Now that WWDC week is ending, it’s good to step back and look at all the bigger announcements and smaller details, as Apple had a lot to say about its operating systems, the direction of future Mac hardware, and more.
While we didn’t get any new hardware releases, Apple certainly made an impact with its software innovations, including some significant changes to iOS 14 with home screen widgets and tons of new features, an updated look for Mac with macOS Big Sur, and much more. plus. And, of course, Apple’s rumored transition from its Mac line to the company’s Arm-based chips is finally upon us, with Apple beginning to present its move to Apple Silicon with developer tools to help them prepare.
Check out our video above and read on to learn more about this week’s top stories!
Everything announced by Apple at WWDC20 in 13 minutes
This week, Apple held its first virtual WWDC speech that was packed with a wide variety of announcements, including iOS 14, macOS Big Sur, watchOS 7, tvOS 14, and confirmation of its rumored plans to transition to Arm-Macs based From the end of this year.
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For those who didn’t get a chance to watch the nearly two-hour keynote, we condensed everything Apple announced in a 13-minute video, providing a quick recap of everything remarkable.
Be sure to read our WWDC20 overview for detailed coverage of all Apple announcements during the event.
iOS 14 announced with new home screen layout with widgets and more
This week Apple removed the details from iOS 14 with dozens of new features, including customizable home screen widgets, the App Library, App Clips, pinned conversations, and mentions in iMessage, a new translation app, car keys. Digital in-app Wallet, picture-in-picture mode for FaceTime video and calling, the ability to set third-party email and browser apps as default, and more.
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Incoming phone calls no longer fill the full screen in iOS 14, nor does Siri, as Apple has made both interfaces more compact. For a closer look at these changes, be sure to watch our iOS 14 video in action.
iOS 14 is currently available in beta for registered Apple developers, with a public beta coming next month. The software update will be released to all users with an iPhone 6s or later in the fall. As always, it is best to install beta software on a secondary device if possible due to possible errors.
Many of the features of iOS 14 are also integrated into iPadOS 14, in addition to some extras such as handwriting in any text field with the Apple Pencil.
MacOS Big Sur featured with updated design, new features for Safari and messages, and more
Apple this week introduced a preview of macOS Big Sur with redesigned elements like the Dock and Notification Center, the addition of a Control Center, several improvements to main applications such as Safari and Messages, battery usage history, the return of the ringer of home and more.
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The update is significant enough that Apple decided to call it macOS version 11.0, ushering in an era for Apple’s desktop platform. For nearly two decades, each major release of macOS (known as OS X until 2016) was an increase from version 10, from 10.0 “Cheetah” in 2001 to 10.15 “Catalina” in 2019.
For a closer look at the new design and features of macOS Big Sur, be sure to check out our video tutorial.
macOS Big Sur is available in beta for registered Apple developers, with a public beta to follow next month. The free software update will be released to all users with a compatible Mac in the fall.
Apple is transitioning from Mac to custom chips with ‘incredible’ performance starting this year
After years of rumors, Apple has confirmed its plans to switch to custom processors for Mac, promising industry-leading performance per watt. Apple said it plans to ship the first Mac with its own silicon by the end of the year and complete the transition to Arm-based architecture in about two years.
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Apple’s first silicon-based Mac could be a redesigned 24-inch iMac in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple said it will continue to support and release new versions of macOS for Intel-based Macs for years to come, and also confirmed that it still has some new Macs in development.
Developers can order a modified Mac mini with the iPad Pro’s A12Z chip to test and develop applications on a Mac with Arm-based architecture. The program costs $ 500 and includes a comprehensive set of resources and personalized technical assistance. Apple says availability is limited.
Given Arm’s shared architecture, most iPhone and iPad applications will be able to run as is on Mac with custom Apple silicon. See our guide on transitioning from Apple to Apple Silicon for more details on all aspects of the plan.
watchOS 7 announced with improved facial customizations, handwash detection and more
Apple Watch will get several new features with watchOS 7 this year, including more customizable faces, sleep tracking, four new types of traceable exercises, a handwash trainer with a 20-second countdown, and more.
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Apple has also removed deep pressure Force Touch functionality in watchOS 7, suggesting that Apple Watch Series 6 models will lack Force Touch hardware.
watchOS 7 is available in beta for registered Apple developers, and for the first time, a public beta will be available next month. The software update will be released to all users with an Apple Watch Series 3 or later in the fall.
Apple also previewed tvOS 14 with the ability to watch YouTube videos in 4K on Apple TV 4K, Audio Sharing for AirPods, and more.
IPhone 12 Rumor: There are no EarPods in the box and possibly not even a charger
Based on discussions with various Apple vendors, Barclays analysts believe iPhone 12 models won’t come with EarPods in the box, in line with a prediction shared by Ming-Chi Kuo last month.
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Oddly enough, analysts also heard that iPhone 12 models might not ship with a power adapter of any kind, leaving only a USB-C to Lightning cable in the box. If true, Apple would probably rank the move as good for the environment, but it would certainly be inconvenient for customers without a spare charger.
Earlier this week, anonymous Twitter user Mr. White shared photos of a 20W power adapter that he suggested would be included with iPhone 12 models, so there are some conflicting rumors about this in this moment.
On a separate note, prominent mobile filter Ice Universe stated that the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models will include displays with 120Hz refresh rates, allowing for a smoother viewing experience. We’ve previously heard conflicting rumors about whether the feature, known as ProMotion on its iPad Pro models, so we’re still not sure which iPhone 12 models, if any, may adopt it later this year.
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