WWDC 2017

Let’s Talk iOS 190: WWDC 2017 recap

The opening keynote of WWDC 2017 just ended so Cody and Sebastien get together to discuss Apple's big announcement including watchOS 4, macOS High Sierra, new Mac hardware, iOS 11, and of course, the HomePod. This is also the big reveal of the winner of the first annual WWDC fantasy draft. Get ready!

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MacBook Pro gets faster CPU/GPU/SSDs, non-Touch Bar model now $200 cheaper

Apple has refreshed its notebook lineup during this morning's keynote presentation at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose. Like its updated 12-inch MacBook, the refreshed MacBook Pro lineup now provides Intel's latest seventh-generation processors, code-named “Kaby Lake”, that were announced in March.

All MacBook Pro models now include enhanced SSDs, up to 50 percent faster than before.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar starts at $1,799. If you need a notebook with a 15-inch display and Touch Bar, that'll be a cool $2,399, at least.

The 13-inchers have Intel CPUs up to 3.5 GHz Core i7 with Turbo Boost up to 4.0 GHz while their 15-inch counterparts include up to 3.1 GHz Core i7 chips with Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz.

In terms of graphics, the baseline non-Touch Bar model uses Intel's Iris Plus Graphics 640. The more powerful Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 is powering other 13-inchers without Touch Bar.

All models of the 15-inch MacBook Pro have been upgraded to Radeon Pro 555 discrete graphics with 2GB video memory. A Radeon Pro 560 GPU with 4GB memory is available as a build-to-order option on Apple's web store.

Here are the stock MacBook Pro configurations:

$1,299 13-inch MaBook Pro

13.3-inch LED-backlit 2560-by-1600 display with IPS technology at 227PPI, with 200 nits of brightness and wide color (P3) support 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory 128GB SSD storage Integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports

$1,499 13-inch MaBook Pro

13.3-inch LED-backlit 2560-by-1600 display with IPS technology at 227PPI, with 200 nits of brightness and wide color (P3) support 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory 256GB SSD storage Integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports

$1,799 13-inch MaBook Pro

13.3-inch LED-backlit 2560-by-1600 display with IPS technology at 227PPI, with 200 nits of brightness and wide color (P3) support 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory 256GB SSD storage Integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 4x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports Touch Bar and Touch ID

$1,999 13-inch MaBook Pro

13.3-inch LED-backlit 2560-by-1600 display with IPS technology at 227PPI, with 200 nits of brightness and wide color (P3) support 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory 512GB SSD storage Integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 4x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports Touch Bar and Touch ID

$2,399 13-inch MaBook Pro

15-inch LED-backlit 2880-by-1800 display with IPS technology at 220PPI, with 200 nits of brightness and wide color (P3) support 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz 16GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory 256GB SSD storage Discrete Radeon Pro 555 graphics with 2GB video memory 4x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports Touch Bar and Touch ID

$2,799 13-inch MaBook Pro

15-inch LED-backlit 2880-by-1800 display with IPS technology at 220PPI, with 200 nits of brightness and wide color (P3) support 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz 16GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory 512GB SSD storage Discrete Radeon Pro 560 graphics with 4GB video memory 4x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports Touch Bar and Touch ID

The updated machines are available with 1-day shipping, in Silver or Space Gray.

It's worth reiterating that the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro model without Touch Bar now costs $1,299 instead of $1,499. Being a cool $200 cheaper actually makes in comparison MacBook Air a tougher sell as it's only gotten a faster 1.8GHz Intel chip today.

Apple also continues to offer the previous-generation MacBook Pro with a 15-inch screen, Intel's 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.4GHz, 16GB 1600MHz memory, 256GB SSD storage, Intel Iris Pro Graphics and two Thunderbolt 2 ports.

It's available in Silver finish only and costs $1,999 a pop.

These updated MacBook Pro models, plus improved iMacs and the 13-inch MacBook Air models with a faster 1.8GHz CPU, are all available to order today on Apple.com.

You can buy them in Apple Stores starting on Wednesday, June 7.

Apple just increased CPU and SSD speed on 12″ MacBook

During the keynote address earlier this morning at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, Apple announced that its twelve-inch MacBook models are getting faster Intel chips and speedier flash storage. MacBooks now ship with Intel's seventh-generation Intel Core CPU platform, code-named “Kaby Lake”, that was unveiled in March.

The clock frequency has been increased to 1.3 GHz, but Intel's Turbo Boost technology can temporarily increase the CPU clock speed to up to 3.6 GHz during heavy workloads. Flash storage is now up to fifty percent faster and the notebooks now support up to twice the RAM than before, for up to 16GB of RAM.

