CIOInsider India Magazine

From upgrades of iOs 15 to multitasking in iPadOS 15, Apple has successfully wrapped up its WWDC this year. Now it's up to developers, creators, or users to work with the upgrades from the new announcements. Their hands and minds will have to ponder on ways to deploy the new features into their app.

By now organizations have gotten a good grasp of conducting virtual events and Apple is no new kid on the block. Aside from the few fumbles and tumbles from the virtual event which may later become memes, Apple’s WWDC gave much intel on its said upgrades and additions as it has always done. Nevertheless, here are some highlights from the event.

iOS 15: All Tabs on Health
Although its health app and Apple Watch are busy accumulating its user’s data, together with the new iOS 15 will make sense of the accumulated data. Users of iOS 15 will be able to share health and wellness data collected on their iPhones and Apple Watches. A new Sharing tab in the Health app will make this possible. Users can simply choose who they wish to share their information with.

As can be seen, the functionality will allow for constant monitoring and regular updates on a loved one's health. When this health data is shared with a loved one or caregiver, it will be presented with key insights and patterns highlighted. This will allow the observer to detect any deviations from the person's normal health trends. This trend analysis capability also transforms its watch into a simple and accurate tool to monitor the health of at-risk family members, children, or friends from afar.

Privacy is Still Priority
For many years, Apple has held privacy at the helm of all its devices. Apple has revealed many new integrated features for its iCloud+ subscription service, which will be available later this year. The new Private Relay feature has all the trappings of a VPN, and it's designed to make Safari browsing more private and safer. Private Relay encrypts data as it leaves the user's device and hides it behind two internet relays so that third parties (even Apple) cannot see it.

Hide My Email, another new feature, will be integrated into iCloud, Safari, and Apple Mail. Users can create several temporary email addresses with this functionality to prevent third parties from obtaining a user's true email address for marketing purposes.

Finally, iCloud+ will now allow an infinite number of secure video cameras powered by HomeKit. The recordings kept in iCloud+ will not count towards the user's iCloud storage plan subscription as an added bonus.

HomeKit: Homes Now Smarter than Before
Users can provide ways to configure accessories and develop actions to control them using the HomeKit framework. Users can also use Siri to bundle actions together and trigger them. Apple's smart home approach is primarily reliant on third-party hardware manufacturers adopting Apple's HomeKit platform, which seeks to make it easier for different businesses' gadgets to operate together seamlessly.

Later this year, Siri, Apple's voice assistant, will operate with third-party smart home devices like Ecobee's Smart Thermostat. Users will soon be able to say 'Hey Siri' to non-Apple devices, a feature now available on Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Users will be able to call Siri and send messages, add reminders, and even use family members' iPhones, Apple Watches, and HomePods as an intercom through a supported third-party device such as the Smart Thermostat. But there's a snatch where users will need a HomePod or HomePod mini to use the functionality. In essence, the third-party Siri device sends messages to the HomePod, which then processes them.

If the user has a compatible smart lock installed, Apple will also allow them to unlock their front door or garage using their iPhone. Siri can be used by HomeKit to schedule events, such as turning on smart lights every morning every day. When a shipment is delivered, cameras can detect it. On an Apple TV, users may view HomeKit cameras in full-screen mode and control lights and other devices in the scene.

Swift Playgrounds: Developers Can Wield their Expertise in Innovating Apps
In iPadOS 15, Swift Playgrounds received a significant boost, allowing developers to create iPhone and iPad apps on their iPads and submit them to the App Store. Developers will be able to create the visual design of an app using SwiftUI, see a live preview of their app's code while constructing, and run their apps full screen to test them out in Swift Playgrounds 4, which will be released later this year. Swift Playgrounds and Xcode may both be used to open and edit app projects.

Swift Playgrounds helps student coders master the basics before progressing to more difficult lessons over time, which could encourage more individuals to start app development. They may now create real apps and push them out to the public.

Notifications: More Organized Less Overwhelming
Users of iOS 15 will be able to choose which apps they don't need to hear from right away, and these will be grouped into a new Notification Summary that appears on a schedule they set, with Siri intelligence determining which apps earn the top slot. Being put at the end of a summary may not assist an app that was already failing to re-engage consumers through push notifications.

In addition to the existing options to 'Deliver Quietly' or be turned off, users can 'Send to Summary' directly from the Lock Screen notification itself. As a result, any poorly timed push could be a developer's last.

AR: 3D Model Development in Minutes
Apple's new Object Capture API, introduced with RealityKit 2, will allow developers to generate 3D models in minutes using only an iPhone or iPad (or a DSLR or drone if they choose). According to Apple, this will address one of the most difficult aspects of developing outstanding AR apps like building 3D models. This used to take hours and cost thousands of dollars, but today anyone with an iPhone or Mac can participate. The effects of this update will be felt in the months and years ahead, as developers adopt the new tools for AR shopping, games, and other AR experiences, including ones we have yet to see, but that are made possible by more accessible AR technology tools and frameworks.