6 things we learned from Apple's WWDC 2017 – new macOS, new iOS, the HomePad and more



Does anyone want to lend us a lot of money?

Apple held its 2017 WWDC (that's Worldwide Developers Conference) tonight (June 5) and it was full of announcements to make die-hard Apple fans empty their bank accounts all over again.
Tim Cook kicked off the show by announcing it would be laser-focused on new hardware and software as opposed to business jargon, which is just how we like it.
While there was a LOT of information delivered in a short amount of time, we've picked out some of the announcements that grabbed our attention the most.
1) Amazon Prime Video is coming to Apple TV
If you've felt left out from amazing shows like Transparent and The Man in the High Castle that your Fire Stick-owning friends are all enjoying, then feel that no longer!
Amazon themselves confirmed the news, adding the service would be coming to the platform later this year:
2) You'll be able to have Toy Story characters live in your Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is getting a major overhaul with a brand new OS, which will have a feed that dynamically updates every time you raise your arm and tighter integration with Siri – but that's not what we're most excited about.
Following on from the Mickey and Minnie Mouse faces, Toy Story favourites Woody, Buzz and Jessie will goof around, fall over and generally make you smile whenever you look at your wrist.
Apple WWDC 2017 live stream

There were lots of other cool Watch features announced, like being able to measure your tennis swings in real time, but we stopped paying attention really as soon as Pixar was mentioned.
3) The new macOS has the most underwhelming name ever – but it looks incredible
By the end of this year, we'll be saying goodbye to the current macOS, Sierra, and saying hello to the brand new OS... High Sierra.
While the new name might be underwhelming, the OS itself is far from it, with plenty of improvements to performance and reductions in memory usage.
There are far too many details to give here, but what caught our eyes most were the improvements to Safari – the browser will have an auto-play blocker to stop annoying videos on websites ruining your song, and tracking prevention to stop advertisers and others seeing what you're clicking.
Apple WWDC 2017: Mac with VR headset

There will also be a new range of very powerful iMacs and Macbooks, which will have the graphical horsepower for VR and real-time rendering.
We saw a woman from Epic Games hang out on Star Wars planet Mustafar in real-time rendered VR, and add TIE fighters and a certain wheezy Sith Lord to the scene with a few presses and points.
There will be a public beta for High Sierra OS later this year, followed by a free upgrade for Sierra users afterwards.
4) iOS 11 is officially official - and we can't wait
It isn't just the Mac line that's getting a new OS, but Apple's portable devices too.
iMessage is getting a big overhaul, with apps available from an 'app drawer' that not only improves on the sticker function, but allows you to transfer money to friends via Apple Pay.
Apple WWDC 2017 live streamThe Siri interface has also been improved, both the male and female voices sound more natural, and the assistant can translate from English to Chinese, French, Italian, German and Spanish.
Selfie-lovers will be glad to know that photos will now be saved in a new format that is higher-quality but has double the compression, meaning the files will take up a lot less space.
Meanwhile, Control Centre is now a single page, and videos can be turned into Boomerang-style GIFs without the use of Boomerang.
One of the coolest new features is 'Do not disturb while driving', which keeps your phone on a black screen and automatically responds to messages. It doesn't automatically apply to everyone – you can select contacts who might text you urgent and important things so that you can see them.
Apple WWDC 2017 live stream
The App Store is getting a major visual retooling as well, with a 'Today' tab that will push exciting new apps and tell us about the developers and their stories. Games will now be getting their own tab, too – finally!
Apps also have their own dedicated tab, and you will be able to make in-app purchases through the Store itself.
In the same way Apple showed off VR for Mac, they showed off ARKit for iOS, bringing people in from Peter Jackson's Wingnut AR studio to demonstrate some real-time AR wizardy and create a sci-fi desert outpost on a table.
Hurry up, 'Fall'.
5) The new iPad Pro is really, really fast
Like with the Mac line, the iPad Pro is getting some new hardware with a strong focus on improved performance and speed.
There were a lot of numbers thrown out in quick succession, and we're not here to discuss the technical bits and bobs at the moment, but let's just say we were highly impressed with an on-stage image-editing tech demo.
Apple WWDC 2017 live stream

iOS 11 is said to be even better on iPad, with improved Multitasking, a Mac-like App Switcher and the ability to drag and drop. Hallelujah!
Further closing the gap between tablet and computer are Folders, which combine not only files from iCloud but third-party services like Dropbox.
6) Apple is taking on Alexa with HomePod
The rumours are true, Apple are taking on the smart speaker market with the HomePod.
They claim that wireless speakers are great for music but aren't 'smart', while things like Alexa don't play music very well. They want the HomePod to combine the two, with excellent sound quality and clever features.
The device will be spatially aware, scanning the area and adjusting how it plays the sound and varying levels of the mix accordingly to really fill up the room.
If you have two HomePods near each other, they can connect and work with each other, too.
Announced at WWDC 2017

Siri will be integrated, allowing you to ask about the singer or drummer on a song and letting you find more of their work, or even ask what song was number one in a certain week. Apple are calling Siri a 'Musicologist', which might put your cool music-loving friend out of a job.
You can ask Siri to set reminders and talk about the weather and send messages and whatnot, and if you're worried about privacy, Apple say the device won't broadcast anything to them until you say 'Hey Siri'.
The HomePod will launch in December in the US, UK and Australia, with a competitive US price tag of $349.



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