Configure-to-order options available via Apple's online store allow you to outfit your new 12-inch MacBook with up to a 1.4 GHz Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6 GHz.

The following stock configurations are available:

$1,299 MacBook

12-inch 2304-by-1440 LED-backlit display with IPS technology and 16:10 aspect ratio 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.0GHz 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3 memory 256GB SSD storage Intel HD Graphics 615 Built-in keyboard with second-generation butterfly mechanism

$1,599 MacBook

12-inch 2304-by-1440 LED-backlit display with IPS technology and 16:10 aspect ratio 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3 memory 512GB SSD storage Intel HD Graphics 615 Built-in keyboard with second-generation butterfly mechanism

“Weighing just two pounds and measuring 13.1mm thin, MacBook is our thinnest and lightest notebook for all-day, on-the-go computing,” says the company. The refreshed MacBooks continue to be available in Apple's standard Gold, Rose Gold, Silver and Space Gray color finishes.

The updated MacBook models—along with improved iMacs, specc'd up MacBook Pros and a slightly updated 13-inch MacBook Air with a faster 1.8GHz processor—are available to order today on Apple.com. You can buy them in Apple Stores starting on Wednesday, June 7.

For other tech specs, configure-to-order options and accessories, visit apple.com/mac.

Meet HomePod, the new Apple speaker

Apple is taking a new responsibility in the world of delivering music to your home by unveiling the HomePod, a new wireless speaker and assistant for your house.

This intelligent new wireless speaker uses similar technology to what’s available in the AirPods, except it’s incredibly more advanced on both the software and hardware ends of things.

MacBook Air now comes with a faster Intel chip, but that’s about it

It is now definitely clear that MacBook Air is, sadly, on its way out. First and foremost, Apple hasn't really updated its design following the 2010 debut. And while Apple continues to update MacBook Air with faster Intel chips and graphics, the latest hardware refresh to the popular notebook leaves a a lot to be desired.

The notebook now ships with a faster 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 processor from Intel—a step up from the previous 1.3 GHz one—but that's about it in terms of hardware upgrades.

It didn't even get Intel's Kaby Lake chips, introduced in March.

The tech giant briefly mentioned the update during the keynote and made only a passing one-sentence mention in the press released announcing other Mac updates. “Apple today also updated the 13-inch MacBook Air with a 1.8 GHz processor,” reads the release.

Here's the updated MacBook Air lineup.

$999 MacBook Air

13-inch non-IPS LCD 1,440-by-900 display 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz 8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 memory 128GB SSD storage Intel HD Graphics 6000

$1,199 MacBook Air

13-inch non-IPS LCD 1,440-by-900 display 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz 8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 memory 256GB SSD storage Intel HD Graphics 6000

Apple hasn't given the notebook faster SSD storage, nor has it updated built-in graphics, like with today's updates to other Mac notebooks. It still ships with the pixelated non-Retina display and does not include support for the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 standard.

The 11-inch MacBook Air models were discontinued last October.

I love all Mac notebooks, but that MacBook Air has a special place in my heart and I'm saddened that Apple has decided to phase it out, slowly but surely. Until that slim 12-inch MacBook Air gets a decent CPU, I'll be sticking with my Air.

How about you?

HomePod tech specs

Apple’s HomePod was by far one of the most exciting announcements at WWDC 2017. A totally new kind of technology for Apple’s realm of expertise, HomePod is a speaker system that also acts as a Siri virtual assistant and HomeKit controller, among other things.

In this piece, we’ll go over the HomePod’s tech specs so that you have an idea of what kind of technology is packed into the new accessory.

Here come the first ads for Apple’s new iPad Pro

With the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro now official, Apple posted a pair of brand new ads on its official YouTube channel as part of its ongoing “Real problems…answered” campaign. Titled “So many things to love” and “A whole new kind of computer,” the videos are running 16 seconds long each and position the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro as a viable alternative to your computer.

With drag-and-drop, a new Files app, an enhanced Dock and other productivity-centric iPad features on iOS 11, plus an improved Apple Pencil hardware and stylus support, your iPad will indeed become more powerful than ever before.

Like before, the new videos are based on real tweets from real people.

“So many things to love”

“You could do everything you love, if your computer was the new iPad Pro.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKk4BUfrYp8

The video is based on this tweet by user @yagirlgeorgie.

“A whole new kind of computer”

“ You could work in a whole new way, if your computer was the new iPad Pro.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wENU092DDc

The clip is based on this tweet by user @ryandrake.

