After Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference concluded in Cupertino, CA, on Friday, Mac cultists worldwide have gathered to analyze the company’s latest offerings. Following an eventful week of announcements from the tech leader, the dust has settled, and we can reflect on new the hardware and software which will serve to impact the entire industry in coming months.
Here’s a brief rundown of what we saw at this year’s conference:
Apple Music:
The company revealed a new music streaming service which will combine on-demand listening with a 24/7 radio station, as well as a forum where musical artists can connect with their fans. During a time where streaming music leaders like Spotify and Pandora are stealing subscribers and revenue away from iTunes, Apple Music has arrived to reclaim the ears and pocketbooks of listeners.
With over 43 million songs coming straight from the iTunes library, Apple’s new service is surely a force to be reckoned with. Using the free three-month trial, new users can take advantage of Apple’s attempt to conquer the competitive streaming space. It will be available for iOS users beginning June 30th, and in a break from tradition, will also be available for Android users starting this fall.
To ready themselves for the launch of Apple Music, the company has worked to improve upon their cloud-based storage infrastructure. Other tech behemoths such as Facebook, Google and VerizonFiOS are already utilizing high speed fiber lines; Apple however lags behind in their continued use of third-party providers for bandwidth and storage. In one last change, the company decided to upgrade their Apple logo to one resembling the classic rainbow design of years past.
OS X El Capitan:
Introducing the latest version of iOS X, which amps up Safari features, allows for easier, more agile searching, and a introduces a convenient “screen splitting” mission control feature for when you’re working between multiple apps. The graphics system has gotten a major upgrade with Metal, which brings Apple’s advanced graphics technology to Mac systems. Spotlight search has been improved with the new support of natural language: say “find my vacation photos from Paraguay” and Spotlight will queue them up right away.
Safari now comes with a new “pinned sites” tool as well as an easy option to mute obtrusive sounds in other tabs.
“News” app for iPhone and iPad:
Along with a new “Notes” app, the company also debuted a powerful new app for delivering the news on mobile devices and tablets. According to Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, there are already 20 publishers representing more than 50 titles in partnership, including Condé Nast, ESPN, The New York Times, Hearst, Time Inc., CNN and Bloomberg. The new Apple News format will allow the publisher to create a more intimate and accurate news experience, providing vibrant, interactive news stories with a combined presentation of audio and video galleries. When news publishers create content, the Apple News app will intuit the proper layout so it looks just as crisp on an iPad as it does an iPhone.
New Apple Watch software:
Apple announced the arrival of so-called native apps to the Apple Watch device, which will enable the software to get better and faster. Many current wearers of the Watch may not be aware of the fact that, prior to this reveal, all watchOS apps were mere extensions of iPhone apps. With watchOS 2 apps will have their own logic, and will also be capable of accessing the Watch’s hardware for a more powerful overall performance.
The new watch update will also come with a few cosmetic alterations. There will now be an option to greater customize the watch face, allowing wearer to show details such as information about an upcoming flight or personal photos. The new software can be downloaded through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone.
Apple Pay:
The company showed off Apple Pay’s extension and explained how the mobile pay platform is changing the way consumers handle money and pay for goods. Apple Pay will now be offered by 2,500 banks and credit unions, and Discover will be added as the 4th major US credit card issuer in the fall. The latest version also added store rewards cards, from businesses such as Dunkin Donuts and Walgreens, as well as airlines rewards.
It’s arrival to the UK was highlighted as well – 8 out of the 9 largest banks in the country will support the next version of the platform, and it will have approximately 250,000 retail locations in cooperation at launch.
iOS 9:
Gave a preview of iOS 9 and announced a broad spectrum of new resources and features for apps developers to expect this fall. The next big project for the company in between the arrival of the Apple Watch and the debut of the iPhone 6S sometime in September, it promises a smarter Siri, new built-in apps, and the ability to provide users with a true multi-tasking experience. Available now to those already enrolled as iOS developers, everyone else will have to wait for either the public beta in July or its release with the new iPhone.
As Apple continues to revolutionize personal technology, we can expect to see their ruthless approach to innovation drive our own ability to create and communicate in the years ahead.
