Apple

Apple makes its official app for developers more aesthetically pleasing ahead of WWDC21

Apple Developer app

After announcing that WWDC21 has been scheduled to kick off online beginning June 7, 2021, Apple has refreshed its official app for developers with a new look and feel.

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The Apple Developer app gets a new look and feel. Available on the iPhone, iPad and Mac. It uses Apple's Catalyst framework.

A revamped Discover tab

“We've made improvements to the look and feel of the Developer app across iPhone, iPad, and Mac to help you enjoy articles, videos, news and announcements, as well as past WWDC content,” the company wrote in release notes accompany the app's version 9.0 update.

The Discover tab has been updated on macOS Big Sur with improved support for larger Mac displays to make better use of the available screen real estate. Additionally, the search feature has been improved across platforms to make it “easier to find the content you want to watch.”

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On iPads, the app now lets you navigate the content faster using the new sidebar feature for apps that was rolled out to developers with the release of iPadOS 14 last year.

Aside from those improvements, the new release extends login session duration, fixes bugs and adds various other enhancements. Available across the iOS, iPadOS, macOS and tvOS platforms, the software also includes a dedicated iMessage app.

A sign of Catalyst improvements?

The Apple Developer app lets you read check out developer news, browse various features, read programming stories and watch WWDC sessions, keynotes and other videos, including those from past events. You can also download videos to watch offline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqH32fvHNT8

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Catalyst is built using Apple's Catalyst software framework for porting existing iPadOS apps over to macOS without having to redesign the user interface from scratch. However, Catalyst still isn't perfect at converting all iPadOS user interface controls into their macOS counterparts.

Apple will likely advance Catalyst at this year's WWDC, which kicks off with a keynote on June 7 and will be hosted in an all-online format similar to last year's conference.

A new report reiterates that Apple is working on a redesigned remote for the next Apple TV

New Apple TV Siri Remote

A new report has now corroborated last year's Bloomberg story that claimed Apple would be releasing an updated Siri Remote alongside the company's next Apple TV set-top box model.

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The oft-criticized Apple TV remote is being redesigned. It could be called Apple TV Remote, not Siri Remote. Unclear if it'll work on older Apple TVs.

Overhauling the Siri Remote

Citing people familiar with Apple's plans, 9to5Mac has learned that the Siri Remote that ships with the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD is getting redesigned for the next model. An overhauled accessory reportedly sports a code-name that's different from the existing remote.

Details about this new Apple TV Remote are still unknown, but 9to5Mac’s sources have told us that this model is being developed under the code name 'B519,' which is quite different from the code name of the current Siri Remote — internally identified as 'B439.'

This has prompted the publication to speculate that the changes will be “significant” rather than cosmetic. “As the new Remote has an internal model number way above the current version, we believe the changes will be more significant,” reads the article.

A year ago, 9to5Mac discovered curious strings in the iOS 14 code indicating that the Cupertino tech giant could have a brand new remote for the Apple TV in the works.

Siri Remote to become Apple TV Remote

In fact, it would appear that Apple may also have a name change in store for the Siri Remote because iOS 14.5 code appears to reference “Apple TV Remote” rather than “Siri Remote,” which is what the company used to call the accessory in pre-tvOS days.

→ Tips for using the Siri Remote for Apple TV like a pro

Bloomberg reported last September that Apple was working on an upgraded remote control for the next Apple TV. The new remote will apparently support Apple's Find My app to make it easier to find in case it gets lost or misplaced. As for the Apple TV itself, the next update is widely expected to feature a faster processor with much better graphics for improved gaming.

Video: This iPad stylus has a mouse built into it

Instead of having to carry your iPad stylus along with a mouse/trackpad everywhere you go, why not carry just one thing? That's exactly the biggest selling point of a cool Adonit stylus so we have asked our videographer, Harris Craycraft, to create a video to tell you all about it.