WWDC 2015 latest news
WWDC 2015 is underway! We culled all the big news from the Day 1’s 2+ hour keynote below and will continue updating this page as our conference coverage continues.
Curious how iOS 8 matches up to iOS 9? We pit the two in a no-holds-barred versus, plus reveal the 12 great iOS 9 features Apple didn’t mention on the keynote stage.
For more fighting fun, check out Apple Music vs Spotify … and everyone else. And for some eye candy, check out OS X 10 El Capitan in pictures.
Want to make the switch from Android to iOS? Apple made just the thing to help you do so. There are some hints in iOS 9 as to what the iPad Pro will bring, too, and a some heavy hints from the new mobile OS as to what we’ll see in the iPhone 6S.
If you’re pressed for time, we have a quick and dirty rundown of the keynote’s events, too.
WWDC 2015 major announcements
iOS 9
Apple’s Craig Federighi broke down iOS 9 on the keynote stage, revealing Siri is getting smarter and more proactive in the new update. The personal assistant will know when you get in the car, automatically put new appointments in your Calendar and, by looking through your emails and contacts, give a guess as to who that random number calling you might be.
An improved QuickType keyboard is coming to the iPad, making typing and editing much faster and easier than before.
Also for the iPad, new Multitasking improvements include Split View and picture-in-picture viewing. Slide Over lets users open a second app without leaving the app they’re currently using. Split View will only be available on the iPad Air 2, while the other views will be available on Apple’s family of iPads.
iOS 9 takes less space to install than iOS 8, Apple claimed, so the company expects many upgrades. Apple claims that with average use, the iPhone 6 battery should last another hour.
The beta will be available to developers starting today with a first-ever public beta coming in July. It will be a free upgrade for all in the fall, and is coming to all the devices that worked with iOS 8.
New iOS 9 apps
Apple is replacing a few of its tried and true apps with better ones in its new mobile OS. News is essentially a Newsstand replacement that replicates some of Flipboard, Blinkfeed and Feedly’s best elements, curating articles for users based on their interests. Publishers like the New York Times and Conde Nast will make their content available on News.
It’ll be available for iPhone and iPad. News is only headed to the US, UK and Australia, at least to start.
There’s also a new Notes app, which has several Evernote undertones. Users can add checklists of to-do items and access their cameras to add photos or scribble notes with their fingers. Also in iOS 9, Passbook will be renamed Wallet.
Apple Music
Apple announced what we all suspected to see: Apple Music. As he introduced it, Cook said of Apple Music: “It’s going to change the way you experience music.”
There are a few elements to the new service. First, there’s a 24/7 live global radio station called Beats 1. It’s hosted by some big radio names from around the world and will feature interviews, guest hosts, news and music culture bits. Then there’s Connect, which lets artists, whether on a major record label or unsigned, connect with fans through their music, pictures, lyrics and mix taps.
Music videos are watchable on Apple Music, too.
A feature called For You provides recommendations from actual human curators. Tell Apple Music what you like, and you’ll get picks based on your choices.
Users will still have access to their iTunes library, and iTunes songs are available on demand for streaming and saving for offline listening later on. Users can share playlists, albums and videos with their friends and contacts.
Siri can pull up songs you ask it to find using colloquial terms, like, “Play the top song from January 1982” or “Play the song from the movie Selma.”
Apple Music will cost $9.99 a month, and comes with a family plan for $14.99/month for up to six family members. Apple is offering a free three-month trial. Apple Music arrives with iOS 8.4 on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch on June 30. It will be available for Android and Windows “later this fall.”
Apple Watch OS 2
Apple CEO Tim Cook began the keynote by teasing we’d learn about updates coming to the watchOS, and we sure did. Cook specifically revealed native apps are coming to the Apple Watch via an update to the software.
watchOS 2 is bringing new faces, features and functions. Developers will be able to create their own complications – watch lingo for the various things you see on your a watch face – so users can populate their Apple Watch face with third-party apps. Users will be able to pick a photo from the Photos app to use as their watch background. Another watch face, called Time-Lapse, brings images of iconic locales from around the world over 24 hours.
Apple also announced Time Travel, and while it won’t transport you into the future, turning the Digital Crown will show you upcoming events and temperatures.
When the Apple Watch is turned on its side and is charging with the watchOS update, it automatically switches to Nightstand mode, and the Digital Crown turns into a snooze button while the side button turns off alarms. Users can email directly from their wrist with smart replies, emojis and dictation.
On the health and fitness front, third-party apps can contribute to the Watch’s Activity rings and Siri can start and end workouts. Users can share their Activity and Workout achievements on Facebook, Twitter and through Messages.
