Apple showcased the power of artificial intelligence – or what it coined Apple Intelligence – at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WDDC) on Tuesday, June 11 (Philippine time), through various new features present in its updated operating systems.
Below are some of the most important announcements from the event:
Iterating on the visionOS operating system released earlier this year, Apple prepared an update in the form of visionOS 2. The update features higher possible display resolution and size allowances for users of the Mac Virtual Display, alongside more intuitive gesture controls for the home page.
Users can also transform existing 2D images into cutting-edge spatial photos with just a tap of a button. These spatial videos and images can also be shared with family and friends through the new SharePlay function in the Photos app.
These new features will in eight additional countries – China, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom – when the Apple Vision Pro hits their respective stores on June 28.
Apple announced new capabilities for the iPhone with its IOS 18 rollout, which will introduce further customization options for the control center, and tweaks to various iOS apps.
In addition to a revamped tapback feature, Messages will allow users to format text and schedule its sending. Previously, users had to go through a longer process through Shortcuts to be able to schedule a message. Messages can also now be sent via satellite with the update in order to communicate in places where there is no cellular connection.
Other features include better mail categorization, new topographic maps in Maps, a more immersive gaming experience, and improved privacy settings. Moreover, IOS 18 also includes a fully redesigned Photos app, allowing for Collections of photos to be made and a Carousel feature that helps users relive their best moments.
(READ: HIGHLIGHTS: Apple WWDC 2024)
Quality-of-life changes are coming for Apple’s audio and home devices.
With the upcoming software changes, wearers of Airpods can perform simple gestures like nodding or head shaking and that will be enough for Siri to register a command. Adding to this is the device’s enhanced noise suppression, elevating call quality.
Meanwhile, Apple TV users will be greeted by a more enjoyable experience when watching movies at home. The latest iteration of tvOS offers enhanced sound, intuitive subtitles, and exciting miscellaneous features, contributing to a more cinema-like experience simply on one’s couch.
WatchOS 11 builds upon its previous versions by introducing training load, which measures how the intensity and duration of workouts impact a user’s body over time.
Likewise, the new Vitals app showcases other methods to check on your health, such as the ability to measure health metrics, as well as pregnancy cycle tracking.
Carrying over similar changes as in iOS, the iPad primarily bolsters a reimagined Apple Pencil through its Math Notes and Smart Script features.
With the new calculator app, people can write mathematical expressions with the Apple Pencil, and their iPad will help them solve equations, from simple math to intermediate physics problems. The application is also intuitive, easily redrawing or solving graphs and equations with just slight adjustments to the variables.
As featured in Math Notes, users’ handwritings are instantaneously smoothened out through Smart Script as they write.
Handwriting is now also as flexible as typed text, equipping users with the ability to check spelling, copy-paste text, and erase writing using simple gestures.
Beyond features found in iOS and iPadOS, MacOS Sequoia offers iPhone Mirroring, which allows users full control of their iPhones on the Mac, even when the phone is locked. The enhanced operating system also showcases Passwords, an application that presents a more intuitive process for saving passwords across all devices.
Following up on these changes, Safari transformed its browsing experience with Highlights, that can stress and summarize relevant information online. Safari’s redesigned reader has also removed visual clutter and distractions for the user, heightening the overall experience for users.
The Mac, alongside the iPad and iPhone, are now tailored to provide better gaming experiences. Numerous games are coming to Apple devices, with the highly-anticipated Assassin’s Creed Shadows at the forefront for a November 15 release.
The final, biggest announcement in WWDC 2024 was Apple Intelligence.
While already lightly mentioned across the show, through features like Smart Script, Math Notes, and Tapbacks, Apple Intelligence is planned to be fully integrated into the platform.
Apps like Siri will be powered by AI to provide a seamless experience for users, being able to understand even stumbled words. Furthermore, Siri will answer various questions and edit photos with an awareness of the user’s personal context.
This personal intelligence system can also assist with the writing process. It can revise, proofread, and summarize text in emails, documents, and numerous other applications.
Apple Intelligence might also shift the way people interact with their family and friends. With the introduction of Priority Messages, users can sort day-to-day messages and emails based on urgency. The presences of Genmojis (Generative emojis) and Image Playground can also help to make communication more fun.
Apple rival Samsung, however, took the chance to poke fun at the company’s new AI announcements, as the South Korean giant had also previously introduced some similar AI features such as on-device processing, object erasure in images, and transcription when it launched its S24 flagship devices in January 2024.
Samsung mocks some of Apple's new updates announced at WWDC 2024 such as Apple's foray into generative AI called Apple Intelligence.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) June 11, 2024
Samsung previously introduced a suite of generative AI features in January 2024 for its devices. Similar functions include object erasure in… pic.twitter.com/eENO4w4iqf
These AI-powered features are based on the principle of privacy. To showcase this, tasks are mostly done on-device and only referred to Apple servers if complex requests are involved. Even then, these silicon Apple servers, connected via Private Cloud Compute, are said to be highly secured, with Apple guaranteeting that data is never retained or exposed.
Apple Intelligence will be available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPads and Macs with M1 and later in the near future. The beta version can be tried out in US English as early as fall in the United States as part of software updates to be rolled out. – Rav Ayag/Rappler.com
