One of the most anticipated events of 2015 kicked off this morning. Dubbed as World Wide Developers Conference by the fruit company, it’s the venue for new OS X and iOS release. In addition, the company introduced few more services this year. Here’s at glance everything that was announced at the event.
OS X El Capitan
The company announced the successor of the OS X Yosemite – OS X El Capitan (10.11). Build with plethora of features, it is the fastest and the feature rich OS X till date.
Improved Spotlight search
The traditional spotlight search that was the part of OS X since the introduction goes informal. With El Capitan you can make informal search queries like – “my photos from June 2014” and it will fetch all the photos from the date.
Additionally, you can also get results for weather, sports, stocks, web video, and transit information.
Improved Email
The default email app of OS X gets an iOS-alike makeover. The revamped mail app gets its elements from the iPad. Apart from the UI, it also borrows the ability to add event to calendar directly from the mail app.
iOS gestures makes its entry to the OS X. You can now use the same gestures, that include – swipe to delete as well.
Revamped Notes app
Apple just killed the Evernote app with the feature-rich makeover of its Notes app. The sullen Notes app brings change in the form of the UI as well as features.
Just like Evernote, you can add checklist, URLs and photos to your notes and synchronise it with iCloud across different devices.
Improved photos app
The photos app is tweaked for neat and easy management of your photos. Alongside, it can be integrated with third-party photo editing tools to rasterise your photo with an entirely new identity.
Split-view feature
El Capitan brings the famous Split-View feature from the Windows to Mac. Alike Windows 8.1, two windows can be arranged side-by-side for multitasking.
Performance improvements
After adding glut of features the software engineers didn’t miss on improving the performance of the existing features. With the use of sophisticated algorithms, app switching is now 2x faster and app launching is 1.4x faster than before.
Metal
Deprived of game titles, the platform brings the popular Metal framework – that added lethargy to iOS game engines – to the OS X. This is a considerable step towards the future of gaming on OS X.
Release date
The first beta of OS X 10.11 is already available for developers. The public release is scheduled for fall.
Apple iOS 9
The mobile counterpart also gets an update. Enters iOS 9 – the latest version of iOS, since iOS. The mobile OS is compiled with similar features as the desktop counterpart – with an effort to bridge the gap between the two platforms.
Improved Siri
Siri – after making its debut in 2011 has gone advanced over the years to be one of the best virtual personal assistants. With iOS 9, Siri gets 40 percent faster and 40 percent more accurate than before.
The faster and accurate Siri contributes to quick and correct response. In addition to this, Siri gets glut of features including the ability to search within photos or set a reminder to finish an article, which you started reading on the web.
Wallet app
The Passbook app is renamed to “Wallet” in iOS 9. It’s one place to save all your credit and debit cards, reward cards, boarding passes, tickets and more.
Proactive Assistant
This new feature is Apple’s answer to Google Now. Proactive Assistant does the analysis and suggests you the right app to use at that moment, depending upon the location and time.
Whenever you plug the earphones, it automatically launches the music player. Also, it gives your reminders based upon the time and location. Assistance is far better as it will check your calendar entries for meetings, analyse the traffic on the route and suggest you the right time to leave for the meeting.
Your phone will keep a track on your daily routine and suggest you apps accordingly. If you get a call from an unknown number, this intelligent Proactive assistant will suggest you who might be calling if that calling number was ever mentioned in email.
Revamped Notes app
Like the OS X, Notes app on iOS also gets a makeover. Taking the step that would kill Evernote, Notes app gets addition of checklist, photos, URLs and also cloud synchronisation.
Improved Maps
The heavily criticised Apple Maps is trying to cope up. With iOS 9, Apple Maps get directions for public transportation like buses, trains, subways, and ferries.
There’s a “Nearby” feature that gets whatever is around you, may it be malls, restaurants, ATMs, shops, etc.
Quick Type Keyboard
iPads get productivity boost with the newly introduced Quick Type keyboard in iOS 9. The traditional keyboard is coupled with a shortcut bar at the top that gives easy and quick access to editing tools like cut, copy, paste, bold, italic and underline.
