That was quite the keynote! While Vision Pro of course took the headlines, the company packed in a huge number of announcements. So much so that even Apple thinks we need a summary of everything announced at WWDC 2023.
The company has provided its own take on the highlights of the event, attempting to fit each section of the keynote into a single paragraph – even for Vision Pro …
Apple starts with the big picture.
Apple unveiled Apple Vision Pro, a revolutionary spatial computer that seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world. Three Macs also debuted: The new MacBook Air is the world’s best 15-inch laptop, while Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra, and Mac Pro with M2 Ultra are the most powerful Macs ever made. Additionally, new features coming to iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10, tvOS 17, and AirPods enable developers to go even further with their apps, and empower users to get even more out of their devices.
Apple Vision Pro
Vision Pro is a tricky product to summarize, and this shows in the company’s one-paragraph attempt.
Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary spatial computer years ahead and unlike anything created before, scaling beyond the boundaries of a traditional display with a fully three-dimensional interface controlled by the most natural and intuitive inputs possible — a user’s eyes, hands, and voice. Featuring visionOS, the world’s first spatial operating system, Vision Pro lets users interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space.
iOS 17
Standby and Journal get top billing in the iOS 17 sum-up.
With iOS 17, updates to Phone, FaceTime, Messages, and more give users new ways to express themselves, share content or contact information, and view information at a glance with a feature called StandBy. iOS 17 also introduces Journal, an app that gives users a way to reflect and practice gratitude, and focus on their wellbeing.
15-inch MacBook Air
Interestingly, while the price came as a pleasant surprise, Apple doesn’t mention it.
With an expansive 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, the extraordinary performance of M2, and up to 18 hours of battery life, the 15-inch MacBook Airpacks outstanding power and portability into a thin and light, fanless design. The world’s thinnest and best 15-inch laptop, the new MacBook Air is up to 12x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air, and up to twice as fast as the best-selling 15-inch PC laptop with a Core i7 processor — so users can work, play, or create just about anything, anywhere.
New Mac Studio
The availability of a new M2 Ultra-powered model is the headline news here.
The new Mac Studio empowers pros to build the studio of their dreams — with groundbreaking performance and extensive connectivity in a compact form that lives right on their desk. With M2 Max and the new M2 Ultra, Mac Studio provides a big boost in performance versus the previous generation and a massive leap for users coming from older Macs.
Apple Silicon Mac Pro
This new model will need some close examination, especially when compared to the M2 Ultra version of the Mac Studio – but at first glance, Apple does seem to have pulled this off.
Mac Pro, now featuring M2 Ultra, combines the unprecedented performance of Apple’s most powerful chip with the versatility of PCIe expansion. The new Mac Pro completes the Mac transition to Apple silicon and, together with the rest of Apple’s pro systems, gives users the most powerful and capable lineup of pro products Apple has ever offered.
watchOS 10
Redesigned apps and Smart Stack are the top features mentioned.
watchOS 10 brings a reimagined interface to Apple Watch, giving users a fresh approach to quickly viewing information with redesigned apps, a Smart Stack to show relevant widgets right when they’re needed, and delightful new watch faces. Additionally, new features have been added to help cyclists and hikers track their activity, while the Mindfulness app allows users to discreetly and conveniently log their momentary emotions and daily moods.
iPadOS 17
Relatively modest updates here, as usual.
iPadOS 17 brings iPad users more ways than ever to personalize the Lock Screen and interact with widgets, and express themselves like never before through Messages and FaceTime. The Health app also comes to iPad with interactive charts, and HealthKit enables developers to create innovative experiences designed for the iPad display.
macOS Sonoma
With a few exceptions, you’ll need an Apple Silicon Mac to run the latest version of macOS.
macOS Sonoma brings a rich set of features that elevate the experience of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, including Widgets users can place anywhere. Gaming on Mac gets even better with the introduction of Game Mode, which delivers an optimized gaming experience.
FaceTime on Apple TV 4K
This has long been something users have asked for.
For the first time ever, Apple TV 4K users can enjoy FaceTime on their TV with tvOS 17 for even more engaging conversations with family and friends. Center Stage keeps everyone in the room perfectly framed on the screen, even as they move around, while Split View lets users enjoy watching shows or movies with their loved ones during a SharePlay session while also seeing everyone on the FaceTime call.
AirPods Pro software updates
No new hardware needed to get the latest features!
With software updates arriving this fall, AirPods Pro (2nd generation) will unlock new capabilities to make it easier to use across environments and interactions with three powerful new features: Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, and Conversation Awareness. The entire lineup also gains new and improved features that make calls and Automatic Switching even more seamless.
So that’s everything announced at WWDC 2023 according to Apple. What were your personal highlights? Please let us know in the comments.
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