Apple WWDC 2024: A Comprehensive Overview of 13 Major Announcements

2024-06-11

The keynote speech of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference has come to an end, bringing us a lot of exciting content. At this conference, we witnessed for the first time the AI features that will be launched on Apple devices, as well as a series of important updates to the company's operating system.

If you missed the live broadcast of this keynote speech, we have summarized all the important announcements for you to catch up on.

Apple's First AI System Coming to iPhone, iPad, and Mac


With the rapid development of AI technology, major tech companies have been diving into it, and it's only natural for Apple to introduce its own AI system. The new Apple Intelligence, as Apple's personal intelligent system, "integrates powerful generative models directly into the core of your iPhone, iPad, and Mac." This will bring a host of new features to Apple's native apps, such as generating images or summarizing text.

Apple Intelligence places great emphasis on security. The system will automatically determine whether to use the processing power on the device or connect to Apple's private cloud computing servers to meet your needs. This service will be provided for free and will be available on the iPhone 15 Pro, as well as the iPad and Mac models equipped with the M1 chip or higher.

Siri Gets Major AI Upgrades


Apple's AI push also includes upgrades to Siri. The upgraded voice assistant is now more deeply integrated into the iPhone, appearing as a pulsating light at the edge of the device. It gives you more control over applications, allowing you to ask the voice assistant to find information in specific emails or even show you a photo of your friend. Apple relies on large language models (LLMs) to help Siri better understand what you say and track subsequent requests and questions.

Apple is Integrating ChatGPT into Siri


The major AI upgrade for Siri also includes integration with OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot. With the new integration, Siri will automatically determine if a query is better suited for ChatGPT. It will then seek your permission before sending the request to ChatGPT. You will be able to use ChatGPT for free through Siri without the need to register an account.

New AI Features in Mail, Messages, Photos, and More


Apple has introduced a range of new AI features in various applications in iOS 18, including a way to summarize emails and generate replies. The company showcased its new Genmoji feature, which allows you to create custom emoji based on text prompts, as well as a new AI image generator called Image Playground.

Apple has also brought AI to the Photos app, allowing you to search for photos using natural language. You can also remove objects from the background of photos, similar to Google's Magic Eraser. Additionally, Apple has added AI-driven transcription and summarization features to the "Notes" and "Phone" apps.

More Customization for iPhone in iOS 18


In addition to all the AI features, Apple has introduced a new and more customizable Control Center in iOS 18. It has also introduced a way to freely place app icons on the home screen. With upcoming updates, the company will also allow you to lock certain apps to prevent others from using them when you hand over your phone.

Other significant changes include a redesign of the Photos app and a new game mode for iPhone that minimizes background activity to optimize the gaming experience.

iPhone Finally Supports RCS


After announcing support for RCS last year, Apple has confirmed that it will arrive in iOS 18. However, it has not revealed more details.

iMessage has also received some other upgrades, including the ability to schedule text messages and support for SMS message delivery via satellite. Apple has also introduced colorful Tapback options and allows you to bold, underline, and italicize text.

Apple TV Plus Adds "inSights" Feature to Tell You Which Actor Appears on the Screen


Apple TV Plus has gained a new feature that allows you to swipe down on the remote to display the actors and their characters in the movie or TV show you are watching. You can also identify the currently playing song and add it to your Apple Music playlist. When you mute a program, Apple TV Plus will automatically display subtitles and support 21:9 projectors.

A Password App to Track Your Login Information


As rumored last week, Apple has announced a new password app that allows you to track your login details across different devices. This app will allow you to generate and store passwords, similar to other password managers like LastPass and 1Password. The password app will be available on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS, and even Windows.

iPadOS 18 Adds Calculator App with Apple Pencil Support


After more than a decade since its release, the iPad finally gets a calculator app. It comes with a new feature called Math Notes, which allows you to write equations on the iPad using the Apple Pencil and have the app solve them for you.

Apple has also introduced a feature called Smart Script, which uses machine learning to improve the appearance of your handwriting and check for spelling errors in your notes.

macOS 15 Allows Mirroring of iPhone on Mac


Apple's next macOS update will allow you to mirror your iPhone on your Mac. You will be able to interact directly with your iPhone from your Mac, allowing you to view notifications and hear audio from your mobile device.

Safari will also introduce a new feature called "Highlights," which uses machine learning to select interesting parts of a page.

Apple Automatically Displays Widgets in watchOS 11


watchOS 11 will also bring a host of new features, including the ability to automatically add widgets based on your needs. Apple will introduce a new app called Vitals, which allows you to "explore your most important health metrics at a glance," as well as new cycle tracking features, Live Activities, and Check In support, allowing your loved ones to track your workouts.

visionOS 2 Adds Spatial Photos and Ultra-Wide Mac Display


Apple has announced visionOS 2, a major update to its operating system. One of the new features of Vision Pro is the ability to add depth to existing photos using machine learning. This update will also introduce support for virtual ultra-wide Mac displays, more intuitive gestures, and support for travel mode on trains.

Apple also plans to bring Vision Pro to more countries, including China, Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom.


The Next AirPods Pro Update Allows Quiet Response to Siri

Apple will introduce Siri interaction features in its next AirPods Pro software update, allowing you to respond to Siri's announcements by shaking your head to indicate yes or no. AirPods Pro will also receive Voice Isolation, which enhances voice quality and reduces background noise.