This week is Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, the annual event when the company previews what new tech will be released soon. WWDC 2016 included news about loads of updates to Apple’s software operating systems. These free updates bring new features to products we already own, often making it seem as if we bought a new device, but without spending any money.
While WWDC was filled with exciting news about fun and useful features for iPhone, iPad, Mac computers, Apple Watch and Apple TV, no new devices were announced. The keynote address was all about new software with no information about new hardware. Time will tell when new hardware will be announced.
iOS 10 for iPhone and iPad
iOS 10 is the biggest iOS release ever, according to Apple, and will bring 10 major new features to iPhones and iPad.
1. User Experience
iOS 10 includes a redesigned the lock screen, rich notifications, quick interaction with apps and expanded 3D Touch.
If you’ve ever accidentally unlocked your iPhone, missing notifications on your lock screen, you’ll appreciate the Lift to Look feature of iOS 10. Now when you raise your iPhone to look at it, notifications will appear on the lock screen.
Notifications on the lock screen can be interactive, letting you respond to messages, add calendar appointments and use third-party apps.
Music gets its own panel in Control Center. Swipe Control Center to the left to see the Music control panel.
Don’t Miss => 13 Super Shortcuts for Your iPhone – in Control Center
Accessing your camera from the lock screen also becomes easier. Swipe your lock screen to the right to open the camera app. No more trying to swipe the camera icon up from the lock screen (this is great news, I was never successful in doing that on the first try).
Sliding your lock screen the other way brings up your Today screen widgets. These widgets have become interactive as well, including streaming live video.
=> Learn more about the Today screen at Today Widgets – A Handy New Tool for Your iPhone
2. Siri
In iOS 10, Siri gets new powers. Developers will be able to include Siri in apps.
Siri can search for photos in apps such as Shutterfly and Pinterest, start and stop workouts in apps such as Map My Run and Runkeeper, and book rides in Lyft and Uber.
3. Quick Type
Predictive text is getting more intelligent in iOS 10. The suggestions for next words will become more accurate.
Quick Type can also switch languages without you having to switch keyboards. Siri will recognize when different languages are being used.
4. Photos
iOS Photos will use Advanced Computer Vision to recognize faces and places for better searching and organization of your photos. The Photos app can collect these and create albums that stay on your iDevice, or you can share them with others.
Albums are saved in a section called Memories. This feature can create videos with music from your photos and videos within the album.
These Photo features will be coming to Mac and Apple TV as well as your iDevices.
5. Maps
Maps will get an all new design in iOS 10. Slide up from the bottom of maps to get suggestions for travel times, places to visit and calendar appointments.
Traffic will be included on the route when you’re navigating You can pan out to see traffic ahead and get suggestions for places to visit along the way. Maps will also offer alternate routes based on traffic.
These new Map features will work on Apple CarPlay. Navigation directions will be available on the instrument cluster of your car.
Maps will also work with third-party apps so you could make a restaurant reservation and book an Uber ride from within the Maps app.
6. Apple Music
Apple Music has been redesigned to make it easier to use. You’ll be able to access your downloaded songs from a tab.
Lyrics are now included in songs so you can sing along with the actual words. This feature should end a lot of debates during long road trips.
7. Apple News
Apple News, the news app that was introduced last fall, has grown to include 2000 publications with 60 million monthly readers.
Paid subscriptions to publications will be offered for the first time so you can access your paid and free sources in one place.
8. Home App
All your smart home devices can be accessed through the Home app. View cameras, control lights and garage doors, set the thermostat and more from the app.
You’ll also be able to program the devices so you can control them in one action with a new feature called Scenes. Set the thermostat, lights and smart lock at night with one tap. You can also ask Siri to control the devices through Home.
Home can work through geolocation so when you arrive at home, the Home app can be automatically activated to open the garage door, turn on the lights, set the thermostat, etc.
Home can also be controlled via the Apple Watch and Apple TV.
9. Phone
iOS 10 brings voicemail transcription. Your voicemail messages can be read as words as well as listened to.
Your phone will be able to alert you to possible spam numbers.
10. Messages
Apple made significant changes to its Messages app. Links sent within messages will show photos and can play video without having to leave the app.
Emojis will be 3x bigger and you can see emoji predictions as you type.
Apple also introduced “emojification”, meaning Apple will suggest emojis to replace words. Emojifiable words will be highlighted (I wonder whether “emojifiable” is a word that actually is emojifiable?). Tap to change them from words to emojis.
You can change the size of the text bubbles and send invisible ink messages. Slide your finger across to see the hidden message.
You’ll also be able to send your handwriting, sketches and your heartbeat in Messages. Full screen effects lets you put scenes such as fireworks in the background.
Messages will have apps within the app, such as stickers, GIFs, and payments.
You will be able to send your current location and contact information without leaving the Messages app. Siri can also automatically create calendar events and check your availability within the Messages app.
