WWDC 2018 Roundup

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Tim Cook started off WWDC 2018 with a piece of information we were all expecting: WWDC this year is all about the software. No new hardware was introduced at all. If you were looking forward to upgraded Macs to replaced outdated machinery you haven’t been able to update (because Apple hasn’t made good “Pro” hardware in years), new AirPods or the AirPower mat, you were sadly, disappointed.

However, Apple did unveil some very welcome changes to iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. For the first time in years, the UI changes to macOS may be the most exciting, with iOS mostly receiving performance improvements. That’s not to say iOS 12 will be a boring update though. watchOS 5 will bring new customization possibilities, but no third party watch faces yet. Overall, WWDC 2018 was all about refinement. Nothing was surprising. However, you’re definitely going to want to get your hands on each piece of new software from Apple.

macOS Mojave

Normally, we start these roundups with iOS updates, as that’s where Apple’s focus typically is. However, this time around, I think macOS Mojave may provide more excitement than we’ve come to expect from macOS updates. Therefore, it’s first.

Dark Mode

Do my eyes deceive me? Dark mode in an Apple product? Yes! YES! Apple has finally embraced the dark side. What started as an Xcode leak blossomed into a full system-wide dark mode, just as we predicted. Dark mode will be pervasive, it will exist in many of Apple’s apps. Apple updated Finder, Mail, Messages, Calendar, Safari, and many other system apps to have a new dark theme. Now, when you enable dark mode on your Mac, it won’t just be the dock and menu bar that goes dark, it’ll be your entire operating system. Your eyes and your sleep schedule will thank you. While iOS 12 won’t be getting this feature, the fact that Apple has added it to macOS means we may see it in the mobile operating system’s future.

Desktop and Finder

Stacks have long lived on the dock. These are stylized folders for icons you can see at a glance and pull out with a click. Now, it’s a sort option for your desktop, as you can keep you desktop free of clutter with automatic sorting of objects into stacks. No longer will 30 icons sit on your desktop, waiting to be used or trashed. Instead, you’ll have a neat workspace.

Quick Look is getting improvements as well. Document metadata will display, giving you information like document size, exif data for photos, or resolution. You’ll also be able to create actions in automator or AppleScript, and fire them up from within Quick Look. Quick Look is getting its largest and most utilitarian update since it was introduced, and users are really going to love it.

Mac App Store

The Mac App Store is a desolate wasteland. It’s full of scam apps, and you can’t trust everything you find on there. It’s the exact opposite of what Apple wanted it to be. That’s why macOS Mojave will include a fresh coat of paint for the service. Just as iOS 11 brought better App Store curation to Apple’s mobile platform, so too will macOS Mojave for macOS.

Apps and iOS

No, macOS and iOS are not headed for convergence (stop asking). However, Apple is working to bring some of their iOS apps to the Mac. They’ll also make it easier for developers to do so with their own apps. Improvements to Metal mean apps can be cross-platform yet still take advantage of the extreme graphics capabilities of iOS and macOS devices. However, Apple’s taking it further. Apple will allow developers to run iOS’s UI elements in macOS. This means apps won’t require an emulation layer or large changes to bring iOS apps directly to macOS. Apple is experimenting with this in-office currently, and will release it to the public shortly. Until then, we can see how well it works with Apple’s Voice Memos, Stocks, and News apps, which were ported over from iOS.

Bad News

macOS Mojave will abandon most Macs made earlier than 2012. That includes the 2010 MacBook Pro I wrote this post on. For many developers and professionals, we’re reluctant to upgrade. Our older Macs seem like upgrades over the latest models. My work laptop, a 2015 MacBook Pro, is the perfect example. It has a nice, reliable keyboard, a hardware escape button for my Vim usage, USB3 ports, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and two Thunderbolt ports. It’s everything I want in a MacBook Pro, minus the latest processor and 32GB of memory (What? I’m a Java developer, I need it).

Others in my office, poor souls stuck with the new MacBook Pro, struggle to connect to anything, from power sources to video sources, and their desks are tangled messes of dongles. I’ve never seen developers actively avoid new hardware as we have Apple’s latest “pro” hardware. Many people are eligible for an upgrade in my office and outright refuse to, myself included. Even my photography hobby is hampered by Apple’s latest “Pro” hardware. Designers are leaving the Mac for the lack of touchscreen support, as Apple has the perfect stylus (the Apple Pencil) but refuses to allow us to use it with our Macs.

Microsoft is doing a better job with pro hardware than Apple, an appalling and disgusting fact. Apple promises they’ve heard our cries, and is working on improvements to the Mac Pro and MacBook Pro, and released the non-upgradable iMac Pro to appease us temporarily. But when other companies are still releasing better hardware, and Apple refuses to give us more than a few USB-C ports, I fear for the future of Apple’s Mac hardware.

So, you’ll need a new Mac to run Mojave. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t make a single good Mac.

iOS 12

Performance

iOS 11 was an embarrassment. It’s slow, buggy, and didn’t introduce nearly enough features to make up for the lack of performance. iOS 12 is the update to correct this. Apple shelved important ideas, including a much needed home screen refresh, specifically to push out a stability update. The end result is iOS 12, an operating system that’s faster and more stable in every single possible way than iOS 11. iOS 12 will run on every device that iOS 11 ran on, and even Apple’s newer devices will see a significant improvement in performance.