Additionally, the keyboard can virtually become a track pad when it comes to moving cursor around or selecting the text.
Multitasking for iPad
The productivity boost isn’t limited to the keyboard. iPad gets various multitasking features that include split view, slide over and picture in picture. With these features it is possible to work on two apps at the same time in a split view. With these you can check Tweets and work on your document at the same time. Removing the app switching overhead, analyst predict this feature will bring iPad close to the desktop when it comes to productivity.
Low power mode
Making the most out of the existing sensors, iOS 9 will cleverly use them to save on the battery life. Your phone now knows when it’s facing down, so it won’t turn on the display for showing notifications. There’s also a low power mode to explicitly save the battery.
Apple claims, with these features you’ll get additional one-hour usage on iPhone 6 and three hours on iPad.
Compatibility
Apple’s approach is to leave no one not update. The company decides to push iOS 9 to every device that received iOS 8 update.
Release date
iOS 9 will be available this fall, however, the beta version is already available for developers to download.
Apple Watch OS 2
In no time Apple watch gets its first major update. The watchOS is updated to version 2. The newly introduced firmware overcomes most of the drawbacks that the WatchOS had in the first place.
New Watch faces
The limitation on customising the watch faces was one of the major turn down of Apple Watch. With watchOS 2, Apple adds the ability to customise the watch face by using any photo. The factory faces have been updated with time-lapse videos of New York and London.
Third-party complications
With watchOS 2, developers are permitted to make their own complications. With this ability we can see lot of new watch faces with lot of widgets showing – sports score, weather, flight timing, etc.
Nightstand mode
Nightstand mode makes its way to the watchOS 2. This new mode is set to replace the alarm docks we use. The nightstand mode shows the date, time, charging status and the alarm information. It turns on when Apple watch is on its side.
Improved Mail app
This is probably the feature that should have been from the day one. You can now reply your mails from the mail app using smart replies, emojis or voice dictation.
Improved Siri
Siri can now launch Glances cutting your day job to swipe through them. You can also start or end your workouts using Siri.
Video playback
Apple added the video playback ability to the developers on the watch. With this, you’ll be able to see Vine videos right on your Apple Watch.
Activation Lock
Apple adds the ability to remotely wipe your watch if it’s stolen. This activation lock feature comes straight from iPhone and Mac.
Release date
Like iOS 9, watchOS 2 is scheduled for fall release. The beta version is available for developers.
Apple Music
The highly anticipated and heavily rumoured Apple Music gets an official word. The music streaming service from Apple is set to rejoice the music lovers as well as artists.
Features
Apple’s Beats acquisition finally makes sense now. The music streaming service – Apple Music – is set to be apart from the ordinary music services available on the web.
According to Apple, you’ll never run out of tracks to listen on Apple Music and the music recommendations that the service exhibits are based upon the industry experts.
Apple Music also synchronises with your iTunes library to have access to your purchased songs right into the new service. There are two ways in which your iTunes media can be accessed – by streaming or by downloading for offline listening.
What sets it apart from other music streaming services is the 24/7 radio. The radio service is claimed to broadcast music to over 100 countries from LA, New York and London.
Apart from music sharing, it might also become a platform for the artists to connect with their fans. Apple’s offering the artist to post their latest tracks, behind the scenes photos, in-progress lyrics or a new music.
Apple Music is set to take over the SoundCloud by letting all the users share their music and creativity with others. Although the name says, Apple Music is not about the audio only. There are thousands of music videos available on the service, which you can watch without advertisements interruption.
Release date
Apple Music will be available on June 30th in 100 countries. For iOS devices it will be available with iOS 8.4 release. Mac users can get it by updating the iTunes. Windows and Android users are on the roadmap as well. They’ll be getting the service this fall.
Pricing
Apple’s throwing this service for FREE for the first three months. If you want it further, you can get it by paying $9.99 per month for individual user. There’s a family plan for 6 users that cost $14.99.
More details at Apple.com.
