2023 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference Recap

Today marked the beginning of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and they kicked it off with some exciting announcements as well as thrilling and innovative, new technology. But you will have to keep reading to find out what that entails. 

MacBook Air 

The new 15-inch MacBook Air features a thin and light design but is equally solid and durable for users. It is only 11.5 mm thin and weighs just over three pounds. With its 15.3-inch screen, you can now see even more content in the rich and vibrant display. Its six speakers deliver immersive, spatial audio and offer 18 hours of battery life. With its silent design, you can experience a faster, more dynamic, and seamless use with the newly improved MacBook Air. You can order today, and it will be available next week. 

Pro Products 

With Mac Studio, there is a new update featuring M2 Ultra, which doubles the performance and can support 19GB of memory. The M2 Ultra is the largest and most compatible chip for a personal computer, and every MacBook will feature this new level of capability. It is also available to order today and will be available next week.

Software  

Updates are coming to three of Apple’s most used apps, Phone, Facetime and Messages. 

Phone: You now have a brand-new way to customize your contacts. With Customized Contact Photos, users can create a visual identity as part of the display when receiving a phone call. You will be able to customize the image, font and colour, for a completely personalized experience for incoming calls.

How many times does your phone ring, and you are either busy or simply do not feel like answering? With Live Voicemail, you will now be able to see the voice mail left from someone as a transcription on your display screen. This will allow you to know if the message is important, or if it can wait until you have a moment to return the call.

Facetime: After much feedback from users, you will now be able to leave a message when your facetime call is not answered. Simply record yourself and the recipient can review your message when they are available.  

Messenger: The search filters will allow users to narrow results among messages, you will be able to jump to the most recent message (saving you plenty of time scrolling!), swipe to reply, and your location can now be present in messages. With that, a new Check In feature will enable you to update your friends and family when you have arrived somewhere. Share your route, and if delays are experienced, reassure those you love most that you are safe.  

Stickers will also be available along with all emojis. You will be able to move stickers around to use as a reply to a message, create your own stickers and albums from your personal photos as well as use videos to create animated stickers that you can use to add to further personalize your messages. 

AirDrop: Sharing information is even easier! Want to exchange phone numbers? Rather than dictating or inputting the information into your phone, you can simply bring your phones together, and share. You can also do this to share music or watch live-streams together.  

Keyboard: Apple continues to advance autocorrect, allowing it to be more accurate and ensure that predictive text is easier and more seamless for users. Better understanding of the words and phrases you use most frequently will help dictation and predictive text to serve you better.

New Experiences  

Apple is excited to introduce Journal, which will be coming later this year. Journal will make it easier to remember special moments, keep track of memories, and relay how you felt during precious moments captured in your phone. With writing prompts, scheduled notifications, and providing opportunities to reflect and inspire, you will be able to capture your memories in a new, and memorable way.  

Standby is another new feature, where you can enjoy your phone even when you are not using it. Turn your phone on its side, and you can personalize for a full screen experience that is always visible. Embrace the widgets, where you can choose to see the weather, home controls, upcoming appointments, scores of games, and Siri all from your display screen. It adapts to light, so it can create a calming ambience in your bedroom but still display the information you may need.

iPad 17 

Making connectivity seamless, your widgets and lock screen will be interactive and allow for quick interactions, making your iPad an even more powerful experience. Personalize your lock screen where live photos create a slow-motion effect when you wake up your device. You can also choose to see live activities from food orders to scores of games at the tip of your fingers.

MacOS Sonoma 

An elevated experience, macOS Sonoma allows for a more customized experience. Widgets will be available on desktop, and you can view them on your phone, from your Mac. With Game Mode, games are prioritized, enabling a smoother and more immersive experience.  

Apple also announced the Mac port of a game called “Death Stranding,” which will be available soon.

Video conferencing allows for presenter overlay, where you will get amazing quality, and can add a reaction to a presentation in real time.  

Using Safari, you can use passkeys which enables users to share passwords with people they trust, easily. You can also create a web app for any website, creating a shortcut to those that you visit frequently.

AppleTV 

Apple announced that Facetime will be coming to the big screen! Now you will be able to catch up with loved ones on a large screen, and share experiences seamlessly. From visiting to watching a movie, this can all be done virtually. 

Apple Watch  

Using Smart Stack, you will be able to view widgets more easily. There will also be the addition of a Mental Health app. Here you can reflect on your state of mind in the “Mindfulness” app where you can identify your feelings and what has triggered those feelings. You can also take questionnaires that will help determine your mental state, enabling you to know if you require additional support or resources.  

And, Derrick will be thrilled that Snoopy and Woodstock are also coming to Apple Watch! 

Now time for the big announcement…. 

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Apple is introducing a new platform: Apple Vision Pro 

Apple Vision Pro has been long anticipated and will enable users to fully immerse themselves in the digital experience. Controlled only by voice, hands, and eyes, Vison Pro allows for a seamless and natural experience, blending the digital world with the world around us. It truly is a new dimension to personal technology. 

Featuring a three-dimensional interface, experiences can fill the space around you, and you can fully immerse yourself in different environments. Since Vision Pro is used without any controllers, it is just you and your content. When someone enters the room, your eyes will appear to the individual, and you can fully view them as well. From work to home, Vison Pro allow you to interact digitally in ways you never imagined possible.

Apples’ first 3D camera, with spatial capability, you can relive moments and experience content like never before. Vision Pro enables you to capture spatial photos and videos, turn any room into your private theater (including an airplane), collaborate and work from anywhere, and game with incredible audio and graphics.  

Its lightweight design, soft textiles for comfort, and ability to curve around your face, make for a comfortable experience. Vision Pro also offers optical inserts to help accommodate those with vision issues. With over 23million pixels, you can expect smooth, continuous images and audio that fills your entire space.

With Disney celebrating its 100th Anniversary, you can now not only watch your favourite movies, but also feel like you are a part of them. Experience a world where your imaginary friends are not quite as imaginary anymore. Partnering with Apple, Disney is excited to bring real-life magic into our homes.  

Vison Pro starts at $3,499 and will be available early next year. 

So, there you have it, Digital Friends. What are you most excited about seeing from Apple in the coming months? We have to say, Vision Pro looks outstanding, and we are wondering just how we can get our hot little hands on one to try!