Apple : New lock screen, Updated iMessage, Multi-Stop Routing map and much more announced
By introducing its next-generation mobile software, iOS 16, Apple kicked off its annual developer conference with new features that allow users to customise their iPhone lock screens, change how they communicate with friends via iMessage, and further integrate their smartphones with automobiles.
At its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, Apple unveiled these and other updates, which show how the company continues to make its devices—the iPhone in particular—central to our daily lives and the many products we interact with. However, the event was also notable for what was not announced: a new product.
In recent days, some industry observers had hoped that Apple would provide an early look at a platform known as RealityOS. A mixed reality headset—a wearable device that is said to be capable of both virtual and augmented reality—has been rumoured to be in the works for years by Apple, according to rumours.
Rather than focusing on sexy new products, Apple focused on a number of functional updates, such as the introduction of Apple’s Weather app on iPad and the unveiling of the M2 chip.
Apple’s investment in silicon will play a decisive role in future product categories, such as a head-worn device, where power and performance must be tightly balanced,” Ben Wood, chief analyst at market research company CCS Insight, said in a statement.
A closer look at a few of Apple’s most noteworthy product upgrades is provided here. This autumn, customers may anticipate the new features to be accessible to them.
Some iOS tools that have not been updated in years are getting a new lease on life thanks to an update from Apple.
Changes to iMessage, including the ability to edit or unsend messages and mark messages as unread, are causing a lot of buzz at the moment. The firm has said that these options are among the most often requested features by customers.
Several additional options for customising the lock screen and enhancing the notification experience were also shown off by Apple. Lock screen widgets will allow iPhone users to acquire information at a glance, such as upcoming events and the weather, and follow “live” activities, like as an Uber ride’s progress or updates on a sporting event. More customizable lock screen backgrounds will be available, as well as the flexibility to shuffle among them at will.
CarPlay choices have been widened
A wide range of Apple’s goods and services were updated, from payments and passwords to automobiles.
CarPlay’s newest iteration will have a slew of customizable widgets that can be accessed via the iPhone and run on all of the vehicle’s panels, including the centre screen and the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. There will be more widget support and customization possibilities, including different gauge cluster designs, in addition to the other upgrades announced by Apple on Monday.
Features for payments and health care
Consumers in the United States will soon be able to utilise Apple Pay’s “buy now, pay later” feature to spread out their payments over eight weeks, according to a statement from Apple.
Additionally, health-related elements remain a focus for the business. Apple Watch users will soon be able to create their own unique workouts, complete with heart rate zones and stride length statistics. In addition, improved sleep monitoring will detect when a user goes in and out of light and deep sleep. Tracking and managing medicine is now easier thanks to a new app that alerts users when it is time to take their prescription.
Passkeys, Apple’s new mechanism for replacing passwords with Touch ID or Face ID, was also announced during the event.
The M2 chip and the new MacBooks
Apple made several hardware announcements at the event, despite the focus on software.
Apple unveiled a new MacBook Air that is smaller, lighter, and quicker thanks to the company’s new M2 CPU. The 13.6-inch MacBook Air is 25% brighter than before, has MagSafe charging, and has an upgraded front-facing camera with double the resolution of the previous edition. Apple claims that the M2 chip’s 18% increase in performance over the M1 chip is due to the chip’s 8-core CPU.
In addition to the 10-core GPU, which is two times as powerful as the M1’s, the new CPU offers 25 percent greater graphics performance. The upcoming 13-inch MacBook Pro will have the M2 as well.
It costs $1,099 for a MacBook Air, while the MacBook Pro costs $1,299.
Other multi-tasking capabilities include the ability to share Safari tabs with friends and family, transfer FaceTime calls to other devices, and utilise an iPhone as a webcam with a new product called Continuity Camera, all of which may be previewed in Apple’s OS Ventura software preview.
