WWDC 2024 is now over. After a packed WWDC 2023, Apple outdid itself by announcing several features for iOS 18 and the other systems, in addition to its brand new Apple Intelligence service, which uses AI to generate images, summarize articles, create emojis, make Siri understand context, and so much more.
These are Apple’s major WWDC 2024 announcements. And here’s how to download iOS 18 beta 1 for developers.
How to watch WWDC 2024 keynote
The WWDC 2024 keynote is already over, but you can watch the full event on Apple’s YouTube channel or in the embedded video below.
WWDC 2024 announcements
These are all major WWDC 2024 announcements, starting with visionOS 2.
visionOS 2
Apple kicked off WWDC 2024 with visionOS 2. With the first major software update for Apple Vision Pro, users will get the following enhancements:
- New display options for Mac-connected display on Vision Pro
- Spatial Photos on Apple Vision Pro
- Travel Mode on trains
- New environments
- SharePlay for Photos
Apple Vision Pro expansion
Apple Vision Pro is expanding to nine more countries. According to Apple, pre-orders for China mainland, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore beginning this Thursday, June 13, at 6 p.m. PT and availability beginning Friday, June 28. Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom can pre-order Vision Pro beginning Friday, June 28, at 5 a.m. PT, with availability beginning Friday, July 12.
iOS 18 gets a big Home Screen redesign
Apple is adding a big Home Screen redesign for iOS 18, a Control Center revamp, and several new features for iOS 18. Some of the highlights include:
- Control gallery: Apple is making the Control Center more accessible by adding even more options. It’s possible to resize widgets, reorganize them, and more.
- Lock Screen widgets: Apple will finally let you choose other widgets than Camera and Flashlight
- Tapbacks: Tapbacks have been remade, and you can now react with any emoji or sticker
- Scheduling messages: You can now schedule messages to send later
AirPods gets new features with iOS 18
Later this fall, AirPods Pro 2 will add the following features:
- Siri Interactions: AirPods Pro users will be able to simply nod their head yes or gently shake their head no to respond to Siri announcements
- Voice Isolation: Machine learning, running on the H2 chip in AirPods Pro and the paired iPhone, iPad, or Mac, isolates and enhances voice quality while removing significant background noise
- Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking will be available for gaming with AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and Airpods Max
tvOS 18 adds even more features
Alongside the WWDC 2024 announcements, Apple is also enhancing tvOS 18 with these features:
- Enhance Dialogue: Leveraging machine learning and computational audio to deliver greater vocal clarity over music, action, and background noise on Apple TV 4K.
- Smart Subtitles: For even more convenience, subtitles now automatically appear at just the right moments with tvOS 18, including when the language in a show or film does not match the device language when users mute, or when they skip back while watching something.
- 21:9 support: tvOS 18 also brings 21:9 support for playing movies and shows on projectors
- New Screen Savers: Apple is adding new screen savers like Portraits, TV and Movies, and even Snoopy
- HomePod SharePlay: Anyone can share control of music playing from HomePod and HomePod mini using SharePlay and Apple Music.
- Apple Fitness+ redesign: Apple Fitness+ has been redesigned in tvOS 18 to help users make the most of its robust library, stay motivated, and keep consistent with their fitness routine. Updates include a personalized For You space, Explore and Library spaces, search features, and enhanced awards.
watchOS 11 makes you more active than ever
These are watchOS 11 WWDC 2024 announcements:
- Training Mode: It measures how the intensity and duration of your workouts are affecting your body. Once you finish a workout, you can rate your efforts. Your Apple Watch will then let you know if you are higher or lower than your average training load so you can adjust based on what you’re training for
- Set your goals per day: In watchOS 11, you’ll be able to set your goals for all three rings for each day of the week. You can also finally pause ring tracking if you don’t want to lose a streak.
- Vitals app: Apple says that Vitals will allow Apple Watch owners to “explore your most important health metrics” at a glance. If any of your metrics are outside of their typical range, the Vitals app will let you know.
iPadOS 18 focuses on pencil
Apple has highlighted several features coming with iPadOS 18, such as:
- Screen sharing in SharePlay
- Text effects
- Scenes in Freeform
- Calculator app and new Math Notes feature
- Control Center customization
- Game Mod
- Smart Script in Notes
- Redesigned tab bar for several built-in apps.
macOS Sequoia is one of the WWDC 2024 announcements
Alongside the new WWDC 2024 announcements, Apple unveiled macOS Sequoia, the new macOS software update coming later this fall. With macOS Sequoia, users can expect the following:
- iPhone Mirroring: Control your iPhone from your Mac
- Hiking in Maps
- Apple Pay on third-party browsers
- Safari adds auto-summarization of articles
- Passwords app that works across Apple devices and Windows computers
Apple Intelligence is Apple’s response to AI
It finally happened: Apple announced the artificial intelligence product to power its devices. As rumored, Apple’s AI is called Apple Intelligence. It’s a personal intelligence system that brings powerful language models to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
As expected, Apple Intelligence prioritizes privacy. However, if you’re not happy with Cupertino’s answers, you’ll be able to use ChatGPT and, eventually, other LLMs.
