Apple’s big WWDC announcements and what they mean for me, the Apple user.
Like every other Apple user, I look at WWDC with a lot of interest. I know the announcements from this Apple event will have a big impact on my tech life in the coming months. And I did have a wishlist of sorts based on what was expected, and Apple did tick some of those boxes. But how do the announcements in San Jose impact me as a user? Here is my (very personal) checklist:
Me, the iPhone dad
Well, my son is addicted to smartphones to a certain extent. Thankfully, he is not that much into games as his thing is cartoon on YouTube, after all he is just six years old. With two iPhone and an iPad in the house, the new Screen Time feature is something I really look forward to. I know my son is spending a lot of time on the YouTube app, and the ability to play dad by setting some restrictions on his video consumption is something I am really looking forward to.
Also, I too could use some data that drives home the point that I too spend too much time on apps like Google Analytics and Facebook Page Manager. Also, Apple seems to be improving performance with the iOS 12 as this has been an issue with iOS 11 where users have seen more hiccups than expected.
Apple MacOS brings a dark mode, which looks very appealing.
Me, the MacBook user
Like every other Mac, or laptop, user, my desktop is a mess. Everything from my mail, all the screenshots I take for work and a dozen other files end up on the desktop till it gets to a point where the clutter leads to a quick drag and drop into trash. The new Stacks option on macOS Mojave could end all that with its ability to organise file types into groups.
Also, as a lover of everything black, I am looking forward to the dark mode in the Mojave. And, I just realised during the keynote that I have not downloaded a single app on the Mac in the past year. So a revamped app store might make me discover newer apps.
Apple watchOS 5 will automatically detect workouts.
Me, the Apple Watch user
One of my biggest issues with watchOS has been fixed with watchOS 5. As someone who needs to keep a good track of fitness and activity, the workout app is something I really want to use more. However, I don’t as I invariably forget to switch it off after my 45-minute morning walk. By the time I have realised it, it is too late.
Now, with watchOS, the workout app will start and end automatically based on the activity of the user. This should make the Apple Watch more effective for users like me. The walkie-talkie option too seems like fun, but I don’t know who I will use it with. I am also looking forward to the Siri shortcuts on the Watch, as this is where I used the virtual assistant the most.
Me, the iPad user
Compared to the last WWDC, iPad users did not get much attention this time. However, it is good to know that Apple News is coming to the iPad, the device on which I consume a lot of news and other written content. Also the Voice Memos coming to the iPad means I don’t have to run the same on the iPhone as backup during my interviews. I have been using a third-party app called Sound Notes on the iPad for many years to record my interactions. Stocks too comes to the iPad, but this is not an app that I use much.
Disclaimer: The author is in San Jose, California attending WWDC 2018 at the invite of Apple India