Apple’s annual developers conference began on Monday with the announcement of new features in iOS 15 that cater to our lives as the world begins to emerge from the pandemic, including updates to FaceTime video calls and digital keys in Apple Wallet.
Apple (AAPL) will introduce new FaceTime features that will allow users to watch movies or listen to music while on the phone. A new grid view is also being introduced to better broadcast every face on a call. FaceTime calls will now be available to Android and Windows users as well.
During the virtual keynote presentation on Monday, Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of software engineering, said, “We’ve all found ourselves using video calling for just about everything.”
Apple is also releasing updates to its mobile wallet that will allow users to use digital keys in the app to unlock everything from their home to their hotel room.
“You can never leave home without your keys, so we are continuing to add keys to wallet and making them even better,” said Jennifer Bailey, VP of internet services and Apple Pay, citing recent additions such as car keys to unlock a vehicle from your iPhone. BMW and other automakers will begin shipping cars with this feature later this year, she said.
Apple Wallet will also be able to store identity cards, according to the company. Users in participating states will be able to scan their driver’s license or ID into the wallet app starting this fall, where it will be stored in an encrypted format. Apple is collaborating with the TSA to use the digital ID at airport security checkpoints, according to Bailey.
The new features were revealed during the keynote at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, a multi-day event known for its software announcements. In the fall, iOS 15 will be available to the general public.
During the pandemic, Apple and its products, like many other tech companies, became even more central to our lives as countless households were forced to live and work more behind screens. Apple’s Monday announcements hinted at how the company hopes to remain a significant part of our lives as more people return to work and socialize outside the home.
Apple CEO Tim Cook delivered the keynote address to kick off WWDC 2021. The event takes place as Apple’s dealings with app developers come under renewed scrutiny.
For those who are still glued to their screens, Apple has introduced “Focus,” a new iOS feature that allows users to choose what types of notifications they want to receive and from whom at different times of the day. A user can, for example, set their phone to “work” mode and limit notifications to coworkers, emails, and Slack messages. Users can set a “do not disturb” auto-reply for messages when all other notifications are turned off.
“With Focus, you can carve out time in your day for work and personal life,” Federighi said.
Apple wants to make it easier for users to keep track of photos, links, and other content sent to them through iMessage. A “shared with you folder” will now appear in apps like Photos, Safari, and Apple Music to highlight content that has been sent through messages.
Aside from new gadgets and iOS 15, WWDC is an opportunity for Apple to address its developer community in the wake of two major recent squabbles with app developers: a contentious legal battle with Epic Games over Apple’s App Store fees and a feud with Facebook over Apple’s new app-tracking privacy policy. The company reminded developers that the App Store now has 600 million weekly visitors from 175 countries and regions, and that since its launch in 2008, it has paid out more than $230 billion to developers.
During the keynote, Apple, as expected, emphasized the importance of privacy.
“At Apple, we believe privacy is a fundamental human right,” Federighi said, referencing recently implemented features such as app nutrition labels. “We don’t think you should have to make a tradeoff between great features and privacy. We believe you deserve both.”
The company unveiled a number of new security features, including “mail privacy protection.” Companies sending emails will no longer be able to link users’ IP addresses and locations to their other online activity because the email app on Apple devices will now hide users’ IP addresses and locations. Senders also have no way of knowing if or when their emails are opened.
To alleviate concerns about third-party audio listening, Siri in iOS 15 will now process audio directly on your device rather than sending commands to a server.
To alleviate concerns about third-party audio listening, Siri in iOS 15 will now process audio directly on your device rather than sending commands to a server.
Siri is also getting a privacy upgrade. To alleviate concerns about third-party audio listening, the virtual assistant app will now process audio directly on your device rather than sending commands to a server. Apple apologized in 2019 for allowing contractors to listen in on Siri commands.
