Will World Timer come with watchOS 8 this fall? Image: Apple
A new “World Timer” face for Apple Watch has been spilled ahead of its release in a WWDC 2021 developer session.
The face didn’t get a mention during Apple’s watchOS 8 announcement on Monday, and isn’t yet available inside the first developer beta. Fans will be hoping it does appear before watchOS 8 makes its public debut.
Thanks to Substack and its rivals, 2021 has been huge for subscription newsletters. But Casey Newton of Platformer notes that the newsletter boom times could be threatened by Apple’s newly announced Mail Privacy Protection feature for iOS 15. And he’s not alone.
Private Relay protects your online privacy. It’s the best part of Apple’s new iCloud+. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Private Relay is the latest way Apple devices can protect your privacy. The service, a part of iCloud+, makes it much harder for the websites you visit to track you.
Unlike many of Apple’s privacy services, it’s not free. But the new iCloud+ service costs very little and comes bundled with iCloud storage at no additional cost. And it comes with some other privacy benefits, too.
The tiny multitasking menu at the top of each application is a significant improvement in iPadOS 15. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
With iPadOS 15, Apple makes the iPad’s multitasking system much more intuitive. I’ve been testing it with the first beta of this OS update, and I’m quite pleased with the changes.
Here’s how the new iPad side-by-side multitasking system works in real life. And why I think it’ll bring this feature to more users.
Just a few of the titles available on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple
Monday’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote was short on tangible details about Apple TV+. But Apple seized upon arguably its biggest week of the year to showcase a new trailer highlighting the great shows and movies available to watch on its subscription video service. And previewing one or two more.
To a remixed version of The Beach Boys’ classic “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” the two-minute Apple TV+ ad shows off the slate of Apple Originals. It casts Apple TV+ productions as mold-breakers, with original vision — and no shortage of big hits. It also offers some nice shots of upcoming productions, including Apple’s Foundation sci-fi series, the CODA movie that swept Sundance, the second season of surprise hit Ted Lasso and more.
Want to relive Craig Federighi’s daring iPad catch from Monday’s keynote, set to a toe-tapping tune? Of course you do. Fortunately, Jonathan Mann is here to help.
Mann, a prolific musical YouTuber, has been writing songs about Apple dating back to the days of Antennagate and the iPhone 4. None other than Steve Jobs once played one of Mann’s iPhone ditties on stage at an Apple event. Each year after Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, Mann pens a song based on the event.
His song this year won’t leave you any the wiser if you didn’t watch this year’s WWDC keynote. But it will certainly get you nodding your head — and reliving that Federighi catch over and over. Check it out.
Selling your old Apple device to buy a new one can be a high-stakes game. Do it before Apple announces the replacement and you can bank a few extra bucks because a) you’re selling the latest-gen product and b) the market’s not yet saturated with other sellers doing the same thing.
The catch? You’d better be confident that Apple’s going to announce the product you think it will. Because if it doesn’t, you’ll be stuck with no device at all. That appears to have happened to a handful of Apple users who were confident that Monday’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote would include the launch of next-gen MacBook Pros powered by M2 chips.
Apple didn’t unveil new laptops — and now people who sold their computers to gear up for new ones are not too happy about the situation.
Customize apps without changing everything. Image: Cult of Mac
iOS and iPadOS 15 give you the ability to specify accessibility settings for individual apps. The change lets you adjust things like text size, increase contrast, invert colors and more only where you need to.
Giving you the best possible download and upload speeds. Photo: Apple
If you’re lucky enough to get strong and speedy 5G coverage where you live, you’ll be pleased that it gets prioritized over Wi-Fi in iOS and iPadOS 15 when your usual network is slow.
The new feature expands your 5G capabilities on iPhone 12 and M1 iPad Pro and could make certain tasks — like downloading high-resolution movies and music or uploading data to iCloud — significantly faster.
Apple appears to have restored the scroll wheel to setting alarms in iOS 15, having replaced it with last year’s iOS 14 update.
While it’s a minor feature, it’s one that was conspicuous in its absence last year, replaced with a far clunkier, counterintuitive replacement. Now it’s back — showing that Apple does indeed listen when people call out certain features that used to be better.
The Mophie Snap+ Juice Pack Mini is just one of many new MagSafe-compatible accessories for iPhone 12. Photo: Mophie
Mophie just took the wraps off an extensive collection of accessories that take advantage of the MagSafe system of magnets in the iPhone 12 series. This includes portable batteries, stands, charging pads and vent mounts.