Don't forget to watch other WWDC videos Apple posted today, highlighting its all-new iMac Pro model, a Siri-driven smart speaker, called HomePod, and iOS 11's upcoming productivit-enahncing features on the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro model.

Now watch Apple’s WWDC videos promoting HomePod speaker, 10.5″ iPad Pro & iMac Pro

With the WWDC keynote wrapped up, Apple has now posted latest product introduction videos to its official YouTube channel, including one aptly titled “Apocalypse” that highlights the importance of mobile apps (it was played as an opening intro for WWDC attendees).

Some of the hardware products and updates announced today are available immediately, like the refreshed Mac desktops and notebooks, while others will arrive later in the year, like the firm's Siri-powered smart speaker, called HomePod, and the new iMac Pro.

Apocalypse

“Ever wonder what life would be like if all our apps suddenly disappeared? Enter the Apocalypse,” reads the videos description.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC0pT9xg1oI

Song: “All Right” by Christopher Cross

Introducing HomePod

“Immersive hi-fi audio. All the music you love. And the intelligence of Siri. Welcome HomePod.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hw9skL-IXc

As we told you, HomePod will be available beginning this December. To learn more about Apple's Siri-enabled smart speaker with HomeKit support and more, visit apple.com/homepod.

The New iPad Pro—On Any Given Wednesday

“With the world's most advanced display, the powerful A10X Fusion chip, and a new 10.5-inch model, the new iPad Pro is everything you want modern computing to be.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR5ODc5Wbbo

Productivity-enhancing OS 11 features shown in the video will be available this fall.

To learn more about what the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro has to offer check out my colleague Cody's write-up, then visit apple.com/ipad-pro.

iMac Pro—Power to the Pro

“Packed with powerful technologies for the creative professional. The new iMac Pro. Power to the pro.”

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

To learn more about the upcoming iMac Pro, visit apple.com/imac-pro.

Apple refreshes iMacs with faster everything: Kaby Lake chips, Radeon Pro 500 graphics, brighter displays, Thunderbolt 3 & more

Apple today refreshed its family of all-in-one desktops with faster Intel chips, up to three times more powerful graphics, speedier storage options, 43 percent brighter displays at 500 nits that now support one billion colors, the latest Thunderbolt 3 I/O and other improvements.

The 5K models of new iMacs sport the same 5,120‑by‑2,880 pixel resolution and wide color gamut (P3) support like the models they're replacing. In fact, the previous-generation iMac lineup is no longer sold on Apple Online Store.

The new desktops with Retina 4K and 5K displays are available to order today on Apple.com, and available to buy in Apple Stores starting on Wednesday, June 7, with one-day shipping.

Using Intel's seventh-generation Core processors, code-named “Kaby Lake” that were introduced in March 2017, the new iMacs have the clock frequency of up to 4.2 GHz with Intel's Turbo Boost technology increasing the CPU speed to up to 4.5 GHz during heavy workloads.

In the graphics department, the updated iMacs feature the new Radeon Pro 500-series graphics with up to 8GB of dedicated video memory. The 21.5-inch iMac model delivers up to three times faster graphics performance, with the 27-inch models being up to fifty percent faster in terms of graphics than the current generation.

The new lineup supports up to twice the memory as the previous generation and SSD storage options are now up to 50 percent faster as well, Apple has said. Speaking of which, Apple's made its Fusion Drive (a hybrid SSD/HDD drive) standard across all 27-inch iMac configurations and it's now included by default on the top-end 21.5-inch iMac model, too.

The $1,299 21.5-inch iMac model now features a brighter Retina 4K display, an upgrade over the previous 1080p screen, and discrete rather than integrated graphics. And with the macOS High Sierra update due this fall, the new iMacs will deliver even faster graphics performance via Apple's updated Metal graphics framework for 3D graphics, video editing and gaming.

The following models are available:

$1,099 21.5-inch iMac

21.5-inch 1,920-by-1,080 sRGB display 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz 1TB storage 8GB 2133MHz memory, configurable to 16GB 1TB hard drive Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports

$1,299 21.5-inch iMac

21.5-inch Retina 4K 4,096-by-2,304 display with wide color (P3) support 3.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz 8GB 2400MHz memory, configurable to 16GB 1TB hard drive Radeon Pro 555 graphics with 2GB video memory 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports

$1,499 21.5-inch iMac

21.5-inch Retina 4K 4,096-by-2,304 display with wide color (P3) support 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz 8GB 2400MHz memory, configurable up to 32GB 1TB Fusion Drive Radeon Pro 560 graphics with 4GB video memory 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports

