THE recent Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2018 (WWDC18) in San Jose, US revealed how the Cuppetino-based technology company is making devices like iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch more useful through creative innovations of operating system, apps, artificial intelligence and augmented reality.
Opening the keynote address to 6,000 people, most of whom were iOS app developers and international media, Apple CEO Tim Cook talked about how the App Store is driving the life of users worldwide with 500 million visitors per week, 20 million developers worldwide with US$100 billion (RM399.5 billion) worth of apps, making it the largest online marketplace in the world.
While apps are driving users everywhere and Apple is making them more interesting, this year’s WWDC also saw Apple’s vision of people having a balanced life, without being carried away with their devices.
At the event, Cook introduced the next big iOS upgrade from Apple, the iOS 12, which is expected to deliver a new user experience with focus on augmented reality (AR), improved Siri, better communications and user interface.
iOS 12
Apple senior vice-president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, who explained each of the upgrades, said the iOS 12, which is expected to be available by the third quarter of this year, is designed to make everyday tasks faster and more responsive.
iOS 12 changes the way iOS users see the world using AR, makes communications fun and expressive with Memoji and Group FaceTime, and with Screen Time, helps customers understand and take control of the time they spend interacting with iOS devices.
iOS 12 introduces Siri Shortcuts, enabling Siri to work with any app, delivering a much faster way to get things done.
“We’re very excited about the new communications features we’re bringing to iPhone and iPad with Memoji, a more personal form of Animoji, fun camera effects and Group FaceTime,” he said.
With iOS 12, Apple is enabling new experiences that weren’t possible before.
“We’re using advanced algorithms to make AR even more engaging and on-device intelligence to deliver faster ways to get things done using Siri,” said Federighi.
FASTER OS
iOS 12 is designed to make everyday tasks on iPhone and iPad faster and more responsive with performance improvements across the system.
The new OS will enable camera launches up to 70 per cent faster, while the keyboard appears up to 50 per cent faster and typing is more responsive.
Apple said even when there is a lot going on across the system, apps can launch up to twice as fast.
What’s interesting is that the new iOS 12 can be used from iPhone 5s onwards.
“From iPhone 5s introduced in 2013 to the most advanced iPhone, iPhone X, iOS 12 brings performance improvements to more devices than any previous version,” said Federighi.
SHARED AR EXPERIENCES
At WWDC18, Apple announced ARKit 2 which enables developers to create the most innovative AR apps for the world’s largest AR platform, with new tools to integrate shared experiences, persistent AR experiences tied to a specific location, object detection and image tracking, making AR apps even more dynamic.
Designed in collaboration with Pixar, a new open file format called usdz makes it easy to experience AR nearly anywhere in iOS, including apps like Messages, Safari, Mail, Files and News, delivering better graphics and animation features.
On stage to demo the new AR capability was Lego, where the company showed Lego AR City, which uses ARKit 2 features including shared experiences, persistent AR and 3D object detection.
Lego builders now have the chance to physically make something only limited by their imagination. The new AR experience supplements physical Lego kits with virtual buildings, people and vehicles.
MEMOJI AND FUN CAMERA EFFECTS
To enhance user experience, Apple introduced a new emoji called Memoji.
Memoji is a personalised emoji characters that are customisable and fun.
Users can create beautifully designed Memoji right within Messages by choosing from a set of inclusive and diverse characteristics to form a unique personality.
The existing set of Animoji also expands with ghost, koala, tiger and T. rex, and all Animoji and Memoji now feature winks and tongue detection to capture even more expressions.
Meanwhile, the new camera effects bring Animoji, Filters, Text and Stickers to Messages and FaceTime.
The filters, which include comic book and watercolour, add personality to photos and videos, new labels and shapes, let users add captions and titles to highlight parts of an image. Stickers can be placed using iMessage sticker packs.
BETTER GROUP COMMUNICATIONS
Apple showed how the new Group FaceTime works at the WWDC18, and it opened up to a new level of live group video chats.
The increased productivity will be able to bring people together for discussion or casual chats more effectively, without having to travel and meet at a specific venue.
Apple is not talking about video conversations between three and five people, but up to 32 people can talk live via the video call at one session.
The Group FaceTime will be supported across iOS and macOS. When multiple people are on a call, their video windows will get larger when they’re speaking and shrink when they’re not.
During the conversation if you find your face a bit boring and want to add excitement, you can replace it with Animoji and the new Memoji characters that you created.
WALKIE-TALKIE MADE EASY
Besides Group FaceTime, Apple showcased its version of walkie-talkie, which turns the Apple Watch into a walkie talkie, when its WatchOS 5 is launched this third quarter.
During the demo, Apple showed how it works on the Apple Watch.
First-time users send request to their friends who can then accept or decline the Walkie-Talkie session.
Once accepted, they only need to tap and hold the watch screen and start talking by bringing the watch close to the mouth, just like you do when using a walkie-talkie.
This watch-to-watch connection works over WiFi and cellular connectivity, available in Apple Watch.
MORE CONTROL BY USERS
The new features to take control of the time spent interacting with iOS devices, which will available later this month as part of the iOS 12 public beta, include Activity Reports, App Limits and Do Not Disturb and Notifications controls designed to help people reduce interruptions and manage screen time.
“In iOS 12, we’re offering our users detailed information and tools to help them better understand and control the time they spend with apps and websites, how often they pick up their iPhone or iPad during the day and how they receive notifications,” said Federighi.
iOS 12 also brings enhancements to Do Not Disturb to help people focus during times like studies as well as during a class, meeting or dinner. There is also a new Do Not Disturb during Bedtime mode to help people get a better night’s sleep by dimming the display and hiding all notifications on the lock screen until prompted in the morning.
iOS 12 gives customers more options for controlling how notifications are delivered. Instantly manage notifications to be turned off completely or delivered directly to Notification Center.
Siri can also intelligently make suggestions for notifications settings, such as quietly deliver or turn alerts off, based on which alerts are acted upon. iOS 12 introduces Grouped Notifications, making it easier to view and manage multiple notifications at once.
SCREEN TIME
Empowering customers with insight into how they are spending time with apps and websites, Screen Time creates detailed daily and weekly Activity Reports that show the total time spent on each app, their usage across categories of apps, how many notifications they receive and
how often they pick up their iPhone or iPad.
The App Limits feature allows the setting of a specific amount of time to be on an app, and a notification will display when the time limit is about to expire.
Screen Time is great for everyone to better understand and manage their device usage, but can be especially helpful for kids and families. Parents can access their child’s Activity Report from their own iOS devices to track where their children spend their time and can manage and set App Limits for them.
WATCHOS 5 and MACOS
The update for watchOS 5 includes a host of features including Activity Sharing competitions, auto-workout detection, advanced running features, Walkie-Talkie, Apple Podcasts and third-party apps on the Siri watch face, while the new macOS will come with powerful new features for a wide range of Mac users.
Among its new features is a Dark Mode that transforms the desktop and Mac apps with a dramatic new look that puts the focus on user content.
Familiar iOS apps including News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home are now available on the Mac for the first time.
Apple also showed a Mac App Store with a new look and rich editorial content that makes it easier to find great Mac apps.
TVOS 12
Lastly, Apple TV took the cinematic experience of Apple TV 4K to the next level. The Apple TV now adds support for Dolby Atmos audio. Apple TV 4K will be the only streaming player which is Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos certified.