Apple WWDC 2018: the latest announcements from the keynote – The Verge

Apple Maps embeds have come to web browsers in beta

2018-06-06T17:25:21-04:00

You may now start to see Apple Maps embeds in websites around the internet, as Apple has opened up a web-based API for developers in beta, it announced today at WWDC.

In the past, Apple has embedded maps on some of its websites like iCloud.com's Find My iPhone page or the Apple Store site. But the company has kept the ability to embed Apple Maps on web browsers internal until now, unlike its rivals, Google Maps and Microsoft's Bing Maps.

Apple Maps website embeds will work pretty much the same way as they do on iOS, letting developers select a map area and allowing users to search for specific locations within the area and get directions b …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Six apps, services, and features Apple copied for iOS 12

2018-06-05T12:31:16-04:00

Most of us look forward to Apple events. We're curious to see what new features will be introduced, regardless of whether we'll ever actually use them. But for some developers, it can be a nerve-wracking time for one simple reason: what if Apple decides to clone your app?

Having your service or software copied is an occupational hazard for any developer, but the danger is particularly acute in Apple's ecosystem because of the power the company wields over its OS and its users. The practice even has its own nickname - "Sherlocking" - named after Apple's Sherlock search tool, which, in 2002, introduced a bunch of features previously found in …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Apple’s only new WWDC hardware are iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands

2018-06-05T11:26:07-04:00

Apple's WWDC keynote yesterday was filled to the brim with software announcements for every Apple device from iOS phones and tablets to macOS computers. But one thing was conspicuously missing from the keynote: new hardware.

Technically, Apple did quietly release some new physical products at WWDC 2018, as spotted by AppleInsider. As has now become tradition, Apple unveiled new iPhone cases and Apple Watch straps in its summer 2018 seasonal colors of peach, marine green, and sky blue. Silicone cases for the iPhone X, 8 Plus, and 7 Plus will set you back $39, while the smaller iPhone 8 and 7 versions will cost $35. Meanwhile, Apple Watch Spo …

Read the full story at The Verge.

How do Apple’s Screen Time and Google Digital Wellbeing stack up?

2018-06-05T10:39:26-04:00

Developer conference season is coming to an end with Apple's WWDC this week, and the main takeaway is that between Google's "Digital Wellbeing" and Apple's "Screen Time," the two biggest smartphone developers are taking some time to discourage smartphone overuse.

Two similar approaches to solving smartphone overuse

On the surface, the two companies are taking very similar approaches with the tools they're offering to present information to users. Apple and Google are both adding new dashboards, with options for more zoomed-out perspectives on how you're spending your time, along with more granular views of how often you're using individual a …

Read the full story at The Verge.

iPad with Face ID seemingly confirmed in iOS 12 beta

2018-06-05T01:30:28-04:00

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

iOS developer Guilherme Rambo has been poking around the new iOS 12 beta, and code contained within appears to confirm something that has been rumored multiple times: Face ID is coming to the iPad. Videos and screenshots tweeted by Rambo show that iOS 12 contains hidden references to Face ID on the iPad, including the setup UI and relevant section of the settings menu.

It's possible that these references could pertain to a feature that lets you unlock an iPad with an iPhone X, like how you can unlock a Mac with an Apple Watch, but that seems unlikely. The inclusion of the setup UI suggests it's for a device actually equipped with the Face I …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The best iOS 12 features that Apple didn’t talk about onstage

2018-06-04T17:41:56-04:00

Apple never gets around to addressing every new addition or change that it's making to iOS during the WWDC keynote; there's just not enough time. Sometimes the company will list a whole bunch of them on a big slide after software VP Craig Federighi goes over the big ones onstage. But that didn't happen today. Luckily, Apple has posted a pretty comprehensive website of everything new in iOS 12. I'm gonna run through some of the cool, smaller features that didn't get any stage time.

Smoother animations

Federighi mentioned things like apps launching faster, the camera opening quicker, and the keyboard popping up more swiftly, but Apple claims …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Apple is redesigning the Mac App Store in macOS Mojave

2018-06-04T15:14:52-04:00

Apple is finally overhauling the Mac App Store in macOS 10.14 Mojave, featuring an all-new design inspired by the similarly redesigned App Store introduced on iOS 11.

The new design has a central Discover feed just like on iOS, with featured stories on curated apps selected by Apple and with rich content and autoplay videos. Apple is also sorting out new Create, Work, Play, and Develop categories showcasing featured applications under those headings (similar to how iOS breaks out Games into its own section). Product pages have also been redesigned, with new video previews here and more prominent reviews.

The new Mac App …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Apple will let developers port iOS apps to macOS in 2019

2018-06-04T15:14:35-04:00

Macs and iOS devices have been getting closer and closer to each other in terms of functionality, and now Apple is bridging that gap with an announcement that the company will be making it easier to port iOS applications over to macOS at its WWDC.

Apple has already been testing its new frameworks, with the recently revealed News, Stocks, Voice Memos, and Home apps that Apple introduced with Mojave all actually being ported versions of the iOS apps. According to Apple, the cross-platform porting is made possible by integrating elements of iOS's UIKit frameworks directly into macOS, alongside the existing AppKit framework used on desktop.

Th …

Read the full story at The Verge.

macOS Mojave update announced with dark mode, redesigned App Store, Apple News, and more

2018-06-04T14:58:08-04:00

The next version of macOS will be called Mojave and will come with a bunch of new features including a dark mode, more organizational options, and desktop versions of several iOS apps. Apple CEO Tim Cook said Mojave's new features are "inspired by pro users, but designed for everyone."

The new version was announced today at WWDC, Apple's annual developer conference. A public beta will likely start this summer, with a final release coming in the fall.

Here's what's new:

Dark mode

At long last, Apple is adding a dark mode to macOS. It turns the dock, taskbar, and the chrome around your apps into a dark gray. Does this add any real function …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The Apple TV is finally getting Dolby Atmos support

2018-06-04T14:38:16-04:00

Apple announced some new features for its Apple TV set-top box during WWDC today. The company is bringing live sports and news to the TV app, along with full Dolby Atmos support coming to the Apple TV 4K.

Apple TV 4K is now the first (and only) streaming device to support both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. iTunes Movies will start offering Dolby Atmos this fall, and just like when Apple started offering 4K videos, any movies you already own will get updated to Atmos for free.

Atmos updates for all your movies for free in the fall

Additionally, Apple announced that it would be partnering with Charter Spectrum on the Apple TV "late this year, …

Read the full story at The Verge.