Unveiling the Future: Apple WWDC 2024 Highlights
Revolutionary Updates Across VisionOS, iOS, macOS, and More
Welcome back to another edition of Mitten Dad Minute, your go-to source for all things parenting, productivity, and technology.
One of my favorite times in the technology world is the keynote for Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference every early June to see what they have up their sleeve, and this year’s brought forth a slew of announcements.
Below are some of the shorthand notes I took for different forthcoming features in case you happened to miss anything:
VisionOS 2: A New Dimension in Visual Experience
Photos: Introducing Spatial Photos and SharePlay in the Photos app, transforming how we capture and share memories.
Mac Virtual Display: Enhanced display resolution and size, now equivalent to two 4K monitors, bringing your Mac experience to a new level.
Travel Mode: Train support makes travel more immersive and productive.
Spatial Video: Dive into videos with spatial awareness for a richer viewing experience.
Apple Vision Pro: Expanding internationally this summer, bringing cutting-edge technology to more users worldwide.
iOS 18: Revolutionizing Your iPhone Experience
Home Screen: Customize like never before. Rearrange icons to map your photos, switch to dark mode, and tint icons to complement your wallpaper.
Control Center: Swipe up for new control sets like home and media. Continuous swipe access, adjustable control sizes, and a new controls gallery.
Privacy Enhancements: Lock and hide apps, control app contact access, and a new way to pair Bluetooth accessories.
Messages: Unlimited emoji Tapbacks, scheduled messages, text effects, and satellite messaging on iPhone 14 and later.
Mail: On-device categorization for primary, shopping, updates, and promotions. New digest view for business emails.
Maps: Topographic maps with hiking routes.
Wallet: Tap to cash, updated Apple Pay Online, and event tickets with detailed information.
Journal: Log state of mind, goals, insights, and streaks with advanced search capabilities.
Gaming: Game Mode on iPhone minimizes background activity.
Photos: Redesigned Photos app with a top photo grid, themed organization, and a surprise carousel of memories.
Audio and Home: Enhancing Your Listening Experience
AirPods Pro: Nod or shake your head to interact. Voice isolation eliminates background noise and personalized spatial audio now includes gaming.
Apple TV+: Swipe to see who’s on screen or get soundtrack details. Enhanced dialogue for clearer actor voices and more convenient subtitles. New Snoopy and Woodstock screensaver.
WatchOS 11: Elevating Your Fitness and Health
Training Mode: Measure workout intensity and duration to estimate effort rating and training load.
Adjustable Goals: Customize goals by the day of the week and pause your rings.
Vitals App: View metrics in relation to your typical range, with highlights for out-of-range values.
Widgets and Check-Ins: Widgets appear when needed, and Check-In feature for safety during nighttime walks.
New Watch Face: A fresh photos face to personalize your watch.
iPadOS 18: Productivity and Personalization
Home Screen: New ways to personalize.
Floating Tab Bar: Easier navigation within apps.
SharePlay: Tap and draw on the screen, remote help on iPads.
Freeform: New scenes format.
Calculator: Finally on iPad, with history and unit conversions.
Math Notes: Handwritten results calculated, supports variables, and creates graphs.
Smart Script: Refine handwriting, paste text in your style, and scratch out to erase.
macOS Sequoia: Seamless Integration and Advanced Features
Continuity: iPhone mirroring on Mac, with integrated notifications and audio.
Windows Management: Drag to resize and suggest new tile sizes. Presenter preview for video calls.
Keychain: New Passwords app, sync across devices.
Safari: Highlights feature, new Reader mode, and Viewer mode for videos.
Gaming: Easier porting of Mac games to iPad and iPhone.
Apple Intelligence: Smarter, More Personal Experience
Language: Prioritize notifications, rewrite, proofread, and summarize with new tools.
Images: Create original images, personalize, and use in various apps.
Action: Pull up files, show photos, and create folders with ease.
Personal Context: On-device processing for privacy, private cloud compute for flexible capacity.
Siri: Speak naturally, understand conversations, and take in-app actions.
Mail: Rewrite, proofread, smart replies, and generate summaries.
Notifications: Priority notifications and summaries.
Messages: Genmoji creation.
Image Playground: Create new images in seconds.
Notes: Transform sketches into polished images, record, and transcribe audio.
Photos: Cleanup tool for background objects, natural language search, and memory movie creation.
ChatGPT Integration: Built into Siri for enhanced assistance.
Developer Tools: Generative intelligence in Swift and XCode.
Final Thoughts
Public betas will be available next month, so get ready to explore and enjoy these fantastic new features. Apple's continuous innovation ensures a more connected, personalized, and efficient experience across all devices.
What are some of the features you’re looking forward to?