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WWDC 2022: Leading us to the promised land?

Mobile App Development
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Technology, Information and Media
Coachella, but make it Apple. This was essentially the vibes from ground zero—Apple Park, California that set the tone for the first in-person World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) since 2019.

As Tim Cook appeared on screen, the partial in-person crowd roared and hooted in approval, just like fans had done for Harry Styles and The Weeknd, back at Coachella 2022.  And oh boy, the atmosphere became further charged with electricity as Tim Cook promised “a big day of announcements about our technologies and platforms.”

And it was no surprise to see that he delivered on his promise (with sprinklings of caviar from the Apple breakfast)!

So, let’s uncover what went down at Apple Park, Cupertino, California (in no particular order of importance, lest someone takes offense to our priorities 😉).

Performance, supercharged!

18%

35%

1.9%

These aren't just some random numbers and units we picked out of a lucky draw, but in fact, these give an insight into the powerhouse that is the M2 chip. 

Yes, Apple announced its long-awaited successor to the M1 chip, and this one promises a ride of a lifetime. Using Apple’s custom ARM silicon, the M2 chip guarantees an 18% faster CPU and 35% faster GPU than the original M1. At the same time, Apple believes that the M2 chip is 1.9x times faster than the latest 10-core PC laptop chip. 

Are these claims valid? Only time will tell.  

Also, the first lucky one to be blessed with this chip is Apple’s most popular laptop—the Macbook Air. This iteration of the Macbook Air comes equipped with MagSafe charging, a bigger display, better sound and camera, and the promise of an 18-hour battery life.

Health tracking made better

Apple also launched an exciting new medication experience for both iPhone and Apple Watch. This cool new feature lets you add, manage, and track medications on the Health app on iPhones and the Medications app on Apple Watch. 

You can simply set up a medications list, and add in schedules and reminders on when to take said medications. And this can be created separately for each medication (customization, for the win!). That’s not all; in the US, the app will alert users in case there are some critical interactions that may occur with medications they have added to the app. That, in a nutshell, is why we love technology.

WatchOS goes big

“Go big or go home.”

This was probably the mantra of the WatchOS team at WWDC 2022 as they came up with a host of announcements and new features. And it all started with more personalization features; because who doesn't love getting confused with what to keep as the watch face 😄

Next came up the workout views, which, to be honest, gives WatchOS a leg over its competitors with some brilliant features such as customized workouts, heart rate zones, detailed workout summaries, and much more! There was also intrigue surrounding the ‘Sleep’ feature, which allows you to track your sleep over time while dissecting your sleep patterns. 

Also, WatchOS9 stole the show with its FDA-approved ‘AFib History’—a feature that allows you to track the time your heart shows signs of AFib or atrial fibrillation.

Cut the noise out with iOS 16

The personalization theme was also front and center in iOS 16, just like WatchOS9. And this one was cool, just like Craig Federighi rocking that retro white tracksuit. So now, iOS 16 would let you customize and personalize your lock screen (s). Yes, you read that correctly; you can now create multiple unique lock screens with different backgrounds and widgets (cue gasp).

Oh, and iOS 16 also streamlined the Focus mode, where yet again, you can personalize it for different modes such as work and home.  

There were numerous more exciting features added to iOS 16 that included the likes of editing Messages, mail search, shared iCloud Photo Library, Safari passkeys, and smarter dictation with emoji support. 

CarPlay gets an overhaul

If you thought the existing version of CarPlay was cool, you’re truly going to love CarPlay next generation. And Apple promises a deeper integration with the vehicle itself while allowing you to see the weather, control climate, plan trips, and view car-specific information like battery and fuel levels. Moreover, more announcements are expected in early 2023. This version of the CarPlay is closest to the fabled Apple Car. 

Additionally, the future looks promising for CarPlay's next generation since manufacturers like Audi, Ford, Nissan, Volvo, and Jaguar-Land Rover have already expressed interest in integrating the software in their vehicles.

Apple’s Safety Check—a new standard for privacy

One of the more important launches at WWDC 2022 has to be Apple’s Safety Check—a privacy feature meant to assist people in abusive relationships. Apple partnered with National Network To End Domestic Violence and the National Center for Victims of Crime to ensure this feature would actually help victims, 

Katie Skinner explained the reasoning behind this feature succinctly in the keynote, “It’s not uncommon for people to share access to their devices and accounts with others. In abusive relationships, this can threaten personal safety and make it harder to get help.”

Safety Check allows users to remove all forms of access granted to their significant others while reviewing who can view what information. More importantly, the feature is equipped with an emergency button that resets all access immediately. And kudos to Apple for doing something like this!

What does the future hold?

WWDC 2022 promised a lot, and only the future would tell us if the promise came through. Now, we can look forward to experimenting with the software betas across MacOS Ventura, iOS 16, and WatchOS9 while coming up with cool new use-cases to delight our consumers, which we will unpack in an upcoming post and how they could transform our tech-based future. 

While we go put on our thinking caps for the use-cases, if you have an idea and would like to discuss it, hit us up at info@mutualmobile.com

Design beautiful iOS experiences

Varun Mehta

Content Marketer

Between reading voraciously and writing for tech, it’s a marvel that Varun manages to find time to support Manchester United, savor single malts, and unwind to Pink Floyd!

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