In this last month of spring, we met up with Apple this evening for a usual meeting:WWDC and its opening conference. It is during this event that the Californian firm traditionally presents the new features of its next OS, iOS and macOS in particular.
And while the WWDC Keynotes are usually quite exciting, with Tim Cook and his associates taking the opportunity to also announce new Macs from time to time, this year the anticipation was exceptionally high. A good reason for this: for several months there have been rumors of the preparation, in the Cupertino laboratories, of avirtual reality headset. Were we finally able to find out this evening? Answer in our article, among many other detailed announcements.
Watch the full conference on video:
Introduction
In a completely classic way, we find Tim Cook in the Apple Park for an introduction highlighting the work of developers for Apple platforms. After a short speech, time for the first announcements.
Below are the major new features of iOS 17.
© Apple
Phone
- Posters de contact :the wallpaper changes depending on who calls you back. The wallpaper, or poster, as Apple calls it, can be found in the Contacts app.
- Live Voicemail :When someone leaves a message on your voicemail, iOS transcribes the message live into text, which you can read on the call reception screen
Facetime
- Sending video messages:you can leave video messages to your correspondents
Messages
- Improved general search
- New design for sticker management
- Stickers can also now be used everywhere in iOS, in third-party apps in particular.
- Accompaniement :new security tracking feature to notify loved ones in the event of a problem
New Journal app
Journal wants to make it easy for everyone to write about their personal life, for the purposes of mental well-being.
Apple obviously guarantees great security for your writing.
New StandBy feature
When switched to landscape, the iPhone activates a new special StandBy mode. The latter displays photos, the time, or both. This is sort of an extended feature of Always On Screen technology.
Other new features
- AirDrop :new Namedrop function, to easily share your contact information via AirDrop. In addition you can easily launch Airdrop shares by bringing two compatible devices together
- Keyboard :The self-correction function is greatly improved with new technology and design. Underpinned by machine learning, to adapt to your uses
- Dictation:new voice detection and transcription to text algorithm
- Plans :maps can be downloaded
- Photos :recognition of your pets
iPadOS 17
- Widgets on the lock screen:addition of new widgets to the locked screen, including Live Activities
- Lock screen customization:like on iPhone
- Health :arrival of the Health app on iPad, with personal data synchronized via iCloud
- Documents :various improvements for PDF file support in iPadOS
- Others :Stage Manager is more flexible on window positioning, Freeform gains new drawing and collaboration tools
watchOS 10
- The intelligent battery:it is automatically updated according to your uses. It is also triggered very easily
- Design improvements:for the Activities app and the Time Zones app
- Dials:two new dials are included, including one on the Snoopy theme
- Activities :several improvements for several activities, including cycling, with automatic synchronization of activity on iPhone, live and in session, climbing, with a new view in particular, but also golf or hiking, with a new map topographic (USA only initially)
- Mental health:new possibility of adding your current emotions to the watch
- Health :the watch can now measure time spent in sunlight
© Apple
macOS: place in Sonoma
macOS gains a lot from the new features of iOS and iPadOS 17. But also the following exclusives:
- Wallpapers:new batch of stunning images for your desktops
- Widgets :widgets can now be moved and embedded on the desktop
© Apple
- Syncing from iPhone:if your iPhone is close to your Mac, you can display an iPhone widget on macOS
- Video game:a new game mode Game Mode allows you to force the Mac to reserve part of its resources for a video game
- Video conference:new effect available in FaceTime, with superposition of the speaker on a presentation screen. Also added new video effects, available in FaceTime, but also certain third-party apps
- Safari :improved operation of private windows, with automatic blocking of a window
- Passkeys :you can now share your passkeys with contacts of your choice
- Profiles:Finally, in Safari you can use different profiles, which allows you to separate your work life from your personal life in Safari
- Web apps :Safari can more simply transform web apps into macOS apps
© Apple
Availability of new OS
The new OS will be available in developer beta in the coming hours/days. They will appear in final version for the general public in the fall.
