

Mac and iPad can have synced Safari tabs. Safari has also been redesigned on the iPhone.

MacOS Monterey is the next version of the macOS. It supports all those features that Apple announced earlier in this event. New sharing options, that Focus feature. The new Note and the Continuity.

One of these new features is called Universal Control, which essentially links an iPad and Mac to make them a dual screen device when they are placed next to each other.

Mac can now be used as a display or as a speaker through AirPlay. AirPlay to Mac will let users AirPlay anything from your iPhone or iPad to the Mac. More fluidity, across Apple devices with this version of macOS. 

Shortcuts app from iOS is coming to Macs as well. Users can link together a series of actions on Shortcuts on their Macs as well. 

Apple users will be able to use their iPhone or Watch to unlock their home, provide it has a Smart Lock with HomeKit compatibility. Apple TV app will also show what movies or shows your friends are watching on the app. Users will also be able to select HomePod mini as the audio output for their Apple TV 4K. 

Walking Steadiness: Apple is adding a new feature that can access the risks of a fall based on how you walk. A number of metrics are used to figure out your stability to determine walk risk. Users can see their risk in the Health app.

Apple Health app will now help users understand their lab results better. Apple is also adding trending on long term changes such as resting heart rate, steps, glucose, etc.  It can allow users to share their Health data. for example, a user will be able to share the heart rate details with a friend or family members. Health data is encrypted and Apple will not have access to it.

WatchOS 8 now has an updated Breath App with a new animation. A new feature called Reflet can help you 'Reflect' on something. WatchOS will now monitor respiratory rate while the user is sleeping.  WatchOS also gets two new workout modes: Pilates and Tai chi.

WatchOs will now let users set Portrait photos from the iPhone gallery as Watch Face. Also, the Photos app in WatchOS has been redesigned. It supports the Memories feature that we also have on iOS. The messages can be scribbled on the Apple Watch. And even GIFs can be added to messages in the WatchOS 8.

Apple is adding an account recovery so that family and friends can get a code in case users lose access their account. Apple is also adding a digital legacy program so that users can pass on information to their family members after they leave. There's also a new iCloud+ subscription, which has features like Private Relay for more secure browsing. The private relay will pass all Safari traffic through VPN-like servers. iCloud+ will also come with Hide My Email feature and HomeKit Secure Video.

Privacy is getting a dedicated segment in today's keynote as Apple is adding more privacy-focused features.

Mail: Emails use invisible pixels to collect users data. So, now in Mail users will have better privacy protection. It will now hide the user IP address and stop the emails from knowing when you opened them.

App Privacy Report will not give users details of how apps are accessing user data and where they are sending that data. On weekly basis.

Siri is also getting privacy update. It is now getting on-device speech recognition. So, Siri will do a lot of things, like opening apps, even when it is not connected to the internet.

Splitview will now let users see two apps at the same time on the iPad screen. With multi-tasking controls, users can even open their email apart from the two apps that are open. A new Shelf feature will let users quickly switch between multiple apps quickly. 

This will let users quickly jot down notes on their iPad. They can just swipe down and the quick note will disappear. Users can also add text, links to their quick notes. It is sort of like a floating window, that is visible even if you open other apps. 

Craig is back telling us about the updated iPad OS. Apple is also adding a larger format for widgets given the iPad has a bigger screen compared to the standard iPhones. “We think this is going to change how you get information and access all your apps on the iPad,” he says. App Library is also coming to iPad. Access to this library is built into the dock as well. Users can also hide pages they no longer need or even re-order them. 

Apple AirPods have now been added to the FindMy network, making it easier to find any earphones that have gone astray. AirPods Pro will get a conversational boost as Apple is also adding announce notifications. Users can choose which apps to enable, so Siri can read out notifications from those apps. 

Apple is also adding Spatial Audio experience to TVOS as well. It also comes to M1 powered Macs as well. Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos on Apple Music will start rolling out today. Spatial audio has also been added to TVOS, with dynamic head tracking following users around the room as they watch shows and movies.

Apple is now expanding its new Maps to Spain, Portugal, Italy and Australia. In iOS 15, Apple will showcase more details in Maps for cities. It will also add a new Nighttime version and add more details to roads to include bus lanes, bike lanes, etc.  Apple Maps is adding 3D directions as well, similar to what Google Maps offers in select cities. 

Apple Weather is also getting a new design based on the weather conditions, air quality, etc. More backgrounds as well. Weather app will show fullscreen weather maps in iOS 15. 

Apple’s Wallet app is getting an update, starting with keys. They already support keys for certain cars, such as the latest BMW, but now it will work with some buildings and hotel rooms. Apple will be partnering with Hyatt and let users unlock their hotel rooms.ID cards are also coming to Apple Wallet, with ID information stored directly to ]the device. Apple is working with the TSA in the US to allow users to leave their physical ID at home when taking flights.

Following partners will support the digital keys

iOS is finally getting a Google Lens-like feature where it can identify text in a photo and allow a user to copy it. Live Text will let users recognise text, phone numbers, links, etc. It will work on screenshots, quick look and understands seven languages. It will work on iPhone, iPad and Mac and users can also lookup information such as a breed of a dog or landmarks, etc.

Spotlight search will now support Photos. Apple is also making it richer with better results, making Spotlight is the universal search on iOS. 

Apple's new SharePlay will let users watch videos or listen to music with their friends on FaceTime itself. SharePlay works with multiple devices such as Apple TV+ and Apple Music now. Developers can also bring their own apps to FaceTime. Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Twitch, TikTok, Masterclass are some of the other players that will also feature on SharePlay. 

Users can now set up a dedicated mode so that messages don't disturb them. However, urgent messages can still make their way through notifications. There's also a new Focus mode, that allows users to set up a focus mode where notifications and alerts from only certain apps are shown during a set time of the day. Using focus mode one device will automatically set up on other Apple devices.

A new Shared with You section will show links, playlists and photos in a neat section in Messages. Users will also be able to pin any important message. 

Apple Senior VP Craig Federighi appears on stage as the company starts with iOS 15. FaceTime is getting Spatial Audio to make calls more comfortable and natural. Apple is also adding voice isolation to the microphone to block out ambient noise, during a FaceTime call for clearer audio. A new wide spectrum will pick up audio from around you. 

A new Grid View will show people in same-sized tiles when chatting with multiple callers on your FaceTime. It is also introducing portrait mode to FaceTime and users will also be able to create links for video call. 
 

The Apple keynote has begun with a goofy movie/video from app developers. CEO Tim Cook has arrived on the stage addressing an audience of memojis. Last year's WWDC had 25 million viewers, he said.  

Apple is hosting its much-awaited Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) tonight with the keynote starting at 10.30 pm IST or 10.00 am PST, which is set to begin soon. The WWDC keynote sets the tone of what to expect from the company, be it the next iteration of iOS or macOS or watchOS.

Apple will reveal upcoming features for several major software products including iOS 15, macOS 12, updated iPadOS and watchOS 8 as well as a new tvOS and homePodOS update. iOS 15 will reportedly come with improvements for notifications, more privacy and there will be more features for iPadOS as well. Apple is also expected to announce its updated MacBook Pros for the year.