WWDC 2022 – Apple announces iOS16, MacOS Ventura, iPadOS 16 and WatchOS 9
At WWDC 2022, Apple provided a glimpse of the highly anticipated iOS 16, macOS Ventura, iPad OS 16, WatchOS 9, and more. Here is a list of Apple’s most significant announcements for those who missed the conference.
iOS 16
Apple released iOS 16 with a completely redesigned and customizable lock screen interface. One can add personalized wallpapers, alter the date and time’s font and color, and add new widgets for the weather, activity rings, and calendar events, among others. iOS 16 introduces Live Activities, where one can pin and manage notifications such as the status of food delivery on the lock screen. Additionally, Apple is introducing notifications that can be hidden at the bottom of the lock screen.
A new streamlined configuration for Focus enables you to select the apps and people from whom you wish to receive notifications by enabling or disabling them. Connect your Lock Screen to your Focus so that the look and feel of your iPhone corresponds to how you want to use it at the time. You can switch from your Personal Focus to your Work Focus with widgets displaying upcoming meetings and to-do lists by swiping.
One will have the ability to edit and undo messages in the Messages App. Users will have 15 minutes to edit or unsend a message, and 30 days to retrieve it after deletion. Apple is also adding the ability to mark a message as unread, which will make it easier to find later.
iOS 16 will bring Apple Pay’s new Pay Later feature. Apple is participating in the “buy now, pay later” trend, which allows consumers to make purchases and pay for them in installments.
Apple has introduced a new function called Safety Check with the intention of protecting those who are in abusive relationships. It lets people who have been abused see who has access to their apps, passwords, and other sensitive information and control that access.
Apple announced a major update to CarPlay that allows for enhanced vehicle integration. Apple’s instrument cluster can replace the one in your car and shows speed, trip information, fuel and battery levels, and more. Users can add trip information, control the car’s climate, check the weather, view updated navigation data, fuel and battery levels, and more. It can adapt to various screen sizes and has a brand-new interface that resembles an iPad on the center screen.
The Home application has been redesigned from the ground up to be more efficient and dependable. Use the redesigned Home tab to manage all of your smart home devices. New categories for climate, lighting, and security, among others, enable one-tap access to relevant accessories. And a multi-camera view prioritizes your smart home’s cameras.
Apple will make its Fitness app available to all iPhone users. Previously, it was only accessible to Apple Watch owners. Even if you don’t own an Apple Watch, the Fitness app can help you track and achieve your fitness goals. Using the iPhone’s motion sensors, your steps, distance, and third-party workouts will now estimate the calories you’ve burned towards your daily movement goal.
The all-new iOS 16 will work with the iPhone 8 and later models, as well as the SE series (2nd generation).
MacOS 13 Ventura
With the announcement of macOS 13 Ventura, you can anticipate an enhanced Stage Manager multitasking tool. Stage Manager automatically puts all of your apps and windows into a single view on any Mac. This lets you stay focused while switching between tasks quickly and easily.
Safari will now support Apple Passkeys with macOS 13 Ventura. This new feature basically takes the place of the password, so you can sign in to multiple websites with just your iPhone or Mac.
Images can be located in Photos, Messages, Notes, the Finder, and the web directly from Spotlight. Live Text can even be used to search for an image based on the text contained within it.
Freeform is a productivity application that allows you and your colleagues to bring ideas to life. Plan projects, gather inspiration, engage in team brainstorming, or draw with a friend. Insert web links, documents, video, and audio into shared files.
Apple announced that macOS will allow you to use your iPhone as a webcam by attaching it to a special clip that will be released later this year. Utilize the robust camera system of the iPhone with your Mac to perform tasks that were previously impossible with a webcam. Simply bring your iPhone close to your Mac and the camera input will automatically switch to your iPhone. And it operates wirelessly, so no cables are required.
You can share all the tabs in a single location, whether you are planning a trip with friends or shopping for a sofa with your partner. And when they discover something exceptional, they can also add tabs.
MacOS 13 Ventura is compatible with 2017 and later iMacs, 2017 and later iMac Pros, 2018 and later MacBook Airs, 2017 and later MacBook Pros, 2019 and later Mac Pros, 2022 and later Mac Studios, 2018 and later Mac minis, and 2018 and later MacBooks.
Apple has announced the release of iPadOS 16, the newest version of its iPad operating system. It shares some of its new features with iOS 16 and macOS, such as a redesigned Home app and Passkeys support in Safari, but it also receives its own enhancements. Later this year, a new weather app and whiteboard collaboration software will be released.
