There was a lot Apple needed to cram into its WWDC 2024 keynote that some options had been omitted of the highlight. Right here on the firm’s campus, I’ve had the possibility to talk with numerous executives, in addition to get deeper dives into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, Apple Intelligence, watchOS 11 and extra. In these periods, I have been capable of be taught extra about how particular issues work, like what steps precisely do you’re taking to customise your iPhone’s dwelling display and management middle. I additionally bought to see another updates that weren’t even briefly talked about through the keynote, like new assist for mountaineering routes in Apple Maps and what coaching load insights appear to be on watchOS 11. Of all of the unmentioned options I’ve come to find, listed here are my favorites.
Maps: Create and share customized routes
I’ve at all times been a Google Maps lady, partly as a result of that app had superior info in comparison with Apple Maps in its early years. Today, I persist with Google Maps as a result of it has all my saved locations and historical past. Once I discovered that iOS 18 would convey updates to Apple Maps, significantly to do with mountaineering and routes, I used to be intrigued.
Mainly, in iOS 18, if you go into search in Maps, you will see a brand new choice below “Discover Close by” referred to as hikes. It will present you really helpful hikes, and you may filter by the kind of hike (loop, for instance) and specify a size. You may discover choices within the neighborhood and tapping into one will present you a topographical view with the elevation particulars, how difficult it ought to be in addition to estimated length. You’ll be able to faucet to save lots of every route and retailer it for offline reference later and add notes too. There is a new Library view and you will find it in your profile in Maps.
You may additionally be capable to create new routes in Maps by tapping anyplace to begin defining your route. You’ll be able to hold tapping so as to add waypoints, which is able to trigger the path to proceed to attach them, then hit a “Shut loop” button to complete your path. These routes may be shared, although it is not but clear in case you can share it to, say, your pal or driver to have them take your most well-liked path to your vacation spot.
The hikes that Apple will serve up in Maps are created by its personal crew, which is working with US Nationwide Parks, in order that they’ll solely be accessible for the 63 nationwide parks within the nation to start with. In different phrases, it is not porting info from AllTrails, for instance. In a press launch, Apple stated 1000’s of hikes might be accessible to browse at launch.
As a metropolis dweller who solely generally hikes, my pleasure is much less about mountaineering and extra concerning the potential of sharing my customized routes to indicate individuals how they need to stroll to my constructing or favourite restaurant from the prepare station. It is a compelling characteristic, and arguably a purpose I would select Apple Maps versus Google’s.
Calendar integration with Reminders
Frankly, the Maps replace could be my favourite out of every little thing that wasn’t proven off through the WWDC 2024 keynote by an enormous margin. However among the new instruments coming to Calendar tickle my fancy too. Particularly, the brand new integration with reminders makes it simpler to not simply schedule your duties proper into your daybook, but additionally verify them off from the Calendar app. You’ll be able to quickly transfer reminders round by lengthy urgent and dragging them, in order that notice to name you mother may be positioned on a slot at 5pm on Wednesday, as an alternative of sitting in your Reminders app. As well as, Calendar is getting new views that higher element your degree of exercise every day in a month, much like how the Health app reveals your each day rings progress shortly within the month-to-month view.
Tapback insights exhibiting who precisely responded with what emoji
This is not one wasn’t talked about in any respect through the keynote, however there are particulars about how Tapback works that weren’t described at yesterday’s present. When you’re like me, you may not even have remembered that Tapback refers to these reactions you may ship in Messages by double tapping on a blue or grey bubble. With iOS 18, you will get extra choices than the restricted choice of coronary heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, “Haha,” exclamation factors and query mark. They’re additionally going to indicate up in full shade with the replace, as an alternative of the prevailing (boring) grey.
What I discovered in a while, although, is that if you double faucet a message that already has reactions hooked up to it, a brand new balloon seems on the prime of your display exhibiting who has responded with which emoji. This could make it simpler to lurk in a gaggle chat, but additionally might double as an unofficial polling instrument by asking your mates to react with particular emojis to point completely different solutions. That ought to make Messages a bit extra like Slack, and I want Whatsapp and Telegram would take notice.