OS X for Mac Computers
The operating system for Mac computers will be getting an update too, including a new name, MacOS. This year’s version will be called Sierra.
Continuity
Your Mac computer will interact more with other Apple devices so you can share tasks across platforms.
Auto Unlock will let you log into your Mac computer from your Apple Watch. If you’re wearing an Apple Watch you’ve logged into, that will automatically log you into your Mac. No more need for passwords to unlock your Mac!
Universal Clipboard will let you cut or copy on one device and paste it onto another. This works for text, video and images.
iCloud Drive will let you access your Mac desktop from another Mac computer and your iPhone.
Optimized Storage will store files in iCloud and delete files you don’t need any more.
Apple Pay will be available on Mac computers for online shopping. Pay with Apple Pay buttons will be on websites and you can authenticate the purchase using your Apple Watch and your fingerprint with TouchID on your iPhone.
Tabs are coming to apps so you can have tabs everywhere.
A new picture-in-picture feature will let you watch a video in a separate window while you have another window open on your Mac. You can drag the video to the size and position you want.
Siri is coming to the Mac. Click the Siri button and ask it to find files, answer questions, play music, and send messages.
Sierra will be available for public testing in July. You can sign up at beta.apple.com to be a tester. The final version will be available as a free upgrade in the fall.
WatchOS
Owners of Apple Watch will get the WatchOS 3 update to make the device work faster and better. Watch OS 3 is due for release in the fall.
Apps will now open from the Watch, without having to connect with the iPhone. Apps will load instantly, with information available when the app opens. Your favorite apps will be stored in the Watch’s memory, and update in the background to refresh the information.
An example was shown of the One Football app launching on the current WatchOS 2 versus WatchOS 3, to show how the app launched instantly with updated information. The spinning wheel designed to entertain you while you wait for the app to load was gone.
Press the long button on the Watch to get access to the dock with your favorite apps handy. The apps on your dock will be interactive, and will take the place of Glances.
WatchOS 3 gives you more options to reply to messages, with smart replies available below the message.
You will also be able to write on the screen with a new feature called Scribble. Write letters and they will be transcribed into text, like a Palm Pilot back in the olden days. Scribble works in English and Chinese.
New watch faces were introduced, as well as making switching watch faces easier.
Find My Friends will now be available on the Apple Watch. The app will update in the background so you can see where your loved ones are from your Watch.
SOS
SOS lets you place an emergency call from your Watch by pressing and holding the side button. A countdown clock tells you emergency services are being called. Your Medical ID information will be sent.
Must Read => ICE: How the Apple Health App May Save Your Life
The Watch is smart enough to know which country you are in, so will dial 911 in the US, 999 in the UK, etc. The call will go through on your Watch via either your phone or Wi-Fi, if your phone isn’t in range.
The Watch will also notify your emergency contacts. A map of your current location will automatically be sent.
Time to Breathe
From the beginning the Apple Watch has reminded you to get up and move. Now, the Watch will remind you to breathe. Breathing is important, so the Watch will nudge you to take a cleansing breath. Time to get active! Time to relax…
The Breathe app helps you relax through deep breathing. You can set the amount of time you want to do the breathing exercising. The Watch can tap you to help set the pace of your breathing.
At the end of the session, you’re shown your heart rate to see whether you really have relaxed.
=> See, 12 Tech Tools to Help You Relax
Activity Sharing
Time to get competitive with your friends! If competition motivates you, then you’ll like Activity Sharing on the Watch. You’ll be able to see the activity rings of your friends, if they’re willing to share.
Wheelchair Activity
Now wheelchair users can track their activity with the Apple Watch. Apple worked with experts to track activity of wheelchair users. Reminders will be changed to Time to Roll instead of Time to Stand.
tvOS
Apple TV 4th generation will get an update to its operating system this fall.
Previous versions of Apple TV had 80 channels, but the latest version has over 1300 channels and 6000 apps. Siri will search across all your apps for movies, TV shows and YouTube videos.
tvOS will allow a single sign-in so you can sign in once for each paid subscription app. Single sign-on also shows you all of the apps you have access to.
The Remote app on the iPhone will be able to have all features that the Apple TV remote has, including Siri. You’ll be able to use your iPhone as a game controller.
Swift Playground
Swift, a coding language for apps that run on Apple devices, will be easier to learn with a new app from Apple: Swift Playgrounds. This app is designed for iPad that helps children learn to code with Swift. (I’m thinking plenty of adults will be using it too).
Your Thoughts
Are you excited about the updates to Apple operating systems? Which features are you looking forward to most? Are there any features that you would have liked that weren’t announced?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
Voice of America Learning English
Learn English as you learn about tech with my personal technology column at Voice of America Learning English. This week’s article is: Your Phone Might Be Listening to You.
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