Everything Apple Announced At WWDC 2020: From iOS 14 To Macs With Custom Apple Processor

| Updated: Tuesday, June 23, 2020, 14:37 [IST]

Apple made several announcements during its online WWDC 2020(Worldwide Developer Conference). The company showcased the upcoming features for iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TV, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Similarly, the company also announced that it is transitioning from Intel-based Macs to Apple's custom silicon-based Macs.

The event was pre-recorded and Apple even had a live demonstration of some of the upcoming features. The developer beta for the iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, and Apple TV are already available for download, and the public beta will go live in July. All stable versions will be available for the general public by fall 2020.

Mac With ARM Processor Is Now Official

In the next two years, all the new Macs will ship with ARM-based chipsets. To make this transition smooth, the company is using Rosetta 2 that will natively convert an app made for the Intel platform to run natively on a Mac with an ARM processor.

Apple will start to ship the first ARM-based Mac as early as next week. However, that model will only be available for select developers. The company will officially launch the first product by the end of 2020 and within the next two years, all the Macs that Apple launch will be based on a custom Apple silicon.

The first ARM-based Mac will be powered by the Apple A12Z Bionic chipset that processor that also powers the new iPad Pro. Along with the processor, the device will offer 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and it will run on macOS Big Sur beta1. The form-factor of this computer will be similar to a Mac Mini.

Besides, these new Macs will natively run apps that are made for iOS and iPadOS. Besides, the company is already working with companies like Microsoft and Adobe to transition apps to an ARM-based macOS. The company also said that, unlike a computer based on an Intel processor, the ARM-based Mac will use less power without compromising on the performance front.

macOS Big Sur

Apple claims that macOS Big Sur is the biggest update that the company has ever pushed since macOS X. The latest version of the macOS comes with features like a redesigned UI along with a new Safari browser with improved support for extensions and more.

It also gets a major design overhaul with an iOS-like control center with an ability to control options like volume brightness, and network connectivity. Apple Maps also get an update, which can now show more information and allows users to discover new places and make plans for a future trip.

iOS 14

There was a rumor that Apple would rename iOS to iPhoneOS but that didn't happen. iOS14 is the upcoming software for iPhones which will be available from the iPhone 6s to the iPhone 11 series. iOS 14 comes with a new feature called App Library, where users can get to their favorite app with ease.

iOS 14 also offers widgets of different sizes and functionality and now they can be placed anywhere on the home screen. If you are on an app and receive a phone call, then it will not take the complete screen. Instead, it will show it as a notification at the top bar. Translate is a new app that offers real-time translations without using the internet and this app will be available for free.

Another new feature on the iOS 14 is App Clip, where users can access certain product or business by scanning an App Clip code ( a QR code of sorts). Messenger app also gets new features like conversations on group chat and users can now set a profile picture for a group.

Digital car key is another feature, where users can get into a car and start driving just with their iPhone and they can also share the key with friends and family just with a message. BMW will be the first brand to incorporate this feature on their upcoming car and this feature will be available for more cars in the coming days.

iPadOS 14

iPadOS 14 also gets all these features plus some more. With the new iPadOS, users will now be able to take handwritten notes and convert them into text. It also gets a macOS like a system-wide search options and it allows the users to get data directly from an app or internet.

Photos app also gets a design overhaul, which now looks similar to the one found on the macOS with plenty of options to access. It also improves the overall AR experience on the iPads, especially with the LiDAR sensor.

watchOS 7

watchOS 7 gets custom face watch options and users will now be able to share the custom faces with friends and family. There is also a new feature, where it detects the hand wash and show the frequency and duration of a hand wash along with important information.

New workout options like Dance have been added to watchOS 7 and it can now show cycling directions for easy commute or trekking. All these features will be available for the Apple Watch Series 3, Apple Watch Series 4, and Apple Watch Series 5.