Well, that’s all folks. Apple’s WWDC 2015 keynote has come and gone. We now have a good idea of what the future looks like for the company’s Mac OS, iOS and watchOS platforms, as well as what its plans are for the streaming music space.
A lot has happened in the last 12 hours, and we understand that it might have been difficult to keep track of everything. So as usual, we’ve put together this awesome roundup for you, of everything important that happened at today’s event.
OS X El Capitan
Apple is calling the next major version of Mac OS (OS X 10.11) El Capitan, and it seems fitting given that it’s the name of a rock formation in Yosemite National Park. There aren’t any major new features or changes here, as evidenced by the small amount of time Apple spent talking about it today, but there are a number of small tweaks and improvements that add up to make a solid update. Find out more about El Capitan below.
- Apple announces OS X El Capitan
- Apple announces Metal for Mac
- OS X El Capitan available to developers today, public beta in July, rolling out to everyone this fall
iOS 9
Similar to OS X 10.11, iOS 9 doesn’t seem to have any major flagship new features, but a number of smaller improvements that combine to make a great OS release. Among those is a smarter and more capable Siri, enhanced Spotlight, a new Flipboard-like app called Apple News, and multiple Apple Pay enhancements. The update also increases the iPad’s productivity capabilities, with features like split-screen multitasking and picture-in-picture. Read more about iOS 9 below.
- Siri to get much more intelligent in iOS 9
- Spotlight gets smarter in iOS 9
- Apple Pay coming to UK in July, loyalty and rewards program in tow
- Apple renames Passbook to Wallet
- Apple Maps gaining public transit directions
- Apple introduces News: a beautiful Flipboard-like app based on your interests
- Apple revamps the Notes app in iOS 9 with lists and hand-drawn notes
- iOS 9 brings productivity improvements to QuickType typing on iPads
- iOS 9 includes new ‘Low Power’ battery mode
- A new multitasking experience comes to iPad in iOS 9
- HomeKit in iOS 9 supports new sensors and devices, can remotely control your home via iCloud
- iOS 9 includes a standalone iCloud Drive app
- How Low Power Mode works in iOS 9
- The big keyboard refinements in iOS 9
- New iOS 9 features Apple didn’t mention today
- iOS 9 beta available to developers today, public beta in July, public release this fall
watchOS 2
Apple officially made watchOS a third platform behind iOS and Mac OS today, announcing watchOS 2. Launching this fall, watchOS 2 will address a number of pain points in the current Apple Watch software with support for faster-loading native apps, more customizable Watch Faces, third party Complications and much more. Learn more about watchOS 2 below.
- Apple says watchOS 2 brings new faces with custom Complications
- watchOS 2 adds support for third-party complications
- Here are some of the most exciting new features in watchOS 2
- Activation Lock coming to Apple Watch this fall with watchOS 2 software update
- watchOS 2 beta available to developers today, public launch this fall
Apple Music
After months of rumors, Apple announced its new streaming music service ‘Apple Music’ today. Built on top of the Beats Music platform it acquired in its Beats purchase last year, Apple Music features on-demand streaming music, a 24/7 global radio station called Beats One, and a feature that will help artists connect with their fans called Connect. The service comes with a 3-month free trial, and is $9.99 per month after that. You can find out more about Apple Music in the links below.
- Apple Music reshapes music biz with streaming, 24/7 global radio, human curation and more
- Apple Music supports offline playback, paid-only Android support due in the fall
- Apple Music available on June 30 for $9.99/month with 3-month free trial
Other
Other announcements from the event worth noting including Square’s pledge to support Apple Pay in its future contactless card reader, and a new app called ‘Move to iOS’ to help Android switchers move their data to Apple’s ecosystem. You can find out more about these, and other miscellaneous happenings from today in the links below.
- OS X El Capitan and iOS 9 developer betas now available for download
- Apple reveals new ‘Move to iOS’ app for Android switchers
- Square previews new contactless card reader with Apple Pay compatibility
- Watch the WWDC 2015 keynote now
- The new iOS 9-inspired wallpaper for iPhone
- Watch Apple Music promo footage and inspirational ‘App Effect’ video on YouTube
- How to install the watchOS beta on your Apple Watch
- Official OS X El Capitan wallpaper for iPhone, iPad, desktop
And that should cover it. We’d like to thank you for choosing to hang out with us today. We hope you had as much fun as we did. Make sure you stay tuned to iDB throughout the coming days and weeks as we continue our coverage on iOS 9, OS X El Capitan and watchOS.