The WWDC 2021 Keynote is over and here are the top stories

Apple just finished their WWDC keynote and as usual we have heard about all of their newest updates coming to all of their platforms later this year. However, this year there was a shadow over the event because of their recent trial against Epic where they showed that they believe that developers contribute no value to Apple’s products and that instead they are being generous to let people build apps for their devices.

Firstly, let’s go over what Apple announced during their keynote today.

iOS 15

• Focus

  Focus is designed to allow users to use certain apps at certain times and block notifications from apps during certain times and also change the home screen layout

• Shared with you

  Apple have now announced that lots of their apps will include a specific shared with you section so you can see whats been shared with you easily

• Notification Summary

  Notification Summary allows you to block notifications from apps that send you lots of useless notifications throughout the day

All of these features are also available in iPadOS 15 and Focus is available in MacOS Monterey

iPadOS 15

• App Library now on iPad

  App library is now available on the iPad and it has been brought up to parity with the iOS app library

• Widgets on Home Screen: new sized widgets

  Widgets can now be placed anywhere on the home page like on iOS and a bigger widget size has been introduced for the iPad

• New Multitasking: new menu, create splitview or slideover, easy switching, shelf to minimise apps, create splitviews in app switcher.

  Multitasking has had a major update. There is now a new hover menu at the top of the page that allows users to easily initiate a split screen or slide over view. There is also a new shelf view for multi screen apps for easier page management.

• New Notes experience: shared notes, notifications for mentions, quick notes; aware of app being used

  The notes app is now able to be used for shared notes and when you mention a specific user they will recieve a notification so they know to go and check that note. Apple have also announced quick notes for iPad and MacOS which allows users to make quick notes in all of their apps and the quick notes are able to see what app is being used and this can even work with 3rd party apps.

• Swift Playgrounds: develop apps, code completion, test apps in full screen

  In swift playgrounds on iOS all users can now use Swift Playgrounds to develop and test apps for iPadOS and iOS and even distribute those apps on the app store straight from their iPad, these projects can also be modified on xcode for MacOS as well.

MacOS Monterey

• Universal Control: control mac and ipad with one keyboard and mouse

  You can now use your mac keyboard and mouse to control your iPad and even drag and drop files between them, this works with up to 3 devices at a time

• Shortcuts on Mac

  The shortcuts app that’s available on iOS and iPadOS is coming to MacOS but automator will still be suppported for the time being

Facetime

• Facetime now has a new shareplay feature which allows users to enjoy content at the same time over facetime without losing sync

• Facetime is also coming to android and Windows via the web, users will be able to join the call using a link that their friends send to them

• Facetime is also gaining the ability for users to schedule meetings using links

• There is also a new grid view layout and spatial audio