Apple kicked off its annual developer conference today in San Francisco on a somber note, as CEO Tim Cook asked attendants to stand up in silence to commemorate the shooting victims in Orlando.
Then, the company launched into a two-hour keynote detailing the changes coming to iOS, OS X (now macOS), watchOS, and more. Lots of updates and no new devices — that sums up this year’s WWDC.
Here’s a rundown of everything Apple announced.
Meet iOS 10
The newest version of iOS, which powers iPhones, iPads, and iPods, will feature deeper 3D Touch integration and major upgrades to iMessage, Siri, Photos, Maps, and more.
AI Weekly
The must-read newsletter for AI and Big Data industry written by Khari Johnson, Kyle Wiggers, and Seth Colaner.
Included with VentureBeat Insider and VentureBeat VIP memberships.
So long, OS X. Hello, macOS Sierra
Confirming earlier rumors, Apple announced today that it is renaming its desktop operating system from OS X to macOS.
Apple’s next big update to the Mac operating system will be called macOS Sierra (and was probably not named after the Instagram filter). It’s available now for Apple Developers, and it will open up to everyone in “public beta” next month.
watchOS 3
Apple unveiled its third major update to watchOS, the software that powers the Apple Watch. With the new version, there will be some common components of Apple’s other mobile operating systems — the Dock from OS X and the Control Center from iOS.
Apple hits refresh on Apple Music
Apple VP Eddy Cue announced the refresh today during the company’s WWDC keynote. He described the upcoming Apple Music update as “redesigned from the ground up,” and it’s been streamlined to make the experience less confusing.
Apple TV gets smarter
Apple is updating the streaming box with Siri improvements, single sign-on, and a dark mode.
Siri is coming to Macs, finally
Siri for macOS will let you send text messages, watch videos picture-in-picture, and summon files that you’re looking for, among other things.
Apple Pay is coming to the web
The integration will feature payment authentication using TouchID, an iPhone, or an iPad.
Redesigned Apple News
Along with bringing “subscriptions” to the over 2,000 publications available within the app, the update also delivers breaking news notifications.
Siri is now open for developers
Apple today finally did what it should have done years ago: release an application programming interface (API) that will enable third-party developers to tightly integrate their applications with Apple’s Siri virtual assistant.
Swift Playgrounds app will teach kids to code
Apple chief executive Tim Cook announced the launch of Swift Playgrounds, an iPad app that’s designed to teach people how to code — specifically with Apple’s open-source Swift programming language.
Xcode 8
Hidden in a slide during Apple’s WWDC developer conference keynote today was a reference to “Xcode editor extensions.” The presentation style of this information suggests that this is a minor update. But in fact, it’s a major addition to Xcode.
Apple’s App Store hits 130B downloads, soon $50B paid to devs
Apple announced that its App Store has surpassed 2 million apps and 130 billion downloads, resulting in nearly $50 billion paid out to developers.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Learn More