WWDC 2019 — The Year of Apple’s Privacy Focus
And the year of iOS 13, macOS Catalina, an iPadOS and a new Mac Pro.
In the WWDC 2019 Keynote, Apple had a lot to say about what the upcoming year will look like for its users. The Keynote covered a bunch of things — the new iOS 13, the new macOS Catalina, making your iPad a replacement for your laptop, the new watchOS and the all new Mac Pro. Each of the announcements can be a read of their owns, but a dominant theme of this year’s WWDC was Apple’s Privacy-centric devices and services.
Sign-in With Apple
Before I talk about the obvious OS updates for iPhones, iPads and Macs, there is a completely new service that has been introduced — Sign in With Apple.
All too often we install an app, and instead of creating a new account to sign in, we simply sign in via Facebook or Google. Apple is introducing its own sign in API, which will appear alongside Facebook or Google or other social media accounts.
My biggest take away from this year’s WWDC would be Sign in With Apple. It’s an innovation, which only Apple could have done.
However, when you sign in with Apple no personal data will be shared with the app. The authentication will be done via FaceID or TouchID. Some apps will request an email ID, so Apple will create a randomized email distinct for each app, which will forward the emails from the app to your iCloud email. When you have nothing to do with an app, you simply have to delete the access, and the randomized email ID will be deleted.
This is huge! Whenever we login via our social media accounts, we invariably give random apps access to our private data. Apple can pat itself on the back for thinking about this.
Given Google’s reputation as a company which harvests every possible data from its services to perfect ad-targetting, Apple’s Privacy focus is the the only solid strategy to work against Android and Google services.
iOS 13
Right from the invites they sent out to the developers to the animation before the start of the event, it was clear that iOS 13 was going “dark”. I think, they made a very big deal out of the Dark Mode. Yes, it is a nice feature, and there are indeed a lot of creators who get the most work done at nights. So, it makes sense to have a dark mode support natively on your iPhone and iPad. Native apps like Mail, Messages, Safari and Calendar will get Dark Mode support. Apple Music will also have a much needed dark mode support — I don’t want to burn my retinas in bed at nights, when all I want to do is change my playlist. In the OLED displays of iDevices, the true black background will look gorgeous.
Apple has also re-designed Reminders and Messages apps. Reminders will be more intuitive (like how Google’s reminders are?) and Messages will have a memoji for unsaved numbers if the sender chooses to do so (like how WhatsApp is?). Oh — there’s a new way to type called Quick Path, in which you can slide your finger from one letter to another to type (For Android users, don’t be alarmed. You have not traveled back 8 years in time. This is still 2019 and this is the first time iOS keyboard will have this “feature”). The Camera app now has video editing capabilities. Apple Music can now show music synced lyrics, turning your phone into a karoke machine. The memojis can now be accessorised with sunglasses, makeup and jewellery (yay?)
The location service is more restricted. Users will have “Allow Once” option for the apps. For apps, which need constant location support, will notify you that they are tracking your location. If you have switched off location, apps will not be allowed to scan WiFi and Bluetooth to get your location.
An Operating system for iPads — iPadOS
iPad Pro 2019 is an insanely powerful device. It has everything a professional would need on-the-go. It is as powerful as a MacBook Pro, but there was one problem — the iOS. iOS was iPad Pro’s biggest weakness. The reasons why people still kept a laptop along with iPad Pro were numerous — lack of extensive file management, constraints on multiple windows of the same application, desktop class text editing, no support for thumb drive.
Well, Apple has forked iOS and iPads will have there very own iPadOS. iPadOS has new gestures, a new homescreen, support for thumb drive and a Safari designed to load pages suited for iPad screens. It still remains to be seen if the actual professionals chuck their laptops and go pro with the iPadOS. But with a superb pencil and better file management, there is very little you’d need your laptop for.
macOS Catalina
The next version of macOS will be called Catalina. And this is where, I should mention a death. The iTunes is finally dead. Apple has split the bloated iTunes into three apps — Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV.
With Catalina, you can use your iPad as a secondary display, which is being dubbed as SideCar. An iPad can also be used for tablet inputs, so, you can get the power of the Apple Pencil for your Mac. There will be native iPad apps for Mac, so you can enjoy the best iPad apps on your Mac. All in all, Catalina is aimed at getting the most out of your iPad and get a refined modern OS.
Apple also announced the all new Mac Pro. Mac Pro is a beast and there is a lot to say about it, so much so, that it’s best dealt with in a separate DTU post.
Apple is hitting Google at its weakness — privacy. Time and again, Tim Cook and Craig Federighi kept mentioning how being part of the Apple Ecosystem is signing up for privacy. The days are gone, when iOS can simply claim to be the best based on aesthetics and fluidity. Android 9.0 Pie on Pixel 3 is gorgeous, intuitive and zippy. But, Android 9.0 lacks the privacy centric features of iOS 13. Given Google’s reputation as a company which harvests every possible data from its services to perfect ad-targetting, Apple’s Privacy focus is the the only solid strategy to work against Android and Google services.
My biggest take away from this year’s WWDC would be Sign in With Apple. It’s an innovation, which only Apple could have done.
The new Mac Pro is also for the old hardcore Mac fans — expandable and a beast of a device with specs that are mindblowing! All these good things will be available to consumers in Fall 2019. I look forward to using the best the Apple has to offer, and from the looks of it, there’s a lot that Apple has to offer.
