WWDC Keynote 2022: the latest in Apple iOS and macOS

Apple is starting off day one of WWDC with its regular keynote speech today. Here are some of the announcements made at the event.

MacBook Air

The new MacBook Air is completely redesigned around the M2 chip. It has a more squared off design, less wedge shape.

The laptop has two thunderbolt ports, a headphone jack that supports high-impedance headphones, a camera notch and a “liquid retina display,”.

The screen is a 13.6-inch display with 500 nits of brightness and up to 1 billion colors.

Apple promises the new camera is 1080p with 2x low light performance of the outgoing MacBook Air. It also has new mics and speakers, with beamforming mics and Atmos support.

The Air has a new power adapter with two USB-C ports, supports fast charge to get to 80 percent in 20 minutes.

The new MacBook Air starts at $1,199, MacBook Pro is $1,399 while the MacBook Air with M1 is $999.

MacOS Ventura

The new macOS Ventura operating system contains a new Stage Manager organization tool as well as Spotlight enhancements.

When you activate the utility from the Control Center, it will automatically organize your open apps on the side of your screen while centering the one you’re working on. Users can also swiftly import icons by dragging them from the desktop to the sidelined app icons.

Spotlight has also been updated: it can now discover photographs in your photo library, find text inside images, and call up Shortcuts. Spotlight is also now available at the bottom of the iOS homescreen.

Updates coming in iOS 16

iOS 16 is Apple’s latest operating system upgrade. After beta testing, it will be released later this year. iOS 16 introduces more customizing choices as well as an upgraded lock screen with widgets.

Apple’s iOS 16 changes center on the lock screen, beginning with the option to modify the fonts and colors used. It will be possible to add widgets and build several lock screens that can be accessed by swiping across the screen. Apple’s wallpapers have also been updated, with animated and Pride-themed options.

Notifications look different on the lock screen as well. Rather than building up across the screen, they “roll in” from the bottom. A “live activities” function is also available to display notifications related with an event.

Messages also got an edit button. You can edit out typos on your sent messages too and can now undo send to immediately unsend a message.

SharePlay apps is now listed right in FaceTime, so you can see all the apps you can share. There’s a SharePlay button in Messages, so you can text while watching things together.

Apple Wallet

Millions of merchants can do tap-to-pay on an iPhone with no new hardware, just an iPhone. There is a long list of supported apps.

Apple is also launching a new feature for Apple Pay to let you pay for purchases in four installments over time without interest, called Apple Pay Later. It’s Apple’s take on a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service, built right into Apple Pay and coming with iOS 16.

Privacy

iOS 16 will have a new feature called Safety Check. The new tool is intended to help people who are in violent situations.

Safety Check can assist users in managing app access and passwords, as well as informing them of who has access to their passwords and information. It will make it easier for people in abusive situations to terminate links with an abusive partner across devices. They can accomplish this by assessing and revoking access for specific individuals.

watchOS 9

Apple has announced watchOS 9, the latest version of its wearable software. In addition to the standard improvements such as new watch faces and fitness functions. The new platform will be available to developers first.

Watch faces will also be “refreshed” with watchOS 9. There is a new astronomy face, a lunar face, and a new typeface screen. It also includes additional rich complications, and active apps may be pinned for easy access. There’s also a new Siri user interface.

It’s also introducing new running measures including running form, stride length, and ground contact time. It’s also introducing heart rate zones, which is great if you prefer to exercise by intensity.

Home App

The new Home app has been completely revamped, beginning with the core architecture, which Apple claims makes it more efficient and dependable, particularly for households with several gadgets.

The app’s navigation has been revamped, with Rooms and Favorites now integrated into the main tab. There are new climate, lighting, and security categories, and when you tap on one, you see all the accessories sorted by room.

A new multi-camera view will display four cameras at once, with additional cameras becoming available as you swipe. Tiles are also redesigned to employ shape and color to communicate each device’s status.

There are also new lock screen widgets to help you quickly access your accessories.

Continuity Camera

Apple intends to make it possible for macOS users to use their iPhone camera as a webcam. The new Continuity Camera functionality will be included in macOS Ventura, a next macOS release. Apple anticipates MacBook customers attaching an iPhone to the top of their laptops and using the camera to improve video chats in FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, and other applications.

Continuity Camera simply converts the rear camera feed from your current iPhone into a webcam that can be used in macOS apps. Center Stage and Portrait Mode support is included in Continuity Camera, so there are plenty of video settings for a range of conversations.