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Today, Apple officially kicked off WWDC 2021 with the opening keynote. The company revealed the future of its software platforms, detailing new features in iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, macOS 12 Monterey, and more. Head below for a full summary of everything Apple announced today.
iOS 15 FaceTime
Apple kicked things off today with the official introduction of iOS 15. This update includes major improvements to FaceTime, new Focus features designed to reduce distractions, an all-new Weather app, and more.
The improvements to FaceTime in iOS 15 are especially notable, and they’re coming to other platforms including iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey. The new Portrait Mode feature for FaceTime calls allows users to blur their background. FaceTime’s spatial audio is a new feature that separates a user’s voice from background noise.
For Group FaceTime, the new grid view allows participants to see more faces at the same time. Another new feature of FaceTime is called SharePlay. This allows you to listen to music, watch TV shows and movies, and share your screen with people via FaceTime. You can set and watch the same content together and communicate at the same time via FaceTime.
Apple says it’s also working with third-party apps to integrate the SharePlay API, including Disney+, ESPN+, HBO Max, Hulu, MasterClass, Paramount+, Pluto TV, TikTok, Twitch, and more.
Focus and notifications
iOS 15 also includes a set of new digital wellbeing features called Focus. This allows users to filter notifications, signal friends that they are unavailable, and hide distractions without losing what’s important. When a user’s focus blocks incoming notifications, their status is automatically shown to others in messages, reflecting that the user is currently inaccessible.
Focus allows users to set different home screens based on the times of the day. For example, you can set specific home screens for when you are at work and when you are at home.
Notifications have also been redesigned with a focus on making them more accessible. There is also a new notification summary feature that aggregates time-unimportant notifications for delivery at a more convenient time, such as morning and evening.
Apple Maps
Apple announced a few new features for the Apple Maps app. There are a variety of design updates to Apple Maps to provide more detail for cities in business districts, buildings, and more. Apple is also rolling out a bunch of new transit features, including specific directions, information about when to get off, and more.
weather app
Apple has redesigned the Weather app with loads of new capabilities and an all-new design. Apple says that the layout of the new Weather app changes based on the weather in your current location. There are new animated wallpapers in the weather app, notifications for incoming rain and snow, and more.
More in iOS 15
Be sure to check out our full coverage of iOS 15 below for more details on what’s new. The first beta is available to developers now, while Apple says a public beta will be released in July. A stable release is expected this fall.
iPadOS 15 Tools and App Library
Then, Apple introduced iPadOS 15. One of the biggest changes here is that widgets are now available on the iPad home screen for the first time. The widgets are no longer only delegated to the Today View on the side of the home screen, but are now placed in the center of all other app icons.
iPadOS 15 also brings the App Library to the iPad for the first time. The App Library is located right in the dock for easy access to all your apps, no matter where you are in iPadOS.
multitasking
iPadOS 15 also includes a new multitasking system for apps. The new system is similar to iPadOS 14, but Apple has rethought how to access the controls. A new multitasking menu appears at the top of the apps, allowing users to jump into Split View or Slide Over directly from that menu. You can now also get to the home screen when using Split View, making it easier to get to the right app.
The experience also changes when using an external keyboard with the iPad, with all-new keyboard shortcuts and a redesigned menu bar. Users can quickly set up and switch between Split View and Slide Over using new shortcuts for multitasking right from the keyboard.
ipad translation
The Translate app is now on the iPad for the first time. The translation app first came to the iPhone with iOS 14 last year, and now Apple is bringing it to the iPad. Text can now be translated anywhere on the iPad by selecting it and pressing Translate, and handwritten text can also be translated.
Swift stadiums
Xcode for iPad wasn’t announced during WWDC 2021 today, but Apple announced that Swift Playgrounds now allows users to build iPhone and iPad apps directly on the iPad, and submit them to the App Store. The icon is instantly reflected in the live preview while the apps are being built, and users can run their apps full screen to test it out.
More in iPadOS 15
Be sure to check out our full coverage of iPadOS 15 below for more details on what’s new. The first beta is available to developers now, while Apple says a public beta will be released in July. A stable release is expected this fall.
macOS Monterey Shortcuts and TestFlight Apps
For the Mac, Apple today announced the release of macOS 12 Monterey to the public. One of the biggest changes here is that the Shortcuts Automation app is now available on a Mac for the first time.
You can create new shortcuts, access existing shortcuts, and more. The Shortcuts app on the Mac also integrates with Spotlight, appears in the Finder, supports multitasking, and integrates with the menu bar. It also features automation import support.
Apple also brought its beta testing app TestFlight to the Mac this year, allowing developers to easily test their beta apps on the Mac.
universal control
Universal Control allows users to work with a single mouse and keyboard and move between Mac and iPad for a seamless experience, with no setup required. Users can drag and drop content back and forth between devices. The feature also works between two Macs, allowing you to use one mouse and keyboard for two Macs.
Safari
Safari features a redesign of the browsing experience with a new tab design that allows users to see more of the page while scrolling. The new tab bar takes the color of a web page and combines tabs, a toolbar, and a search field into one compact design.
Tab groups provide a new way to easily save and manage tabs. Tab groups also sync across your Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
AirPlay on Mac
With macOS Monterey, your Mac is now also a target for AirPlay, which allows you to send videos from other Apple devices to your Mac’s screen. The Mac sound system can also be used as an AirPlay speaker, so users can play music or podcasts on their Mac, or use their Mac as a secondary speaker for multi-room audio.
More in macOS Monterey
Be sure to check out our full coverage of macOS Monterey below for more details on what’s new. The first beta is available to developers now, while Apple says a public beta will be released in July. A stable release is expected this fall.
watchOS 8
Perhaps the least exciting update Apple announced today is watchOS 8 for Apple Watch users. This update introduces a new version of the Breathe app, now called Mindfulness.
The Photos app and the Photos watch faces have received notable updates. Photo clock faces can now include depth using portrait mode photos. The Photos app has been overhauled with special highlights and memories. Photos from the watch can now also be shared with Messages and Mail.
The always-on watch face has been updated to work with three new apps: Music, Maps, and Calculator. Apple also says that apps that don’t support a permanent face include new optimizations to improve compatibility.
The first beta of watchOS 8 is now available to developer beta testers, and a public beta will be released sometime next month. A stable release is scheduled for later this fall.
iCloud +
Apple also unveiled iCloud+ during its event today, giving users new privacy features like Private Relay and Hide My Email. With Private Relay, all traffic leaving your device is encrypted and sent through two separate phases. Apple says that no one, not even Apple, can access or view this data.
Hide My Email is a new feature built into Mail, Safari, and other services that allows you to send unique, random emails to forward to your main account. This means that you can hide your email from the services to increase privacy.
iCloud+ also includes an unlimited number of HomeKit Secure Video cameras. Currently, iCloud users are limited to five cameras per account, but that limit has been removed for iCloud+.
iCloud+ comes at no additional cost to existing iCloud subscribers.
Other stories
Head below for more tidbits of coverage from today’s WWDC 2021. What’s your favorite announcement Apple made during today’s event? Let us know in the comments.
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