WWDC 2024: Apple Intelligence, Genmoji, Math Notes & more
Check out the most important highlights of WWDC 2024. From VisionOS2 to Apple Intelligence, see the keynote's top announcements.
Welcome to our coverage of Apple’s highly anticipated WWDC keynote 2024. Today, the tech giant unveiled its annual updates to Apple’s tech platform, including iPadOS, macOS, WatchOS, iOS, and others.
But Apple also had some new software and features to roll out. Most notably, the Vision Pro Headset was announced, and so were new AI integrations on software throughout the Apple ecosystem.
Whether you’re an Apple devotee, an interested developer, or just someone who likes to stay on top of tech news, check out my synopsis of the best of WWDC 2024 below.
New Apple TV+ originals
Apple started the event by giving a shoutout to new content on Apple TV+. There will a wide range of new originals to look forward to, including Dark Matter, Presumed Innocent, Fly Me to the Moon, Silo Season 2, and many others.
This year, Apple is betting on high-quality content that includes performances from A-list stars like Brad Pitt and George Clooney. There’s a lot of binging to look forward to!
VisionOS2
VisionOS2, the operating system for Apple Vision Pro, was officially announced. It’s set to enhance your experience on Apple Vision Pro. Specifically, it makes creating new spatial content easier and uses gestures for navigation, as well as a host of other useful features for developers.
With 2000+ Vision Pro apps and 1.5 million compatible iPhone and iPad apps, there will be so much you can do with the Apple Vision Pro, including creating new app experiences and making better use of spatial computing.
In particular, the spatial photos allow clarity and depth. All it takes is a button tap to get a left—and right-eye view. With the Share Plus feature, you can experience a panorama with people you love.
What’s more, the new hand gesture features allow you to control the Apple Vision Pro using your hands, eyes, and voice, making it easier and faster to use.
The productivity tools include a Mac Virtual Display that will include a larger size and higher resolution. The result is an ultra-wide display that’s equal to 2 4K monitors lined up next to eachother.
VisionOS2 will arrive in over 8 countries by June 28.
iOS 18
Another big release was iOS 18. Announced by software Vice President Craig Federighi, the 2024 operating system will get many new improvements. Like every tech release this year, there will be a focus on AI and generative AI. Here are some of the most notable features of iOS18:
Control Center
The new Control Center allows users to swipe for a new group of controls, allowing more customization and organization. Of course, there’s a Controls API for developers to make the experience even better.
An action button can invoke the new buttons in the Control Center for quick use. Another helpful feature is Lock an App. It enhances your security app wise. There’s also a Hide an App feature to prevent other from seeing certain app–like possibly your Tinder account. You can set it to allow which contacts an app can see.
Messages
The iOS 18 Messages App will be more expressive. For instance, the Tapbacks have been redesigned and will have emoji support.
Additionally, you can write and schedule messages to send later. This is super convenient if you write messages early in the morning but want to send them later so as not to disturb your recipient.
Mail, Maps, Wallets
Mail will boast on-device categorization, helping you stay updated with your accounts. Plus, transactions, updates, and promotions will all be sorted.
When you access maps, you’ll notice topographic maps, including hiking trails that you can even access offline.
Wallets will also get useful updates. Tap to Cash is a quick and private way to exchange Apple Cash without sharing personal information.
Gaming
A game mode is coming to the iPhone. It will minimize background activity for better performance and lower latency.
Photos
The Photos app is getting a major upgrade—the biggest ever. Luckily, it’s been improved to handle our massive libraries, helping us sort by faces. There will also be the ability to pin collections to the top for faster access.
Audio and Home
Expect a lot of improvements on the horizon for Apple Audio and Home. I love the new interaction with Siri on Airpods. All you have to do is nod your head yes or shake your head no to answer a call.
Staying in touch with friends and colleagues is about to get easier, no matter your environment, with new noise isolation technology. It lets you remove background noise.
Apple Home will see InSight, which lets you swipe down during a show to display characters and movie details in real time. Projectors will have a 21:9 format for viewing widescreen movies.
WatchOS 11
WatchOS 11 was announced. There’s a feature that will “…transform the way you work out,” says David Clark. The new feature is called training mode, and it’ll track your workouts’ intensity and its effect on other workouts over time. The feature relies on a new algorithm whose sensor data will rate how much effort you’ve exerted per session.
Health will get a new app called Vitals. It will monitor and display your most important metrics in one place. Additionally, Cycle tracking will have new features like gestational age or heart rate for pregnant people.
iPadOS 18
The latest operating system for iPad, iPadOS 18 takes your Apple tablet to new heights. First and foremost, let’s talk about the new calculator math that Federighi said (to a cheering crowd) will make solving math easier.
In a new feature called Math Notes. It allows you to use Apple Pencils to write out expressions. When you hit the equal sign, Calculator will solve the problem for you and even imitate your handwriting. Sounds cool, albeit a bit creepy.
The control center can be customized, and the redesigned Photos center makes it easier to relive your favorite moments. The floating tab bar, which you can customize, allows you to effortlessly navigate between apps.
Another interesting feature to note is Smart Script. It’ll make handwriting on the iPad smoother than ever. Equipped with an on-device machine-learning model, it improves your writing in real time.
macOS Sequoia
Apple announced macOS Sequoia, the latest operating system for Mac computers. It will boast iPhone mirroring, automatic window tiling, Continuity updates, and a cross-Platfrom Passwords app.
iPhone mirroring will let you control your phone from your Mac. You’ll also get audio passthrough and phone notifications on your desktop Apple.
Safari has also been outfitted with a slew of features. Highlights, for example, uses machine learning to detect things of interest on the page. Reader mode offers summaries and tables of content that might be generated by machine learning.
macOS gaming also gets an update with Game Porting Toolkit 2. It offers better support for Windows games. Expect new titles like Frostpunk 2 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Apple Intelligence
Finally, Apple introduced Apple Intelligence, the name of its new AI features for iPhone, Mac, and other devices.
First, Apple’s new AI features can help you do things in apps more easily. For example, it can automatically write text or summarize text in mail. Meanwhile, Apple says AI features that need to go to the cloud won’t be stored on company servers.
Siri will get artificial intelligence. This means you’ll be able to speak to Siri more naturally. The voice assistant will also be able to schedule text messages and bring up the correct apps depending on the context of your speech.
Genmoji will create emoji-like reactions in real-time, creating one for you when you don’t have time to find the exact one you are looking for.
AI will also come to the photos app, helping you search for photos in your library easily.
Most interestingly, ChatGPT 4o will appear in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS later in 2024 as a chatbot that Siri can use when it can’t follow your commands.
Final thoughts
Apple unveiled everything we expected at the WWDC 2024 and then some. The new enhancements in iPadOS, macOS, WatchOS, and iOS are poised to enhance user experience and make the devices more indispensable than ever. We also peaked at the new VisionOS2 and its useful tools for developers.
Like all the other tech brands, we learned that Apple is also infusing its products with AI, including ChatGTP. The idea is to minimize the need to switch between the AI chatbot and other apps.
All in all, it was an announcement-packed event! Thank you for staying tuned!