Others: Math Notes in iPhone, updates to Journal and Safari
There are numerous options coming to iOS 18 that did not get a lot love on the WWDC stage, just like the Journal app’s new widget for the house display, which reveals prompts for reflection and allows you to create new entries. Journal additionally has a brand new insights view that shows your writing streaks and different historic information, plus a brand new instrument that permits you to add your frame of mind to every entry from inside the app.
In the meantime, Safari is getting a brand new “Highlights” button within the search (or URL) bar, and tapping it is going to present a machine-learning-generated abstract of the webpage you are on. Tapping into this brings up a panel with extra info like navigation instructions to a restaurant talked about on the web page, for instance, or a cellphone quantity to name up a enterprise. You may also shortly launch the reader view from this pane.
I wasn’t tremendous keen about both of these, largely as a result of I do not use the Journal app a lot and I do not want Safari summarizing an internet site for me. However another buried updates that I actually wished to shout out. For instance, Math Notes for iPad and utilizing Apple Pencil actually bought a whole lot of time, but it surely wasn’t until I checked out Apple’s iOS 18 press launch that I discovered the iPhone’s Notes app can also be getting a model of it. Based on the screenshot Apple included, it seems to be like you may tally up and cut up bills between a gaggle of pals by writing an inventory of bills and the way a lot every merchandise price, then add the names of every expense to a formulation with plus and equal indicators, then get that divided by the variety of individuals in your group. Not fairly Splitwise, however I might see this turning into extra highly effective over time.
I used to be additionally intrigued by among the Sensible Script options on iPadOS 18, particularly after I realized that you may simply transfer your handwritten phrases round by dragging your handwritten phrases additional away from one another, and the remainder of your scrawled textual content strikes in tandem. That is exhausting to explain, and I will have to attend until I can attempt it for myself to indicate you an animated instance. Nevertheless it was spectacular, even when it is not extraordinarily helpful.
Lastly, the Passwords app and different privateness updates bought a shout out through the keynote, however I discovered extra about how issues like accent setup and contacts sharing with apps work. Apple is releasing a brand new accent setup equipment in order that system makers can undertake a pairing interface much like the way you’d join your AirPods or Apple Watch to your iPhone. If the builders do not use this method, the brand new Bluetooth setup interface might be a lot clearer about what different Bluetooth units are in your native community and what you are truly granting entry to if you comply with let an app see different units in your community. Although this wasn’t totally skipped through the keynote, the Passwords app is one thing that makes me joyful, since I am completely sick of getting to dig via settings to discover a method to get codes for particular apps I take advantage of my iPhone’s authenticator to unlock.
There are many options that had been talked about that I am excited by and discovered extra concerning the workings of, together with the brand new dynamic clock model within the Images face in watchOS 11, pinned collections within the redesigned Images app and iPadOS mirroring for simpler distant tech assist. Oh, and that new Airplay characteristic that’ll allow you to ship cash to pals by holding your telephones collectively? Sure! Having the ability to pause and alter your Exercise rings in watchOS and that Coaching Load perception? Hallelujah!
And although I can see the attraction of locked and hidden apps, I am unsure I would discover a lot use for that and it could most likely exacerbate my already prone-to-suspicion nature.
I am additionally slightly cautious of issues like Genmoji and Picture Playground, that are each Apple Intelligence options that will not hit all iOS 18 units. There might be metadata info indicating when photos had been generated by Apple’s AI, and guardrails in place to forestall the creation of abusive and exploitative content material.
Clearly, there are many updates coming to Apple’s telephones, tablets, laptops and wearables later this yr, and I am unable to wait to attempt them out. The general public beta ought to be prepared across the finish of summer time this yr, which is when most individuals (who’re keen to danger an unstable platform) can verify them out.
Catch up right here for all of the information out of Apple’s WWDC 2024.
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