WWDC2020: The Keynote Highlights
During this lockdown, pretty much everyone’s lives have been boring and dull with following the same routine every day and having nothing to do. But, there was one thing which made all developer’s life like a dream come true. Yes, it was the Apple WWDC2020.
The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference is a conference held annually by Apple in San Jose, California. Apple uses the event to showcase its new software and technologies for software developers. Attendees can participate in hands-on labs with Apple engineers and attend in-depth sessions covering a wide variety of topics.
This time due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the WWDC2020 was held online from June 22 to June 26 and was free for everyone.
This event allowed millions of developers to get access to different versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS as well as interaction with Apple engineers through various live sessions and appointments.
Apple launched the first look at iOS 14, which brought a fresh look to the things you do most often making them more accessible than ever. The latest update coming to iPhones in the future featured a redesigned Home Screen. The most notable change came in the form of Smart Widgets. Apple is debuting the new widgets in different shapes and sizes; the idea was to have a data-rich look. Another feature was added called the App Library, which automatically organises the apps based on their categories. The picture-in-picture mode is also available for videos, allowing you to resize and move the video where the window will float on your home screen. This feature will enable you to minimise the video if you need to use the whole screen for a moment. Another great feature is a compact call which in all-new-compact design doesn’t take up the full screen. Also, now you can pin up to nine of your most important conversation to the top of your conversation list, so you can easily access them along with the new age options and face-covering Memoji styles and stickers. And there’s more, Siri which is now visible along the bottom of the screen has 20 times more facts than just three years ago.
Many more cool features like offline Translations, privacy reports, Smart Car keys and CarPlay, new magical AirPods listening experience, a Smart Stack were also featured.
Another colossal release was the macOS “Big Sur” with the most significant design updates in the last decade. The renovated look is quite fresh and elegant yet familiar. The macOS “Big Sur” includes the most significant safari update and powerful enhancements. Safari is furnished with latest features, including a customisable start page, elegantly designed tabs and a new Privacy report. The updated Messages app allows to send and receive more personal and expressive messages and easily keep track of them. Maps also offer an all-new experience with impressive features for navigating the world.
Apple delivered a spacious new design that makes navigation easier and puts more controls at users fingertips. The dock gets a new look in which the icons have been thoughtfully designed for more efficient use. Buttons and controls appear when they are required and disappear when they’re not. The entire experience feels fresh, which is entirely focused on the users’ satisfaction. The customisable menu bar features an all-new control centre to deliver quick access to the controls from the desktop.
A few more changes were made to iPadOS which, similar to iOS14, gives a compact design for incoming FaceTime and phone calls, Siri interactions, and Search, helping users stay focused and get more done at the moment. Apple scribble, another super feature which lets you write in text fields instead of typing. Many improvements to Apple Pencil were made, which aimed at making the writing smoother. The iPadOS 14 also got the latest version of ARKit and a new API to help with augmented reality apps. The sidebar, which lets people switch between the sections quickly was also introduced.
WatchOS 7, which is the worlds most advanced smartwatch, added significant features for health and fitness. Some additional updates were made to the watchOS like cycling directions for easier navigation to the most direct and convenient path. Siri, now, can translate many languages easily from the wrist. WatchOS 7 made the watch faces infinitely customisable and personalised to the users liking.
Apple also released the tvOS 14, which is full of new updates. Apple introduced the ability to have multiple user accounts on tvOS in 2019, but users could not have their app store or game centre logins. Now, when you change user accounts, Apple Arcade will update to show the latest games played. tvOS 14 also has the picture-in-picture mode, which lets you run a video within different apps. Other features like Airplay 4K video from your iPhone, Audio Sharing, Aerial Screensavers and many more were introduced.
After this huge announcement, we certainly expect a lot of exciting and bang on updates and launches from Apple in the years to come. I’m sure every Apple user like me is eagerly waiting to see these updates in their devices be it iPhones, MacBooks or iPads!
Greetings. I am Nandini Aggarwal, a learner of iOS development and a member of Apple Developers Group. I am a B-Tech student of Computer Science here at Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore.
Thank you for reading!