AR

ARKit 2 is being released with iOS 12. The new version of ARKit allows multiple devices to see the same 3D constructs in virtual space. This means you can easily make multiplayer games where everyone can compete in the same space with their iOS devices. A new file type that was developed with Pixar allows 3D objects to be placed in the real world from a single file, which is web compatible and can easily be shared. You could go from browsing Ikea’s website for a new couch to seeing that couch in your living room with a single tap.

Siri Shortcuts

Apple bought the app developer behind Workflow, an iOS automation app, a few years ago. Workflow allows iOS users to set up a set of tasks and execute them with a shortcut. You can, for example, quickly convert a video to a gif and open an email with that gif in it. Siri Shortcuts improves upon these workflows with Siri integration and deeper operating system integration. You’ll be able to run routines for going to work that tell you the weather, give you traffic reports, and start Waze for directions easily. You’ll also be able to create custom Siri commands, so Siri will learn the way you want to speak to it.

Animoji/Memoji

Apple’s Animoji was a fun aspect of the iPhone X, and a great selling point for the phone. It made the complex technology of FaceID more human by… well, allowing you to become a kitty cat. Samsung tried their own version later, but it was little more than a creepy looking version of Bitmoji. Using Bitmoji is fun because you can personalize it, make something that looks like you, and using Animoji is fun because it reacts like you. No one had successfully put the two together, but Apple thinks they have. With Memoji, you can start with your face and tweak it to make a Memoji that looks just like you, or, how you want to look.

Memoji also plays into Apple’s new AR capabilities. You can replace your face in a video with a Memoji or Animoji in real time, and add stickers as well. It’ll play into FaceTime too, so you can replace your face in real time. That sounds super convenient for times when a friend wants to FaceTime and I haven’t put on makeup yet, but it otherwise feels like a gimmick that gets in the way of interaction.

Apple added new Animoji, and also improved recognition of your eyes, so you can send someone a foxy wink more easily. You can also stick your tongue out, and your Animoji counterpart will do the same. Finally, you can recreate this emoji: 😜!

Screen Time

I’ve got a video playing on my iPhone right now, my new AirPods in my ears, and my Apple Watch on my wrist. Needless to say, I’m highly connected to my technology, and I like it that way. However, I can’t deny the fact that I have always had problems falling asleep at a normal hour. Staring at a screen can make that worse, even when wearing computer glasses, because it can be too engaging and active when your mind should be winding down. I also must admit, the most fun I had over the past week involved me being separate from my devices to play volleyball in a pool with coworkers. Perhaps there’s something to taking a break from a technologically augmented life on occasion. That’s where Apple’s Screen Time comes in.

Screen Time is a lot like Google’s digital well-being in Android P. It tracks what you’re doing with your device, and helps you set limits on apps. You can be reminded when you’re spending too much time in Instagram, or perhaps limit yourself to only 2 hours of news reading throughout the day. You can limit your kids to spend less time playing games or watching people playing games, and more time getting up and being active.

Improved Notifications

Did you hear that? That was the sound of millions of iOS users celebrating at once. Grouped Notifications! Sure, Android users may have had it for years, but Apple’s finally helping us rein in our notifications by grouping them together by app, making it easier to customize notifications per app, and take advantage of smart do not disturb controls. You’ll be able to quickly scroll through your notifications, even if you’ve been retweeted 1,000 times. You can also help ensure that you can get your Facebook notifications silently, so your phone doesn’t blow up because you went to a cool concert or took a cute selfie.

Group FaceTime

A plot of a Modern Family episode hinged on group FaceTime. There was just one problem: Apple hadn’t invented it yet. However, with macOS Mojave and iOS 12, you’ll be able to chat with multiple friends and family members at once. Actually, up to 32 people at once, that is. People will display in tiles, with the tile representing the person currently speaking growing in size. It’s a fantastic way to organize gatherings with your friends, or perhaps connect with a friend who has moved far away. It was rumored that Apple was preparing this feature for iOS 11, however, it clearly wasn’t ready in time. With Mojave and iOS 12, you’ll be able to chat in real time with up to 32 friends at once. Although, hopefully you don’t do that often, I can’t imagine how that would look on an iPhone SE.

watchOS 5

I believe wearables are the future of technology. The Apple Watch–AirPods–iPhone combination, I think, is a precursor to better augmented reality and digital immersion. The lessons Apple will learn from these technologies will eventually be combined into one, just as the iPhone did for music, phones, and portable internet-connected devices. One of the biggest problems is presenting information using less screen space. With watchOS 5, Apple’s better than ever at this, allowing users to focus more on their watches than their phones throughout the day.

Grouped Notifications

Like iOS12, watchOS will have grouped notifications. I always keep my notification panel completely clear specifically because it’s unusable in watchOS without doing so. However, this makes for a poor experience. I can’t, for example, go back to a previous notification from Seamless to see when my meal is going to arrive and whether or not I might have time to run out and put a load of laundry in. With grouped notifications, Apple’s making good use of the space they’ve got. They’re also allowing users to customize the apps that display and alert them right from notification center. Finally, Apple’s notification center will be available in every app, not just the watch face.

