Apple didn't One More Thing us this year

Today, Apple introduced several software updates and more. The most talked-about update is the AI integration with Apple devices. But before we dive into that, let's discuss the software updates.

VisionOS

Due to being new, I was hoping Apple would bring significant features and crazy updates to VisionOS this year. But it seems like Apple didn’t give VisionOS the update that the device, sold for $3,500, deserved.

Spatial photos were introduced when Vision Pro was announced. Mouse support and a widescreen Mac virtual display are also nice additions.

iOS

This year is really exciting for iOS. Apple made huge changes in both style and customization.

You can move your icons wherever you want. They also introduced dark mode icons with customizable colors. This is a big move we haven’t seen from Apple in years.

They also updated the control center with a new look inspired by VisionOS. Tabs have been added to the control center. You can rearrange and change the size of controls, and developers can create custom controls to better integrate their apps with the device.

You can replace the controls (the small two buttons, one for the flashlight and the other for the camera) with any control center items of the same size (1x1).

Apple updated their Mail app, giving it a new look with categories like Google’s Mail.

The new look trend continued with the Photos app, which also took inspiration from VisionOS.

They added RCS support, so green bubble users can text with us without any issues (hopefully…).

Audio & Home

This part was boring, so we’ll just summarize and move on.

WatchOS

They added some features that can be helpful to athletes and pregnant women. Other than that, it’s the same old WatchOS with new clock faces. We'll summarize this part too.

iPadOS

To be honest, the iPad part was exciting because they introduced the long-awaited calculator app. But don’t underestimate its power. Apple did some crazy stuff here. First, let's look at the plain calculator UI in iPadOS.

It’s just an iPhone calculator in landscape mode with history (iPhone gets history too!). The crazy part is handwriting math. You can now directly handwrite math problems and get results instantly. You can also use variables in your notes, and it will automatically use them in formulas. Changing variables will replicate your handwriting to match. This is incredible to me.

Other new features are the same as iOS. Don’t forget to mention they developed Smart Script, which replicates your handwriting and allows you to move it like in word processors, such as Microsoft Word.

MacOS

The name of the new MacOS, decided by their crack marketing team, is MacOS Sequoia. In my opinion, it’s hard to say.

Apple added iPhone mirroring. With this feature, you can use your iPhone without touching it, even in standby mode. The best part is that notifications will be synced with your Mac, and you can drag and drop items to your iPhone. How cool is that?

Surprisingly, Apple added window tiling to MacOS. I guess it will make our lives easier to manage. However, the issue is that it leaves some padding on screen borders, which I think is a waste of space. Apple should give us an option to decide.

The One More Thing isn’t called One More Thing: Apple Intelligent

To be honest, Apple outdid everyone in the AI competition today. They integrated AI features so extensively, it’s hard to believe. Here's a summary to wrap it up:

- It can show important notifications.

- It can create or modify text written by you.

- It can create photos.

- It can understand complex tasks.

- It can integrate with ChatGPT 4.0.

- You can pay to use ChatGPT's paid features on your Apple device.

All this functionality will work on the device, and if help is needed, it will send a request to an AI server built by Apple Silicon servers to ensure the best privacy.

You can create custom emojis too!

Additionally, you can remove objects and other elements in your photos.

Overall, Apple in WWDC24 shows a significant step forward in integrating AI and enhancing user experience across all devices. Whether you're excited about the new customization options, the powerful handwriting features, or the seamless mirroring, there's something for everyone in this year's announcements.

As always, Apple continues to push the boundaries of technology, making their ecosystem more versatile and user-friendly than ever.