Apple WWDC 2024: Era of Apple Intelligence

The keynote address by Apple at the Worldwide Developers Conference 2024 has concluded, with many major announcements made. We saw some significant changes to Apple's operating systems as well as our first glimpse of the AI technologies that will be included in its devices.

The most important announcements from the keynote are listed in this article in case you were not able to catch it live.

Apple Intelligence

It should come as no surprise that Apple is releasing its own AI system given that practically every major tech company is cashing in on the AI boom. Apple Intelligence is a new personal intelligence system from the firm that "places potent generative models directly at the heart of your iPad, Mac, and iPhone." This makes it possible for Apple's native apps to have a ton of additional features, like the capacity to create graphics and summarize text.

Apple Intelligence has a strong focus on security because it will automatically determine whether to handle your request on-device or by contacting Apple's private cloud computing service. The system will be free to use on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPads, and Macs in the future.

In addition, Apple Intelligence has what is perhaps the largest update for Siri since its announcement over ten years ago. The function is "more deeply integrated," according to the business, into its operating systems. For iOS users, this entails switching from the well-known Siri icon to a blue, luminous border that encircles the desktop when in use.

On the other hand, App Intents allows for a more direct integration of the assistant into other programs. First-party apps will be the first to benefit from this, but the business will also grant access to outside parties. The range of direct tasks that Siri is capable of will be significantly enhanced by this innovation.

Additionally, the product will greatly expand multitasking capabilities, enabling a form of cross-app interoperability.

Siri Gets an AI Makeover

One of Apple's major artificial intelligence (AI) projects this yaer is Siri. Now fully integrated into the iPhone, the enhanced voice assistant will show up as a pulsating light on the edge of your smartphone. With increased control over your apps, you'll be able to ask the voice assistant to look up information in a certain email or even bring up a friend's photo. Apple uses LLMs in order to improve Siri's comprehension of your speech and manage inquiries and follow-up requests.

With a new style that includes a redesigned symbol, Siri is now more relevant, personal, and natural. The assistant appears as a glowing ring around the screen's edges on your device.

Siri can now adapt to voice errors and comprehend context more effectively thanks to Apple Intelligence. Now that you can type to Siri, it can also respond to queries on how to use your Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

With onscreen awareness, Siri will soon be even more powerful. Saying something like "add this address to contact card" to Siri will handle tasks like processing an address that a friend sends you, provided that the service functions as promised.

Additionally, Siri will be able to do actions both within and between apps. For example, you can ask Siri to "add this photo" to another app after telling it to "make this photo pop." 

OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot has also been integrated with Siri as part of its significant AI update. With this new integration, Siri will figure out on its own whether a question is more appropriate for ChatGPT or not. Then, before submitting its request to ChatGPT, it will request your permission. ChatGPT via Siri will be available to you without requiring an account and at no cost.

AI features in Mail, Messages, Photos, and more

With iOS 18, Apple is introducing a number of new AI features throughout its apps, one of which is the ability to compile emails and provide responses. The business unveiled Image Playground, a new AI image creator, and Genmoji, a feature that lets you make bespoke emoji in response to text prompts.

Apple is also integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the Photos app, enabling natural language photo searches. Moreover, you can remove background items from your photos in a manner akin to Google Magic Eraser. Apple is also integrating AI-powered summaries and transcriptions into the Notes and Phone apps.

Another new feature is Image Playground, which lets users create photographs using concepts like themes, costumes, accessories, locations, and more. It's also available as a stand-alone app and an API for developers. After you choose the times you wish to include, a preview of your photograph will be created by the Apple Intelligence-powered feature.

By choosing from a variety of techniques, such as sketch, animation, or illustration, you can swipe through the image previews and produce additional images, or you can go back. Additionally, Apple Intelligence will make recommendations based on the topics discussed in your conversations; however, Apple claims that all of this happens on the device.

Apart from creating images, Apple Intelligence will function in several apps to enable other features like requesting it to retrieve files you have worked with recently or images of a particular individual. Alternatively, you can wish to ask it to play the podcast that someone earlier suggested to you.

