More Siri, speedier software and tighter integration across mobile and desktop platforms: Apple laid out its vision of the future for its software at its worldwide developer conference in San Francisco.
However, before chief executive Tim Cook revealed the company's plans for its platform, he began WWDC with a tribute to the victims of the Orlando mass shooting, calling for a moment's silence in the wake of a "senseless, unconscionable act of terror and hate aimed at dividing and destroying", expressing the company's "deepest sympathies" to those affected by the tragedy.
Apple’s annual conference sets the stage for its software releases for the rest of the year. Some of the announcements had already been leaked, including a redesign of the Apple Music service to include a more streamlined interface and the change of OS X to Mac OS.
Universal clipboard
The new version of the desktop software will be MacOS Sierra and will bring features such as the universal clipboard that allows you to copy things on an iPhone and access them on your Mac. As expected, Siri is also coming to the Mac, widening Apple’s digital assistant’s reach into the desktop.
The company also unveiled a new app aimed at teaching children to code in Apple’s Swift language, which it intends to make available free of charge.
But it was the new version of Apple’s mobile software that got the most attention. Describing it as the biggest release ever for users, Apple outlined 10 things it was improving, from a new user interface that heavily utilises the lock screen for replying to messages for example to opening Siri up to third party developers and bringing in facial recognition for photographs.
The once-problematic Maps app is also getting a new design and is also being opened to developers.
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