$1,799 27-inch iMac

27-inch Retina 5K 5,120-by-2,880 display with wide color (P3) support 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz 8GB 2400MHz memory, configurable up to 32GB 1TB Fusion Drive Radeon Pro 570 graphics with 4GB video memory 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports

$1,999 27-inch iMac

27-inch Retina 5K 5,120-by-2,880 display with wide color (P3) support 3.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz 8GB 2400MHz memory, configurable up to 64GB 1TB Fusion Drive Radeon Pro 575 graphics with 4GB video memory 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports

$2,299 27-inch iMac

27-inch Retina 5K 5,120-by-2,880 display with wide color (P3) support 3.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 4.2GHz 8GB 2400MHz memory, configurable up to 64GB 2TB Fusion Drive Radeon Pro 580 graphics with 8GB video memory 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports

macOS High Sierra will turn your iMac “into a great platform” for VR content creation.

Last but not least, the Cupertino giant has previewed an all-new iMac Pro model. Engineered to please creative pros until a next-generation Mac Pro with a modular design is ready, the new iMac Pro is the “most powerful Mac we've ever made”.

It will be available in December, starting at $4,999.

For more information on the refreshed iMac lineup, including additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories, visit apple.com/imac.

You can now protect your Apple Pencil with Apple’s own Pencil case

It was only a matter of time until Apple would release an in-house case for Apple Pencil. Lo and behold, just after this year's main WWDC keynote had come to a close, the item already offered by various third party companies was silently added to the Apple Store.

We'll put this addition down as rather overdue and predictable - all the while welcome - which also holds true for the colors currently on offer. With Saddle Brown, Taupe, Midnight Blue and Black, Apple draws on the four most classic tones also available for iPhone and iPad cases, playing it safe rather than betting on a new color palette. As it stands, the cases ship in 3-5 business days and can be grabbed for a hefty $29 per piece.

If this is what you were waiting for, hurry up, because shipping times might slip fast!

 

iOS 11 on iPad comes with a raft of new features for Apple Pencil

Apple Pencil is already loved by a large constituency, but new features added this fall will mean more and better use cases for the white stylus. Deeper integration for Apple Pencil has been developed for both the current and new iPad Pro range, the latter however does boast additional technological advancements such as ProMotion, developed to further boost the responsiveness and latency of the writing tool.

With the exception of ProMotion, all iPad Pros in the market are going to acquire a bunch of new skills. Naturally, the most prominent features were introduced under the buzzwords of Instant Markup, Instant Notes, Inline Drawing and Scan & Sign.

To flesh out Instant Markup, any device screenshot taken on iPad immediately creates a thumbnail in the newly-designed app dock, which in turn can be marked up or manipulated otherwise before being shared.

Besides this and a built-in scanner functionality for the enhanced Notes app, Inline Drawing (between typed paragraphs) for Pencil will be implemented, allowing for the user to easily clear as much space as needed between written words for drawings or sketches.

It is also now confirmed that touching the lock screen with Pencil will instantaneously open a clean piece of paper to work on. The instant note will be saved inside your Notes app in the event that the iPad is locked again.

What's more is that iOS 11 boasts smarter machine learning algorithms capable of recognizing Apple Pencil handwritings in Notes, which means you will be able to search notes by way of Spotlight search and consequently detect files containing words scrawled by hand.

 

New Apple Files app has support for Dropbox and other third-party cloud services

Apple announced a new Files app at its Worldwide Developers Conference today that works especially well with the newly announced iOS 11 productivity features for iPad. A placeholder listing for the Files app appeared on App Store earlier today, meaning users will be able to hide and re-download the new app.

Featuring a user interface that looks like an enhanced iCloud Drive app, the Files app allows you to access files and folders in your iCloud Drive, on your device and in third-party cloud services like Box and Dropbox, as long as they include a Provider Extension for iOS.

And with new iPad productivity features on iOS 11 like an enhanced Split View mode, an interactive Dock (pictured above) and drag-and-drop, users will be able to easily, say, drag an attachment from Mail and drop it on a folder in the Files app to save it to a custom location.

It works the other way, too.

For instance, you could tap and hold the Files app icon in the Dock to bring up your recently accessed files, then simply drag a recently opened image and drop it in a precise place within the Keynote presentation you're working on.

Your files can be browsed in the grid view with larger thumbnails or you can access details about files in the more informative list view. Items can be sorted by size, date and more, you can create new folders, delete files and so forth.

The files app requires iOS 11 and supports only 64-bit devices.