All of Apple Pay and Apple Map’s new features (see below) are headed to the Apple Watch. Uses can also use HomeKit to control lights and other things in their homes.
The Apple Watch OS 2 update is coming to all in the fall, with the developer preview available today.
OS X 10 El Capitan
We learned the latest version of OS X is called OS 10 El Capitan. Improvements to Spotlight and built-in apps are part of the update, and performance is getting a nice boost. One of the neatest little improvements is the ability to mute the random sounds that often (most of the time) start playing when you open a Safari tab, a feature already available in Chrome.
Spotlight is getting more intuitive, letting users “search in their own words.” Apple’s Metal graphics engine is bringing performance enhancements to the Mac, which is especially good for games.
Developers will get their hands on the new OS X today, with public beta starting in July. It will be available to the public fully this fall as a free update.
Apple Pay updates
As for Apple’s mobile payment system, as you may expect, the service is expanding to more stores like Trader Joe’s and JC Penney in the US.
The biggest news of all though is that Apple Pay is also arriving in the UK next month. The service is coming to a number of major banks and retailers, but perhaps most excitedly, users will be able to pay for their rides on public transportation.
Apple Maps
This should make public transport riders very happy: Apple Maps is finally adding transit info. Transit directions are headed to major cities like San Francisco, New York and London as well as numerous cities in China.
Nearby restaurants, bars, shops and activities will also pop up on Maps.
iOS, OS X, Apple Watch and Apple TV
Read on to find out what we expected from the big event!
Apple’s WWDC 2015 keynote is today, and it’s bound to be a little more worldly and a little bit wider, touting inroads into China (worldly) and sales of the Apple Watch, a new product category (wider).
At least, that’s what we expect from minute one of WWDC 2015, which officially starts today, June 8 at 10am Cupertino time, 1pm Eastern and 6pm BST.
The Apple keynote will really get interesting when Tim Cook graces the stage, wearing an Apple Watch of course, to show off what we expect are two new operating system revisions.
The latest versions of mobile-based iOS 9 and computer-based OS X 10.11 software likely to be updated, while the new Apple TV hardware is reportedly delayed due to contractual issues with content players.
We’ll still hear about the future of live streaming by the way of Apple Music, all while live streaming Apple keynote. But before we boot up the always-required Safari browser to watch, let’s review what’s expected and rumored about WWDC 2015.
iOS 9 beta or just iOS 8.4?
Apple’s WWDC keynotes have, in the past, given us our first glimpse of the new iOS version, but as much as we want to know the iOS 9 release date and features, we may have to get through iOS 8.4 first.
Apple is readying iOS 8.4 for public consumption, according to the latest rumours, with an Apple Music streaming service to take advantage of its pricey Beats Music acquisition and take on Tidal, too.
It’ll cost as much as Spotify and add an artist-infused social network, according to leaks via the ongoing iOS 8.4 beta. Musicians can add song samples, pictures, videos and concert updates for followers.
But that’s just half of the story for WWDC 2015. Expect Apple to pledge more stable iOS updates from here on out. Wi-Fi and battery drains bugs, begone.
iOS 9 has been tipped to include public transit directions, a better on-screen keyboard and future-proof the software for Force Touch display controls for iPhone 6S.
Apple may also tease iOS 9 with greater stability, a smaller download size and a smarter version of Siri.
Apple Pay for the UK
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have NFC chips in them, yet only the US can take advantage of the sole purpose of the chip: Apple Pay. It’s US-only, but that may change at WWDC.
Early on in today’s keynote, an Apple Pay UK release date is expected to be announced, with top banks like Lloyds in tow as launch partners.
While Canada and China are rumored to be getting Apple Pay later this year, the UK mobile payment platform may be ready in just two months time.
OS X 10.11 beta for Macs
There are a lot of new Macs out there, and these upgraded machines are due for an updated operating system, or at least a preview of one.
The software-focused WWDC 2015 keynote makes it the ideal location to unveil an OS X 10.11 beta to Apple-enrolled developers, one that makes Force Touch more than just a tech demo.
Its behind-the-scenes enhancements are expected to make it faster and more stable than OS X 10.10 Yosemite, and further tie it and iOS together, but not merge them.
This is in no small part because Microsoft is launching a more nimble Windows 10 on July 29, and Google Photo just dished out its own Apple Photos-rival for Google IO.
Apple Watch sales and update
The first Apple Watch update is already being downloaded by early adopters of the smartwatch, but there are more features to come.
Custom watch faces beyond the default 10, a Find My Watch app and the ability to control an Apple TV from your wrist are all features tipped for the conference.
