Updates, updates, updates! The software fireworks from Apple
Apple presented numerous innovations at the WWDC developer event. There was no new hardware to be seen this year - but that doesn't matter, it's mainly about software. We took a look at the most exciting features.
iOS 10
Little has changed in the look of iOS 10. It doesn't have to be, there was a major redesign with iOS 9. The most obvious change is that the lock screen has been significantly upgraded. Events are now displayed as cards - as soon as you pick up the iPhone, not just when you press the home button.
The Photos app now recognises faces, as we know it from the desktop version. It does this on the smartphone itself for data protection reasons. This is a plus point compared to the Google counterpart. Practical: iOS now groups the photos independently - Apple calls this "Memories".
Apple Music has been tidied up and can now also display song lyrics for the current track. iMessage has been upgraded: emojis are now displayed much larger, and videos and graphics can now also be added.
And finally, finally, the pre-installed apps can be removed. You always had to "hide" them in a folder. Speaking of pre-installed apps: With "Home", an app for controlling Apple HomeKit - the home automation solution from Cupertino - has been added.
The best feature for developers is probably that Apple is opening up some of its services, such as Apple Maps. Siri will no longer be limited to Apple's own programmes. Siri will also become a little smarter and be able to provide multi-level responses.
The new iOS version will be released in autumn. It can be installed on devices from iPhone 5 and iPads of the 4th generation. Registered developers can download the beta version now.
macOS Sierra
OSX will be called macOS in the next version and will bear the name Sierra. It will also be available from autumn.
Friends of Siri can rejoice: the voice assistant is now also at home on the MacBook and iMac.
The iCloud integration is being pushed further: Thanks to "Continuity", files on the desktop and in the Documents folder on macOS Sierra can be shared with other Macs, iOS devices and even PCs. If you log in on a new device, the documents are also available there.
I'm already looking forward to the cloud-based "Universal Clipboard": at last, text snippets can be exchanged between iPhone and MacBook without having to resort to Google Docs or Evernote. And finally, rarely used documents can be moved to the cloud on request so that you always have enough storage space available.
With the new operating system version, more programmes have been given Tabs. For example, you can simply open a new tab in Maps and no longer lose the focus of the current search. Or in the mail programme, different drafts can be kept open at the same time.
The picture-in-picture feature sounds interesting: A video can simply be dragged out of the browser and pinned to a corner. The Photos app on the Mac is getting the "Memories" feature, just like on iOS, and the redesigned iTunes version is also coming to macOS.
Developers can download the new macOS Sierra now. A public beta will follow in July.
watchOS 3
With watchOS, Apple has focussed on speed. Apps should launch up to seven times faster. You can now write on the screen of the watch. Athletes can compete with each other using "Activity Sharing".
The rumours about Apple Pay have come true: The new payment option is coming to Switzerland ahead of its launch in Germany. <p
I'm the master tamer at the flea circus that is the editorial team, a nine-to-five writer and 24/7 dad. Technology, computers and hi-fi make me tick. On top of that, I’m a rain-or-shine cyclist and generally in a good mood.