Summary of the WWDC 2020 Keynote: iOS 14, macOS Big Sur, Apple Silicon and other new features

Every year in June, Apple puts its developers in the spotlight by offering, as part of a special event, called WWDC for Worldwide Developers Conference, dozens of workshops and meetings around the theme of programming.

This is also when the Apple company generally reveals, during a keynote, the new features that developers will have to get to grips with during the summer. The systemsiOS,macOS,watchOSettvOSare notably in the spotlight during this WWDC presentation. But it also happens that some unexpected new things show up, notably new products.

On the other hand, 2020 is a special year since, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WWDC this time does not take place in person, but only online, virtually. The same goes for the announcement conference opening the event.

But whatever the format, as always, the iPhon.fr editorial team was united to make youshare these announcements live throughout the presentation. This one has barely finished, here isour full announcement summary, new features and surprises from this conference!

• Watch the full conference here on YouTube:

Without an audience, a first

Tim Cook introduced the conference to an auditorium empty of people. He referred to the current news, including the anti-racism movements around the world and the death of George Floyd, but also the coronavirus pandemic which has shaken and still shakes the entire planet.

In addition, the CEO announced that WWDC content will be accessible to everyone this year (and not just developers?).

What's new in iOS 14

• Home screen improvements: introducing many new ways to organize your home screen
• App Library: special page of the home screen where all its applications are organized automatically, with search field, suggestions and categories

• Ability to hide application pages
• Widget improvements: more customization options in data and size of widgets on the widgets page, with possible sliding to pages on the home screen
• Smart Stacks: stack of home screen widgets, which can even automatically display the most relevant widget during the day
• Picture in picture: already seen on iPad, allows you to keep a video window flying even when going to other applications. Also possible to hide the video and keep only the sound
• New Translate app: dedicated to translating text into many languages ​​(without sending information to third-party servers, the entire operation takes place on the device). In particular, it offers a discussion mode to enable the most understandable translations of sentences possible.
• Improved sleep tracking
• Notifications d’appel: new incoming call notification, which no longer takes up the entire screen

What's New Siri

• New interface for Siri: Siri can display information over the screen currently viewed by the user

• New Siri requests taken into account: for example, send an audio message
• Improved translation via Siri

What's New Messages

• Conversation favorites
• New possibilities for Memojis: including the surgical mask
• New Memojis stickers
• Conversation improvements: possible addition of mentions to one of the interlocutors and the reply function to display a discussion thread

Apple Plans

• Announcement of the deployment of new maps: for new countries, including Canada and Ireland (but not yet France)
• Guides: Guides offered in the Apple Maps app to find recommended places
• Bike: addition of bicycle journeys
• Electric car: trips dedicated to electric vehicles, to know when and where to recharge, even indicating which charger to use depending on your vehicle
• Restrictions de pollution: support for restrictions in certain large cities (even/odd vehicles for example)

CarPlay

• New wallpapers

• New CarPlay app categories
• Support the CarKeys: to open your car (CarKeys compatible) simply with the iPhone and NFC technology. In particular, it is possible to share a key with a friend remotely.Please note, CarKeys will also be available in iOS 13, possibly in version 13.6.

App Store

• App Clips: light version of an app accessible via Messages or scanning a QR code, or even a web link or an App Clips code, for example to discover a service or an application without having to download the full application

New features exclusive to iPadOS 14

• Designed for iPad: to discern applications made for iPad. For example, Apple's Photos app is gaining new features, exclusive to iPadOS, including the sidebar. Same for Notes, or even Files. Also appearance of a toolbar in most of these applications, and possibly in third-party “Designed for iPad” apps.
• Improved search: new way to use search on iPadOS like Spotlight on macOS. Search is universal and allows you to search for any content or app on the iPad. Also, the search bar launches on any screen.

Apple Pencil

• Scribble: new function which allows you to write with Pencil and transform writing into computer writing. Also works for shapes
• Improved text selection: easier to select a word or sentence thanks to double tap
• Intelligent text detection: iPadOS can detect if you have written a phone number by hand or an address to automatically make the text intelligent. Pressing the latter then launches the corresponding app (Message, Apple Plans, etc.)

watchOS 7

• Multiple complications for the dials: to display several pieces of information from the same app
• New dials also available

• Watch face sharing: to download new watch faces from the App Store, from websites or from the recommendation of friends
• Apple Plans: improvements to cycle route directions from the watch
• New sports supported: the Apple Watch can now support, as physical exercise, different types of dances, but also other new sports
• New activity summary on iPhone
• Name change: the Activity app becomes the Fitness app
• Hand washing: the watch can determine the duration of hand washing automatically and recommends continuing in the case of too short hand washing

Sleep tracking

The watch can help you better track your sleep, but also improve your goals for going to bed and getting up.

• Shortcut support: automated launches of certain apps when going to bed or getting up
• Improved waking up via the watch

• Design: several design changes to note for this new version, for the application windows, but also the software toolbars and the menu bar.
• Control center: appearance of a space to find several settings in this control center.
• Improved notification center
• Improved widget screen

Messages

• Improved search
• Memojis: possibility of creating a Memoji on the Mac
• Effects: arrival of message effects on Mac

Plans

• New design
• Adding Favorites to the Sidebar
• In addition to all the Maps additions in iOS 14

Safari

• Speed: even faster loading of web pages
• Improved Privacy Report: to know what user data a web page collects
• Security settings for extensions: it is possible to fine-tune the behavior of an extension, over a single day, a single page, etc.
• Advanced customization for the home screen

• New design for tab display: including preview of pages when hovering over a tab
• Page translation: integrated translation tool

But also

Security

• More settings for sharing your location
• Alerts when camera or microphone is recording
• Hardening location tracking for App Store apps
• Data sheet to be provided by developers clearly displaying what user data is retrieved

Maison

• Automated lighting: new functionality for HomeKit lighting, allowing you to benefit from the best lighting depending on the time of day
• Face recognition: improvement of face recognition for HomeKit cameras, allowing you to be notified of who is at the door for example

tvOS 14

• New Xbox Controllers Considered
• Picture in picture: improved support for video always visible in flying window

AirPods

• Automatic source change: AirPods can track the device the wearer is using automatically
• Son spatial pour AirPods Pro: 3D sound creation algorithm with adaptation to the position of the head and the position of the iPad or iPhone screen. Compatible with 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos surround sound

New Mac architecture: Apple Silicon

Tim Cook himself announced the transition from an Intel architecture, on Mac, to an in-house chip:Apple Silicon. Not only do the Californian firm's engineers want to offer more power for less energy requirements. But this move to Apple chips will make it possible to integrate different in-house technologies into Mac CPUs.

The architecture will also be universal between iOS and macOS, an important point for developers. iPhone and iPad apps will therefore be able to launch without problems on Mac under ARM. A new version of Rosetta,Rosetta 2will allow you to use an app written for Intel architecture on macOS Big Sur and a Mac with an ARM chip.

Tim Cook announced a first Mac under ARM architecture by the end of the year, and a complete transition in 2 years. But he also said he had Macs still under Intel architecture under development in Apple laboratories.

Here are tonight's announcements from Apple.Did you like this keynote?? What do you think is the most promising new development? And the most disappointing?

Obviously, we will detail each of these announcements in the coming days. So, don’t hesitate to follow us if you don’t already!

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.