All the storage you need, free of charge. Photo: Apple
Apple is making iPhone and iPad upgrades easier by giving users a temporary boost in iCloud storage free of charge.
The change, which comes with iOS and iPadOS 15 this fall, will allow you to backup the entire contents of your device and transfer it all to a new one — even if you’re using the free 5GB storage plan.
iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 give users the ability to place the same app on multiple Home screens (or multiple icons for the same app on one screen) for the first time.
Simply drag any app out of the App Library and onto your Home screen as many times as you like.
Apple will launch its head-mounted augmented reality display in the second quarter of 2022, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities.
It will feature lenses built by Genius Electronic Optical, which Kuo says will be the “sole supplier” for the high-end camera lenses in the forthcoming iPhone 13. (Largan Precision supposedly sent Apple samples for the handset’s rear wide lens and rear telephoto lens that failed to live up to Cupertino’s exacting standards. As a result, Apple canceled its Largan orders for iPhone 13 and will give them to Genius instead.)
Turning your iPad is no longer necessary. Image: Cult of Mac
iPadOS 15 brings a big improvement to iPhone apps on a larger screen, finally allowing you to use them in landscape mode. The change even supports app that don’t have their own landscape view, like Instagram.
Coming soon to a road near you? Concept: LeaseFetcher
Cupertino is reportedly in “early stage talks” with two Chinese battery companies, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. and BYD Auto, about supplying batteries for an Apple car.
Apple is said to have developed breakthrough battery technology for its rumored vehicle, although it needs a third-party supplier to build these batteries. It may be one step closer to finding them.
Its new interface better resembles the new Siri Remote that ships with the latest Apple TV 4K, introduced back in April, and offers greater functionality over the old design.
You'll need AirPods Pro or AirPods Max to enjoy it. Photo: Apple
Spatial audio inside Apple Music will get dynamic head tracking later this year, Apple has confirmed. The feature promises an even more immersive experience by adjusting sound based on your movements.
Apple CEO Tim Cook wraps the WWDC21 keynote on June 7, 2021. Photo: Apple
Some new features really stood out when Apple revealed the next versions of all its operating systems during Monday’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote. Users of iPhone, Mac and iPad, and Apple Watch, too, can look forward to welcome improvements this fall.
We picked out the best of these to make sure they don’t get overlooked.
The Wallet app will soon let you board a plane with your iPhone rather than a physical drivers license. Photo: Apple
During its WWDC keynote presentation Monday, Apple showed off updates to the iPhone Wallet app in iOS 15 that may finally let it replace your actual wallet.
In addition to securely storing credit cards and discount codes, soon it will serve as a key to many locks as well as a virtual driver’s license.
Certain launch cities will get highly detailed views in the iOS 15's updated Apple Maps Photo: Apple
In iOS 15, Apple Maps will gain new features that make life easier for anybody using the app to navigate the world. An interactive globe will give users a new way to dive into Apple Maps. Enhanced details will make driving safer and less confusing. And new features will make exploring certain cities simpler than ever.
“Our goal has always been to build the world’s best map,” said Meg Frost, product design director of Apple Maps, during Monday’s WWDC keynote. “So we looked at everything we’ve done so far and asked ourselves, ‘How can we push things even further?'”
Conversation Boost in iOS 15 lets AirPods enhance the audio in face-to-face communication. Screenshot: Apple
iOS 15 will bring a range of improvements to AirPods. Apple’s wireless headphones will get easier to find, and they can fill in as hearing aids in noisy environments. And Apple plans another tweak or two as well.
watchOS introduces a new Portrait mode watch face with depth effect Photo: Apple
We got our first glimpse of the OS that will be gracing everyone’s wrists this fall when Apple showed off watchOS 8 during Monday’s WWDC keynote.
This update looks like more of an evolution than a revolution. Text editing gets a little easier. And we’ll get various small enhancements for the apps we already know and love, like photo sharing and a redesigned Music app.
Siri will soon be able to handle many of your questions and requests offline. When Apple’s next-generation software updates roll out this fall, on-device speech recognition will negate the need for a data connection.
Apple is also opening Siri up to third parties, paving the way for its virtual assistant to be integrated into all manner of smart devices in the future.
Songs that offer a surround sound experience could be right around the corner for Apple Music subscribers. Photo: Apple
Apple launched the promised new Spatial Audio service for Apple Music on Monday. The feature was announced in May, and the wait is over. Spatial Audio allows songs seemingly come from all around the listener, even from above. If the track has been mixed to support it, of course.