An official tally of Apple Watch sales may kick off the keynote. Projections beyond pre-orders have been scarce, though estimates indicate it sold more in its first day than Android Wear did in its first five months.
Turn off your Apple TV expectations
Don’t expect an Apple television at this WWDC today, or any keynote in the near future, for that matter. The company is reportedly pulled the plug on such an idea.
In fact, predictions leaning toward a new set-top box for 2015 are being be recalculated, too. The new Apple TV has been delayed, at least for a few months, according to the latest report.
It’s supposed to have more content deals than just HBO Now, and a touchpad-equipped remote to boot. The streaming service that was to accompany the still-forthcoming Apple TV has also been delayed.
The box itself may, in the end, skip 4K TV specs altogether in favour of more realistic TV content streaming resolutions. But Siri and HomeKit support may pop up on the big screen.
Meanwhile, while Amazon Fire TV and Google Nexus Player have gamepads accessories, Apple has only been rumored to be jumping into the crowded gaming space. Just don’t expect any of this at WWDC 2015.
iPads, Macs, iPhone 6S and… iPods?
‘Think Different’ about iPad
Recent iPad sales have made it clear that Apple needs to think different about its iPad line. Yes, it’s the best tablet on sale, but its sales are being “cannibalized.”
Those are Apple CEO Tim Cook’s words, noting that the bigger iPhone 6 Plus and smaller 12-inch new MacBook are stealing sales away from the 9.7-inch slate.
Apple can do two things to reinvigorate its iPads. First, it could very well use WWDC 2015 to unveil the iPad Pro. With specs like a 12.9-inch display, the larger iPad would be well suited for businesses and stores that need cash register replacements.
Second, iOS 9 could pave the way to more enterprise-ready features, with true multitasking and individual user profiles. Cook backs up this theory by saying, “I still am a big believer for iPad to play in a major way in enterprise.”
New Macs?
Apple often reserves new Mac announcements for its Worldwide Developers Conference, but are there any new computers left to update?
The new Macbook and Force Touch-equipped 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina overshadowed the Apple Watch at its recent launch event in March.
Last month, the redesigned trackpad with haptic feedback came to the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina and Apple introduced a new low-priced iMac with Retina 5K.
What’s left? The MacBook Air may finally get a Retina screen or Force Touch trackpad, but it could cannibalize the new MacBook on one end and 13-inch Macbook Pro on the other.
Apple’s mini tower, the Mac Pro, was announced in December 2013, but the company is often slower to update its desktop PCs with upgradeable parts. Mac Mini got a refresh in October 2014. Slim pickings to say the least.
It won’t go away: iPod Touch rumours
The last time the iPod Touch was refreshed, it was being unveiled alongside the iPhone 5 in 2012 and marked the debut of the lightning port that everyone complained about at first.
That means the current iPod Touch 5G has dated specs: a 4-inch display, iPhone 4S-level A5 processor and 5-megapixel camera. It runs iOS 8, but can it handle iOS 9?
Apple has three possible directions with the iPod Touch: upgrade it at WWDC, upgrade it at its next iPhone event, likely in August or September, or axe it altogether when iOS 9 arrives.
Yes, everyone’s focus is on the new iPhone, but the desire for an iPod Touch 6G has a cult following, one that doesn’t need a monthly carrier fee to access their favourite apps.
iPhone 6S tease
Don’t expect Apple to debut the iPhone 6S at its Worldwide Developer Conference. The 4.7- and 5.5-inch smartphones are due for a refresh in September or as soon as August.
That doesn’t mean the company won’t throw out subtle hints as to what to expect from the new iPhone. Often times, the iOS beta software tips its hand to new hardware.
Things to look out for include Force Touch, a DSLR-quality camera, an Apple SIM card and double the RAM.
Smaller-fingered iPhone 5S users who have resisted upgrading to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may be most excited about a potentially smaller iPhone 6C.
Apple WWDC wrap-up
Nothing about Apple’s WWDC 2015 keynote is certain until the live streaming later today, June 8 at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern and 6pm BST.
New Macs, the 12-inch iPad Pro, a new iPod Touch and iOS 9 are long shots at this point, but we could all be in for a “one more thing surprise.”
More than anything, it’s a software-focused conference, so iOS 8.4 and OS X 10.11 are natural shoo-ins. Exciting hardware like the new Apple TV may have to wait.
Apple shook up the smartphone market with the original iPhone, introduced the defining tablet with the iPad and is now outselling its competitors with the Apple Watch. It may do the same with television soon, just not with a flat-screen and just not at WWDC 2015.
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