Apple held its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote on June 10 and showed us not only what all the new Apple operating systems have in store but also a peek into the controversial world of AI. We learned iOS 18 will bring us revamped Home Screen options, new messaging capabilities, and a completely redesigned Photos app; iPadOS 18 is finally getting a calculator and will quietly improve your handwriting; and watchOS 11 will offer more tracking than ever. Mac’s new operating system is named after the mighty sequoias and will sync with your iPhone better than before, while visionOS sees its first update. Let’s dive into everything announced at the 2024 WWDC keynote.
iPhone Comes of Age with iOS 18
iOS 18 comes to your iPhone with big updates for Control Center, Photos, Messages, Mail, Safari, Wallet, Maps, and a brand-new Passwords app. iOS 18 both brings long-overdue updates like scheduling texts in advance and RCS support, and looks to the future with AI-powered features in Photos, Notes, and more. Some of the noteworthy features include new Home Screen customization options like matching your app icons to your background's color scheme, new text animation and styling in Messages, and a redesign of the Photos app that makes compiling and sharing memories easier and more beautiful. Another highlight is the ability to lock apps, adding to Apple's already strong privacy features. Read our full coverage of Apple's iOS 18 preview.
AI Takes Center Stage
Like many in the tech industry, Apple is integrating AI into its latest software in the form of what Apple calls "Apple Intelligence." Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing and new private Apple Silicon servers to power new AI features, like Writing Tools that help you rewrite and summarize text system-wide; the Image Playground app that can create new artwork out of your photos; or Priority Notifications that place your most important notifications at the top of the stack. To top it all off, ChatGPT has been natively integrated into the OS, allowing you to easily generate writing prompts, images, and more. Read our full Apple Intelligence coverage.
iPadOS 18 Goes to Math Class
Apple announced all-new features for iPadOS 18 today, many overlapping with iOS 18, and some completely unique to the iPad. The top new iPad features include Smart Script in the Notes app. This feature makes writing with the Apple Pencil easier and more intuitive than ever before. The iPad finally gets a Calculator app, both basic and scientific, with this OS. Math Notes uses the Apple Pencil and Calculator to help students plot graphs, assign variables, and evaluate and solve expressions. Finally, each iPad app will offer a subtle yet dynamic navigation bar that morphs into a vertical sidebar, to keep your focus on the app content, not the controls. Read our full iPadOS 18 coverage.
Training Load & Smart Stacks Come to watchOS
Unlike the other devices in Apple’s lineup, watchOS 11 did not receive many AI-specific updates. Instead, the Apple Watch will get a new way to track your workouts called Training Load, pregnancy-tracking capabilities, the Sprout app to monitor your baby’s growth, and the all-new Vitals app, which puts all your important health metrics in one place. One AI-powered feature coming to watchOS 11 is widget-sorting in the Smart Stack. Smart Stack will also receive the handy Check-In feature we know from iOS, live widgets that update in real time, and one new AI-powered watch face that allows you to pick the perfect photo. Read our full watchOS 11 coverage.
Sequoia Blends Mac & iPhone
Mac's newest operating system, Sequoia, shares many new features with iOS and iPadOS 18, but several are Mac specific. Sequoia lets users control their iPhones from their Macs with iPhone Mirroring, offers new methods of desktop organization, provides a more immersive gaming experience, and, for those of us who video conference, introduces Presenter preview and background replacements. Read our full macOS 15 Sequoia coverage.
The Vision Pro Grows Up
Baby's first update is here, with Apple announcing visionOS 2 for the Vision Pro. The update includes 3D photos, new hand gesture controls, and enhancements across most of its apps. Plus, visionOS is supported in a few new countries including China, Australia, Germany, and France. With the first round of reviews of the Vision Pro underwhelming (at least at the iPhone Life office), the first update coming so soon might mean increased interest and usability.
The tvOS Convenience Bump
Apple tvOS 18 is offering a few utilitarian changes and one flashy one. Apple TV subtitles will now appear automatically when the system deems it necessary, such as when you hit mute or the dialog switches languages. Apple also introduced a new feature called InSight which allows you to see the actors onscreen in Apple TV originals as well as the song playing in that scene. Another update is a 21:9 format that works with projectors. Finally, we're seeing new screen savers including a Snoopy in Space scene and Portrait photos.
AirPods Get Smarter
Your AirPods are getting two pretty big updates: Voice Isolation and Siri Interactions. Voice Isolation is a feature we're already familiar with from the iPhone; it takes your voice and eliminates background noise, convenient if you're in a noisy area or trying to talk while a vacuum is running. Siri Interactions enables you to give Siri commands with a nod or shake of your head. For example, Siri might ask you if you want to accept a call and you can shake your head to decline it or nod to answer.