Apple Vision Pro augmented reality headset
This is Apple's One More Thing! It is an augmented reality headset, with an operating system to be controlled with your fingertips. According to Tim Cook, the Vision Pro wants to democratize spatial computing.
The headset displays an interface superimposed on the real world. You can place applications in real space.
© Apple
Vision Pro: what Apple tells us about it
- Controls:no control device is needed. Everything is done with the fingers, the eyes and the voice
- Augmented reality:Apple insists on the “augmented” character. In this sense, you can always see the environment around you. Likewise, other people can see your eyes in certain modes
- Applications :we find all the classic Apple applications there
- iCloud :of course, iCloud data synchronization is required
- Optic ID :new biometric authentication technology, based on eye analysis
Apple emphasizes the improvements for collaborative work offered by the headset, as well as for immersion for entertainment (cinema, video games, etc.). Disney+ will notably be available on the Vision Pro, as soon as the headset is released on the market. Without forgetting to mention the benefits of headphones for travel or even major events, sporting, political, etc.
© Apple
Some features of the Vision Pro
- Wearing comfort:modular port system, so as to adapt to all kinds of faces
- Battery :2 hours of autonomy thanks to a remote battery
- Screens:screens can display 4K videos
- Audio :the sound is adapted according to the detected environment and sent directly to your ears with a 3D diffusion sensation
- CPU :new R1 chip, supported by an M2 chip
- Persona :a sort of avatar of yourself is displayed to other people on FaceTime for example, when you use the headset
- visionOS :this is the operating system of the headset
- Dedicated App Store:visionOS has its own App Store, with exclusive apps, but also visionOS versions of classic iPhone and iPad applications
Helmet price and availability
- Prix :$3499 (prices in euros to come)
- Availability :2024, in the USA first, then elsewhere
New MacBook Air 15″
The key features of the MacBook Air 15″
- Weight and size:11.5 mm thick and weighing 1.49 kg
- Recharge :charge MagSafe
- Connections:2 Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack
- Screen :Retina Display technology and a size of 15.3 inches diagonally
- Son :6 speakers
- Processor:Puce Apple silicon M2
- Battery :18 hours of battery life
© Apple
Price and availability of the MacBook Air 15″
It is sold in 4 finishes.
- Prix :from €1,599
- Availability :pre-order from today, deliveries next week
By the way, the MacBook Air 13″ M2 still cost €1499 yesterday, it is now sold for €1299!
New Mac Studio
Highlights of the 2nd generation Mac Studio
- Processor:M2 Max et M2 Ultra
- RAM:up to 192 GB of RAM
- Storage :up to 6TB of SSD space
Mac Studio M2 pricing and availability
- Prix :from €2,399
- Availability :pre-order from today, deliveries next week
New Mac Pro
The notable features of the Mac Pro Apple silicon
- Processor:M2 Ultra
- RAM:up to 192 GB of RAM
- Connections:6 slots d’extensions PCI-express
- Format :tower or rack same case as the previous version of the Mac Pro
Mac Pro pricing and availability
- Prix :from €8,299
- Availability :pre-order from today, deliveries next week
© Apple
But also
Audio
- Adaptive Audio :mixes transparency and noise reduction modes, to automatically reduce only unwanted noise, more effectively. Available on AirPods
- AirPlay :AirPlay comes to hotels
- Apple Music :SharePlay comes to compatible cars
TV
- tvOS :improvements to access to audio and remote control settings
- FaceTime :Video conferencing app comes to tvOS, with support for video viewed on connected iPhone or iPad
Finally, we launched a survey to collect your first impressions of this presentation. You can answer them below.
Don’t hesitate to share your impressions in comments!
i-nfo.fr - Official iPhon.fr app
By : Keleops AG
Editor-in-chief for iPhon.fr. Pierre is like Indiana Jones, looking for the lost iOS trick. Also a long-time Mac user, Apple devices hold no secrets for him. Contact: pierre[a]iphon.fr.
