Apple's keynote at this year's World Wide Developer Conference might have pointed to a more service-based future for the company, less dependant on specific pieces of hardware, but there were also heaps updates for iPhones, iPads, Macs, the Apple Watch and Apple TV, coming in the form of software updates later this year.
iOS 13, coming to iPhones later this year
The much-rumoured Dark Mode was the big announcement for iPhone, giving the operating system and all of Apple's apps a dramatic new look that should in theory help out your battery and be easier on your eyes. A single switch in Settings will toggle the mode, or you can tell it to turn on automatically at sunset. Other apps will be included if and when their developers enable the feature.
Dark Mode, and several other major additions, are coming to iPhones in iOS 13.
The other big addition was less expected. Sign In with Apple aims to remove the hassle and potential privacy issues of logging into apps with your personal email address or Facebook or Google account. Instead you'll log in using Face ID or Touch ID, and Apple will send the app a unique random identifier that lets you in but can't be cross-referenced with other apps. If the app insists on an email address, there's also the option to have Apple randomise one for you.
Apple also now blocks Wi-Fi and Bluetooth location tracking on iPhone, and has a new (optional) feature that makes apps ask you every time they need your location.
Dark Mode is coming to iPadOS too, as well as a redesigned Home Screen.
A new home screen shows more apps and can feature Android-style widgets from Apple's Today View, meaning you can pin your notes or the weather directly to the main screen. Meanwhile, enhancements to Split View mean you can finally see two windows of the same app side-by-side, which should ease a lot of the headaches of managing email or working with Google Docs on the iPad.
Specific apps have seen tweaks for iPadOS as well, including a more desktop-like experience in Safari and Files.
Finally, Apple Pencil integration has been improved, with users now able to swipe with the stylus from the corner of the screen to capture an entire webpage or document, which they can then mark up and send to a contact.
MacOS and an all new Mac Pro
Apple's computer software saw a couple of major and, again, expected updates. First of all macOS Catalina will abandon iTunes, with the Music, Podcasts and TV apps stepping up to replace it. However, users will not lose all the music they had previously bought, downloaded or ripped from CDS; those will still be available in the app. For those that aren't ready for the streaming subscription future, Apple will even continue selling tracks.
Continuing the iPad love, Apple also announced a new macOS feature called Sidecar, which lets you extend your Mac to your Apple tablet and use it as an external display. Supported apps will also let you use the iPad and Apple Pencil as a drawing tablet. Separately Apple said it was making it easier for developers to bring their existing iPap apps to the App Store for Mac.
Sidecar brings a touchscreen to the Mac by letting you wirelessly connect an iPad.
Apple also detailed significant changes to its accessiblity suite, with new Voice Control capabilities that also work with iPhone and iPad, and a new tweak to Screen Time that can track users across all their devices including Macs.
On the hardware side, Apple announced a new Mac Pro that looks like a cheese grater but packs a serious punch. The entry-level model features an eight-core Xeon processor, 32GB of RAM, a Radeon Pro 580X graphics card and a 256GB SSD, and it only gets crazier from there. There's even the option of a special Apple-developed graphics card called Afterburner. The company also introduced a 32-inch HDR display called the Pro Display XDR, which is intended for use as a reference monitor or for high-end video editing.
Expanded health tracking, more apps on Apple Watch
Expanding the scope of Apple's health-tracking, the new WatchOS features a Cycle Tracking app, letting women see predicted timing for their next period and fertile window, as well as keeping track of logged menstrual cycle information.
There's also a new ability to monitor ambient noise, and alert users if the decibel level reaches 90, which can be damaging to hearing over time.
In a welcome update to the way WatchOS works, the new software will also allow access to a dedicated App Store, for third-party apps that work wholly on the watch. Apple is opening up new APIs that allow developers to stream audio to the device, which should make for podcast and music apps in the near future.
There will be, of course, the usual glut of new watch faces to choose from, as well as expanded app functions including the ability to create voice memos and listen to Apple Books audiobooks directly from the watch.
Apple TV gets ready for Arcade
When Apple's new gaming subscription launches this year, users will get access to a growing library of games with no ads or microtransactions, for use across devices and up to six different family-linked profiles. But if you want to game on the big TV, you'll likely want an Apple TV.
That's why Apple announced tvOS 13 will support the connection of Bluetooth-enabled controllers from Sony or PlayStation. That means you can take your pad from a PS4 or Xbox One S and use it on Apple's device.
The new Apple TV software also has multi-user support baked in, so different family members can all access their own games, TV and music. It also comes with new 4K screensavers filmed underwater by the BBC.
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