This year’s iPadOS update significantly improves multitasking, but only if you’re using an iPad with an M1 chip. The Stage Manager feature Apple announced for macOS Ventura is coming to iPadOS 16, allowing apps to be displayed as overlapping windows that can be dragged and dropped into position. It can take advantage of an external display’s larger screen space (up to 6K resolutions are supported) and show up to eight apps at once (four on the iPad and four on the external display).
In a lengthy demonstration, Apple showcased its collaboration capabilities. In office applications such as Pages, you can initiate collaboration directly from the share sheet, allowing other users to immediately begin editing a central document. It sounds similar to what Google has previously offered in services such as Docs and Sheets. Apple claims that participants in a Messages thread will be notified whenever a shared file is modified. Collaboration and new sharing capabilities are available, including “Files, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, Notes, Reminders, and Safari,” and Apple gives an API for developers to add similar functionality to their own applications.
There’s also a new whiteboard app called Freeform, which is designed to enable collaboration on a shared canvas among coworkers. It is compatible with Apple Pencil and can import multiple file types, including PDF documents, images, and web links. Freeform will be available later this year.
Apple also emphasizes iPadOS’s convergence with desktop operating systems. It states that it has addressed some frequently requested features, such as the ability to view folder size on the iPad and the ability to modify file extensions.
With the Display Zoom feature, iPads with the M1 chip can increase the number of pixels on the screen. This gives users more space to work with.
The new iPadOS 16 will be compatible with the iPad Pro all models, iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad (5th generation and later), and iPad mini (5th generation and later).
WatchOS 9
Apple announced watchOS 9, its smartwatch platform. It will have new watch faces and fitness functions, as well as new running metrics and medicine reminders.
watchOS 9 will, as usual, include new watch faces. In addition, there are new “Playtime Faces,” as well as new typography screens dubbed “Metropolitan” and “Lunar Face.” It is also adding new rich complications and the ability to pin active apps for easy access. Certain watch faces allow for additional customization, such as the ability to change the background color. As with iOS 16, Apple Watch owners can also customize the focus mode display screen.
It’s fantastic news for those who enjoy intensity-based training because Apple is also introducing new running metrics, such as stride length, heart rate zones, and ground contact duration. The watch will monitor Cardiovascular Recovery following outdoor walking, running, and hiking workouts. New alerts for pace, power, heart rate, and cadence will be available. With watchOS 9, competing against one’s personal bests and most frequently traveled routes will be possible. Running enthusiasts can set time goals for specific distances.
Another feature appears to be geared toward triathletes, as it allows you to switch between cycling, swimming, and running in a flash. In relation to swimming, watchOS 9 introduces kickboard detection, allowing the watch to track swims where a kickboard is utilized. In addition, it will receive a SWOLF score to determine stroke efficiency.
A new feature allows you to switch between different training views with the digital crown. Additionally, you can now create custom workouts for a more structured session. As part of the Fitness Plus improvements, Apple Watch users will be able to see on-screen coaching for specific parameters. The intensity of cardiovascular activities like HIIT, cycling, rowing, and the treadmill are all included in this category of exercises. In addition to strokes per minute, cycling will also have revolutions per minute. Runners and walkers will be able to observe the slope. Even if you don’t have an Apple TV, you can still see your Fitness Plus metrics on-screen with AirPlay streaming.
One can set medication reminders, which are connected to the Health App and allow users to create a Medication List and schedules. You can also add medications by scanning their barcodes. It will also assist users in determining whether any of the drugs they are taking interact with one another. The interaction feature is currently restricted to US users only.
If you have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, you can view an estimate of how often your heart experiences this arrhythmia by activating AFib History. It is significant because it may affect your risk of developing serious complications. In the Health app, you can identify lifestyle factors, such as sleep, exercise, and weight, that may influence the amount of time you spend in AFib and easily share this information with your doctor. Additionally, you can view the time of day or week when your AFib is most prevalent.
There are a variety of additional updates. The Home app may now be used by children through Family Setup, allowing them to control HomePod speakers and other smart home gadgets. This includes house and hotel keys. Notifications have been modified to be less intrusive, and “slimline banners” have been added for when you are actively using the watch. Apple is adding Apple Watch Mirroring, which will make it possible for people with physical or motor disabilities to control their Apple Watch from a distance.
WatchOS 9 will only be compatible with the Series 4 and later, putting the Series 3 out of commission.
iOS 16, iPadOS 16, MacOS 13 Ventura and WatchOS 9 are available from today for developers, reach us now to upgrade your iOS Apps, Smartwatch Apps and MacOS apps.
Kamal Shah
With over a decade of experience; specializing in managing, defining, controlling and troubleshooting software needs for clients in various technology and industry domains