Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote has concluded, and the company had a lot to share. We got our first look at the AI capabilities of Apple devices and some significant updates to the company’s operating systems.
If you missed the live stream of the keynote, here are the key takeaways from the event:
01. AI System Coming to Apple Ecosystem
With almost every major tech company jumping on the artificial intelligence bandwagon, it’s no surprise that Apple is launching its own AI system. Apple Intelligence is the company’s latest personal intelligence system, bringing powerful generative models to the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, offering a host of new features for Apple’s native applications, such as the ability to generate images or summarize text.
Apple Intelligence prioritizes security, automatically deciding whether to use the device’s processing power or contact Apple’s private cloud computing servers to fulfill user requests. The system will be available for free on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad, and Mac devices equipped with M1 chips or higher.
02. Siri Gets AI Boost
Apple’s push into artificial intelligence also includes upgrades to Siri. The revamped voice assistant is now more deeply integrated into the iPhone, displaying as a pulsing light at the device’s edge. It gives users more control over applications, allowing them to request Siri to find information in specific emails or display photos of friends.
Apple is leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) to help Siri better understand user input and track subsequent requests and questions.
03. Siri Integrated with ChatGPT
Siri’s AI upgrade also includes integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot. Through this new integration, Siri will automatically determine if a query is better suited for ChatGPT. It seeks user consent before sending requests to ChatGPT, allowing users to use ChatGPT for free via Siri without the need to register an account.
04. New AI Features in Mail, Messages, Photos, and More
Apple is introducing a range of new AI features in applications within iOS 18, including methods for summarizing emails and generating replies. The company showcased the new Genmoji feature, allowing users to create custom emojis based on text prompts, and demonstrated the new AI image generator called Image Playground.
Apple is also bringing AI to the Photos app, enabling users to search photos using natural language and remove objects from the background, similar to Google’s Magic Eraser. Additionally, Apple is adding AI-supported transcription and summarization features to the Notes and Phone applications.
05. iPhone Becomes More “Customizable” in iOS 18
In addition to all the AI advancements, Apple is introducing a new, more customizable Control Center in iOS 18, including a method for freely placing application icons on the home screen. In the upcoming update, Apple will also allow users to lock certain applications, preventing others from accessing them when the phone is handed over.
Other major changes include a redesigned Photos app and a new iPhone gaming mode that minimizes background activity to optimize the gaming experience.
06. iPhone Finally Supports RCS in iOS 18
After announcing support for RCS last year, Apple has confirmed that it will arrive with iOS 18. However, no other details were revealed.
iMessage will also receive other upgrades, including scheduling text messages and support for sending messages via satellite. Apple will introduce colorful Tapback options and allow users to format text with bold, underline, and italic styles.
07. Apple TV Plus Adds “inSights” Feature
Apple TV Plus is adding a new feature that allows users to swipe down on the remote control to display actors and their roles in the movie or TV show being watched. Users can also find the currently playing song and add it to their Apple Music playlist. Apple TV Plus will automatically display subtitles when the program is muted and support 21:9 projectors.
08. Recording User Login Information
As rumored last week, Apple has released a new password app that allows users to track login information across different devices. The app enables users to generate and store passwords, similar to other password managers like LastPass and 1Password, and will be available on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS, and even Windows.
09. iPadOS 18 Adds Calculator App with Apple Pencil Support
More than ten years after the iPad’s release, it finally has a calculator app. The app comes with a new feature called “Math Notes,” allowing users to write equations on the iPad with the Apple Pencil and have the app solve them for them. Apple will also introduce Smart Handwriting, using machine learning to improve the appearance of handwriting and perform spell checks on notes.
10. macOS 15 to Allow Users to “Mirror iPhone”
The next update to Apple’s macOS will allow users to mirror their iPhone on the Mac. Users can interact directly with the iPhone on the Mac, view notifications, and hear audio playing on the mobile device. Safari will introduce a new “Highlights” feature that uses machine learning to highlight interesting parts of a page.
11. Automatic Widgets in watchOS 11
watchOS 11 will introduce a host of new features, including the ability to automatically add widgets based on user needs. Apple will launch a new Vitals app that allows users to “glance and know their most important health metrics,” as well as introduce new period tracking features, real-time activities, and support for “check-ins” to track people nearby during workouts.
12. visionOS 2 Adds Spatial Photos and Ultra-Wide Mac Displays
Apple has released visionOS 2, the first major update to its operating system. One of Vision Pro’s new features is using machine learning to add depth to existing photos. This update will also introduce support for ultra-wide virtual Mac displays, more intuitive gestures, and support for train travel mode.
Apple plans to bring Vision Pro to more countries, including China, Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, and the UK.
13. Next AirPods Pro Update Allows Users to silently Respond to Siri
The next software update for AirPods Pro will introduce a Siri interaction feature that allows users to nod “yes” or “no” to respond to Siri broadcasts silently. AirPods Pro will also support voice isolation to improve voice quality and reduce background noise.
