Apple Inc. (AAPL) just wrapped up the keynote to its WWDC 2016 conference, and while the emphasis was on developers, there were some big announcements for just about everyone.
We got the expected stuff, like iOS 10 and operating system upgrades for Apple’s other platforms.
But WWDC 2016 also included a much-needed overhaul of Apple Music, Apple Watch just got a whole lot more useful, and Siri received a huge boost with machine learning capability and a presence across all Apple’s platforms — including the desktop.
Here’s a look at three major developments from Day 1 of WWDC 2016:
Apple Music
AAPL has been dealing with a persistent public relations black eye over an issue with iTunes and Apple Music deleting some users’ personal music files. Besides this bug, the integration between Apple Music and iTunes wasn’t as smooth as it could have been. Adding some urgency to the situation, not only is Spotify refusing to roll over and die, it has been adding new paying subscribers at the same pace Apple Music has.
And now rumors are circulating that Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) is preparing to launch a standalone streaming music service as well.
At WWDC 2016, AAPL announced Apple Music has hit 15 million paid subscribers. The app has been give a UI overhaul, making it simpler to navigate and to use. New features include a lyrics pane, for singing along without butchering a song, but really it’s largely the same Apple Music functionality in a new appearance that should make it more intuitive to use.
Will these relatively minor tweaks be enough to keep Apple’s Music’s momentum? It’s not the overhaul some were expecting but the simplified UI should go a long way toward reducing confusion.
tvOS 2 and watchOS 3
Apple kicked off WWDC 2016 with watchOS 3, an update that’s focused on performance — one of the Apple Watch’s pain points. In particular, apps will be kept in memory so launching is seven times faster and the UI has been redesigned for easier use — including the addition of Scribble (a keyboard), and an SOS button to call 911.
Apple Watch will now unlock your Mac instead of needing a password, too.
Apple TV’s Siri gains the ability to search Alphabet Inc’s (GOOG,GOOGL) YouTube videos, while the new “Single sign on” feature means no more having to individually log in to the 1,300 video channels.
It’s also gaining new functionality as a new smart home focal point, able to automatically launch events with connected devices when you turn it on.
iOS 10, macOS
OS X is no more. As expected, Apple has renamed it macOS to align with its other platforms. The next version will be macOS Sierra and it gains features like a universal clipboard (cut and paste from iOS to macOS) and Apple Pay on the web using Safari — taking on PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL). The big news is the appearance of Siri — Apple’s voice-activated personal assistant — on the macOS desktop, taking on search and voice control duty.
Apple claims iOS 10 is the biggest iOS release to date, listing 10 new features. Tim Cook actually called it “the mother of all releases.” Among them …
- Live app status updates on the lock screen
- Photos gets facial recognition
- Maps gets a redesign with new capabilities and third-party access
- A new Home app centralizes control of smart home devices
- Messages gains the ability to embed videos or Apple Music tracks plus fun features like hand-writing texts and its own app section — to keep track of all those fun add-ons.
- In another huge step forward for Siri, the personal assistant gains deep learning for increased intelligence and third party developers now get access so Siri can be used to control their apps, not just Apple’s.
Those new Siri and Apple Maps features will be coming to Apple CarPlay, too.
This was probably the last big public event from Apple for the next few months. But stay tuned for September, when the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2 are both expected to be announced.
You can also expect to see all those cool iOS, tvOS, watchOS and macOS features officially launch then as well.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
