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Apple WWDC Live Updates: TV Details and New Watch Features Apple WWDC Live Updates: New Watch App Store and iPhone Privacy
(32 minutes later)
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, started off the keynote by showing a trailer of “For All Mankind,” its new original TV series that involves traveling to the moon. Apple’s decision to lead the conference with this program reflects its ambition to pivot into a services business — offering you content, in addition to devices. Craig Federighi, another Apple executive overseeing software, said the new version of iOS 13 would highlight speed. Unlocking the iPhone with its face scanner will now be 30-percent faster, for example. App launching is up to two times faster. The new software system will also clear out data storage, which will increase speeds, too: App downloads will be 50-percent smaller and updates will be 60 percent smaller.
All of this addresses consumer complaints that iPhone software seems to slow down with every new software update — a conspiracy theory known as planned obsolescence. But the changes are also designed to increase customer satisfaction, an important metric for Apple to retain customer loyalty.
Apple said it invested a significant amount — flying and driving all around the United States — to improve its Maps app. The maps will now include an option to view photo previews of the street, similar to Google’s Street View project.
Apple’s maps effort has been a long game of catch up to Google. In 2012, when Apple updated its maps app, replacing Google’s mapping data with its own, the release sparked consumer outrage. Its mapping data was sparse, getting many people lost. Mr. Cook eventually issued an apology for the hiccup, and Scott Forstall, a former executive overseeing Apple software, resigned amid the incident.
Apple introduced a new version of WatchOS, the software system powering its Apple Watch. Kevin Lynch, the Apple executive who oversees the watch software, said more Apple apps were coming to the watch, like audiobooks, voice memos and a calculator. In addition, the watch includes its own App Store, and third-party apps can now run independently. They no longer require a companion app loaded on an iPhone.
This move is a big step toward making the Apple Watch independent from the iPhone. What that means for consumers is that at some point in the future, they may be able to buy an Apple Watch without having to purchase an iPhone. In other words, Android smartphone users may one day be able to use an Apple Watch.
Mr. Cook has said “Apple’s largest contribution to mankind” will be improving people’s health. Given the iPhone’s enormous impact on society, that’s quite a claim. On Monday, Apple announced several more health initiatives.
The company unveiled a new feature that helps women track their menstrual cycles, similar to services now offered by third-party apps. Apple’s feature, called Cycle Tracking, allows women to log key aspects of their menstrual cycles and returns predictions on the timing of their periods and fertility windows.
Apple also announced an app for the Apple Watch called Noise, which notifies people when they are in a noisy environment that could be harmful to their hearing.
On the Apple Watch, a feature will show the user’s activity over the past 90 days compared with the past year, highlighting whether they are trending up or down. The new iPhone software will have similar health-tracking features.
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, started off the keynote by showing a trailer of “For All Mankind,” its new original TV series that involves traveling to the moon. Apple’s decision to lead the conference with this program reflects its ambition to pivot into a services business — offering you content, in addition to devices.
At the same time, Mr. Cook said Apple TV’s new operating system would support multiple users, which will allow different family members to browse programs based on their preferences. That’s similar to how Netflix has profiles for different family members.At the same time, Mr. Cook said Apple TV’s new operating system would support multiple users, which will allow different family members to browse programs based on their preferences. That’s similar to how Netflix has profiles for different family members.
At Apple’s annual software developers conference, the company will introduce upgrades for its operating systems powering the iPhone, Apple Watch and Mac. That will change your experience using the devices.
Chief among the changes we expect: The new operating system for Apple Watch will most likely give the watch access to the App Store; it previously relied on the iPhone to download apps. This is noteworthy because it illustrates how the Apple Watch is becoming more independent from the iPhone — perhaps the watch will not require an iPhone to fully function in the future.
For the iPhone’s operating system, expect a speed increase for current and past models. That should come as good news for people with iPhones that are starting to feel long in the tooth, like the iPhone 7 from 2016.
The Mac operating system, on the other hand, has not had major enhancements in the last few years and you can expect the same this year. Apple plans to give an update on how software developers will be able to rewrite iOS apps to also work with Macs, which was an effort that Apple announced at last year’s conference.
Apple hosts this year’s conference under growing scrutiny over how its business practices affect competition and its products affect society. Look for how that might factor into its announcements.
For one, there has been plenty of debate about how smartphones may change our attention spans, relationships and physical and mental health. At last year’s event, Apple addressed some of that with new tools that help people limit the amount of time they and their children spend on iPhones. On Monday, Apple may unveil new features to those tools.
The company might also look to ease any tensions with developers. Apple faces several investigations in Europe over how it may be abusing its control of the App Store to harm competition from other app makers.
Since Apple announced its own screen-time tracker at last year’s event, it has removed or restricted more than two dozen apps that offered similar services on iPhones. Apple said it took the action because the apps could invade people’s privacy. Last week, 17 of those app makers proposed a technology Apple could adopt that would allow the apps to compete while resolving Apple’s privacy concerns. Those developers will be watching closely to see if Apple mentions their plight.