Apple’s WWDC (World-Wide Developers Conference) 2022 is underway where we got a preview of the upcoming iOS 16, macOS Ventura, iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9. Apple also unveiled a redesigned MacBook Air and refreshed the 13-inch MacBook Pro, both powered by the new M2 chip. Here’s everything you need to know about iOS 16, macOS Ventura, iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9.
The iOS 16 update that’s set to arrive later this year brings tons of new features such as lock screen customizations, iCloud shared photo library, live text for videos and visual look up, to name a few.
In iOS 16 now users can customize their lock screen with widgets like events, weather, alarms, activity ring progress and more. There’s an option to change the typeface and colours of the date and time on the lock screen. Users will also be able to check real-time activities such as the game scores, food delivery status and more. Apple has also changed how notifications appear on the lock screen which is now at the bottom and can be rolled up with just a flick.
Apple is introducing the iCloud Shared Photo Library which allows upto six users to collaborate in the same photo library. This way, everyone in the family or a group of friends can have all the pictures from multiple iPhones in a single place. Every user who has access to this Shared Photo Library will be able to add, delete and edit photos and videos and this feature also has a toggle in the camera app so all photos and videos will automatically be uploaded to the shared library.
The Live Text feature that can detect text in images is now expanding to also include videos. Users will now be able to pause a video and copy the text shown in a video. A new feature called Visual Look Up allows users to copy the subject of a picture separate from the background and use it in messages. It can identify animals, birds, insects and statues.
The next version of macOS is called Ventura which brings new productivity and multi-tasking features along with Continuity Camera which lets you use your iPhone as the webcam. With Ventura, macOS is introducing Stage Manager which lets you switch between multiple apps and windows effortlessly. It automatically organizes open windows in a stack on the left side and users can also group multiple windows together.
With the Continuity Camera, macOS can now recognize an iPhone nearby and connect to it wirelessly as a webcam for your MacBook. It also brings features like Centre Stage, Portrait mode and Studio Light to your webcam. Additionally, Continuity Camera uses the ultra-wide camera on the iPhone to show a Desk Video and the user’s face at the same time which will come in handy for collaborative projects.
The FaceTime app now gets the Handoff feature which means you can now start a call on your iPhone and continue it on your MacBook nearby. The macOS Ventura is also bringing Passkeys which are encrypted digital kets that use TouchID or FaceID for biometric authentication instead of passwords. Users can sign in to websites, apps and more across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and non-Apple devices as well.
Apple also revealed three upcoming AAA titles to Mac and iPad powered by the Metal 3 graphics framework including EA’s Grid Legends, Resident Evil Village and No Man’s Sky.
The iPadOS 16 gets Stage Manager expanding the ways you can multitask on an iPad along with support for a full external display of upto 6K resolution. A new collaborative app called Freeform debuts with iPadOS 16 giving users a blank canvas to put their thoughts in a single place and letting others edit and build those thoughts in real-time. The iPad is also getting a dedicated weather app with striking animations and details like precipitation levels, air quality index and more.
With the iPadOS 16, the iPad Pro can be used as a reference monitor for colour grading in the dedicated Reference Mode which matches the accurate colour requirements in professional workflows. Next up is a Display Zoom feature that allows the display to increase its pixel density and view more elements in an app, like when multitasking using Split View.
Apple also previewed the next-generation watchOS 9 which brings four new watch faces for Apple Watch users. The Workout app has been updated to provide advanced metrics and training exercises inspired by professional athletes. Moreover, it adds sleep stage monitoring to the Sleep app and offers deeper insights into a user’s sleeping habits.