3rd Party Siri Complications

The main reason I don’t use the Siri watchface is that it so often doesn’t show me anything useful. When I look at my watch, I usually want to see the time, date, weather, and when my next meeting is. Just walking or skating to work, I close my activity rings every weekday, and my only other complication is one that makes messages easier to access. The Siri watchface would be perfect for me if it could pull from Carrot Weather for super accurate forecasting and Fantastical for my reminders and calendar events united. With watchOS 5, that’s possible. Now, Siri will be able to pull in from third party apps to give users exactly what they want with a glance. Powered by AI, it’ll learn to anticipate your usage habits, providing the information you want when you want it. Personally, I think once Apple gets this right, they’ll have taken a giant leap towards the next step in computing: using AI to augment reality when and where we need it, and being out of sight and mind when we don’t.

Editable Control Center

In watchOS 4, the “Ping iPhone” button is right above the Do Not Disturb button in control center. Know when you don’t want your iPhone making a loud noise? Anytime you’d be reaching for the DND button! Fortunately, with watchOS 5, you’ll be able to put the two far apart. How did Apple not see this as a problem before?

Walkie Talkie

Growing up, my parents gave my brother and I a Nokia phone from Nextel. Why Nextel? For the Push-to-Talk walkie talkie feature. You’d select their name, hit the big button on the side of the phone, wait for a response (because they may have to go to the phone), and then have a quick conversation. It was a feature that was soon and rightfully replaced with texting or just normal phone calls, but it was fun while we had it. watchOS 5 will bring walkie talkies back to life. You’ll be able to find a friend who’s available, tap them, and send them a quick voice message.

Podcasts on watchOS

Apple Watch users with the new 4G connected Apple Watch may sometimes leave home for a workout without their phone. They just pop in their AirPods, queue up some music, and start their workout. But what if you don’t listen to music during your workout? What if you’d prefer to get caught up on the news of the day, or listen to the latest episode from that crime drama podcast you’ve found yourself addicted to? With watchOS 5, those podcasts will come with you on your wrist wherever you go.

Web Content in Messages and Emails

With watchOS 5, web content won’t force you to go to your iPhone. Instead of seeing a message like “Open this Email/Message on your iPhone to see this content,” you’ll be able to view the web content right in the message, just like you would from your iPhone.

Workout Improvements

I won’t lie, I’m not active enough. I should exercise more, if only because it’s beneficial for a nice, long life (if you’re into that sort of thing). However, no amount of gamification can bring me to do it. Besides, I generally hit 30 minutes of activity on most days just getting to and from work. Perhaps that’s why my mind began to wander when Apple discussed these features. Maybe there’s an entire secret society of people obsessing over closing their rings and competing with their friends. If you’re one of those people, chuckling at me from within the hallowed halls of your secret fitness society, this one’s for you.

Activity competitions allow you to directly compete with your friends. You can track your own progress and theirs, helping each other get into shape through some friendly competition. Of course, you can also trash talk your competition, if you don’t want it to be so friendly. I find it’s more fun to crush your competition and then trash talk, but the timing is up to you.

Have you ever started running and realized you didn’t tell your watch you were going for a workout, therefore losing details on your workout, like distance ran, pace, and your heart rate information? With watchOS5, you won’t have to worry, your Apple Watch will realize you’ve started running, and start and end your workout for you. It’ll even let you know if you’re falling behind your target pace automatically, pushing you to run faster and harder.

I tried to get into yoga a few times. One of these days I’ll push through the sore back I have the morning after a yoga session and keep going. Perhaps accurate tracking of these workouts is what I need? Fortunately, watchOS 5 comes with yoga workout tracking.

NFC Access

Just like the iPhone, you’ll be able to use your Apple Watch to get into your dorm building or pay for your meals in college. No more fretting about losing your ID card and being locked out of your building, now you can just raise your wrist and walk in. Presumably, this feature will expand to cover offices and other buildings currently secured through NFC or RFID chips.

tvOS 12

tvOS received a small update, but it’ll add features to make settling in on your couch with your favorite movies and TV shows easier. Now it’ll automatically register your account on certain cable subscriptions, so you won’t have to worry about verifying your access to every single channel app you download. The aerial wallpaper videos that have been popular with users will now share where the video was taken, so you can add locations to your vacation bucket list.

WWDC Wrap-Up

WWDC 2018 was all about software. In some ways, that’s disappointing. iOS, usually a big-ticket item, received a small update, and tvOS an even smaller one. However, updates to macOS Mojave and even watchOS were more exciting than usual. We’ll have to wait until fall to see if we’re going to be getting any additional information on devices like the new Mac Pro, MacBook Pro updates, the next iPhones, an updated Apple Watch, the AirPower mat and updated AirPods, or a new Apple Watch. Apple is halfway through the year, and still has a lot left on their plate. These updates will enable developers to make some very cool things, but hopefully we get the hardware we need to make these apps eventually.