The feature will be more potent due to its comprehension of apps and actions since it will be able to comprehend facts like your Calendar appointments in addition to traffic data from Maps and other sources, giving your interactions a more intimate context.

Apple TV+ introduces InSight

Apple announced InSight, a useful new feature for Apple TV+. Watchers will be able to learn song titles and actor names as they appear on screen thanks to this function.  

The new option for Apple TV+ seems to be modeled after Amazon's X-Ray function, which provides users with an overview of actor biographies and behind-the-scenes information while they watch movies and TV series. The feature that makes InSight unique is its Shazam-like ability to identify the music that is now playing in a TV show or movie and allow users to add it to an Apple Music playlist for later listening. 

With "InSight," users of Apple TV+ may access a real-time display featuring character details and actor names via their remote.

Additionally, Apple revealed a number of upgrades for tvOS, the operating system for Apple TV. Enhancing the dialogue on TV speakers, receivers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth devices is one way to improve the audio experience. Prior to this, only owners of HomePod speakers could access Enhance Dialogue.

With tvOS 18, Enhance Dialogue is also becoming more intelligent thanks to machine learning and computational audio. The business claims that Apple TV 4K will have improved vocal clarity over background noise, music, and action sequences. 

An additional tvOS 18 feature that will be available on Apple TV is the automatic activation of subtitles in specific scenarios. These scenarios include muted volumes, language discrepancies in shows and movies, and the need to replay a scene.  

New Passwords App

Apple introduced a new Passwords app. It will be available with iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and visionOS 2, the upcoming major editions of iOS, macOS, and visionOS.

A new column on the left makes it easier for you to navigate your password collection in addition to all the functions that are currently available in the Passwords menu. You may view all of your passwords, simply your Wi-Fi passwords (a recent addition), passkeys, and codes that have nothing to do with a website or service, for example.

Remind yourself that iCloud Passwords already supports note fields for each password entry, shared passwords, and verification codes. It will be simpler to get started with this new software and consider storing your private data on iCloud Passwords.

macOS Sequoia

A couple significant macOS updates were revealed at Apple's WWDC 2024 in Cupertino. Sequoia is the latest version of macOS.

Mirroring on iPhones is one of the biggest upgrades this time. You can now mirror and control the screen of your iPhone directly from your Mac laptop or desktop thanks to macOS' Continuity feature. The linked iPhone remains locked even while Mac notifications activate iPhone mirror mode and play iPhone audio.

In other areas, macOS Sequoia offers features like automatic window tiling and a videoconferencing presenter preview mode with an integrated background substitute.

iOS 18

Apple has revealed the first information about the next major update of iOS - the iOS 18. Apple announced that ChatGPT will be integrated with Siri and other system-wide features. However, Apple made note of additional customization possibilities before diving into AI. You may now arrange icons on your home screen in any way you choose, without obscuring your background images.

There will also be an update for the Control Center. It extends beyond the buttons on the primary control center page. To view media playback and home controls, scroll down. By tapping on the edit button located in a corner, you may also edit Control Center directly from Control Center.

Third-party developers will be able to create Control Center and lock screen shortcuts thanks to a new set of APIs for Control Center. Apple demonstrated, for example, how to swap out the lock screen camera button with a Snapchat button.

It is now possible to lock specific apps. In order to unlock this application, you must authenticate yourself using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. 

Surface Widgets in watchOS 11

WatchOS 11 will also include a ton of new features, such as the ability to add widgets automatically based on your needs. With the release of the new Vitals app, which allows you to "explore your most important health metrics with just a glance," Apple is also introducing new features for cycle tracking, Live Activities, and Check In support, which enables your loved ones to follow you while you work out.

visionOS 2

Apple has released visionOS 2, the operating system's first significant update. A new feature of the Vision Pro is the ability to add depth to an existing shot using machine learning. Along with these additions, the upgrade will allow travel mode on trains, an ultrawide virtual Mac display, and more natural gestures.

Additionally, Apple intends to expand the Vision Pro's international reach to include China, Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom.

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