Thoughts on WWDC 2016
Despite the lack of new hardware announcements at WWDC, I felt that it was a fairly strong showing for Apple at this year’s keynote.
Both iOS and (now) macOS continue to evolve – and while the last few releases of OS X have been okay, I’m actually pretty excited to give the new OS (macOS Sierra) a spin.
The X has been jettisoned from OS X, after a lengthy run of 15 years. I like the new, shortened name much better. It harkens back to the old Mac OS, which I cut my teeth on many, many years ago. (Remember the good old days of Mac OS System 7?)
While the hype around macOS seems to center around Siri, for me personally, it’s the least interesting aspect of the new OS. I suppose it’s because I still find it unusual to speak commands to my computer. Add to the fact that Siri almost never understands what I’m asking it on my iPhone.
But I digress…
In no particular order, these were some of my favorite announcements from the WWDC 2016 keynote:
1) Continuity – having the ability to seamlessly copy and paste between macOS and iOS is the feature I’m most looking forward to with the new OS’s. Also interesting is the ability to unlock a Mac while wearing a paired Apple Watch. I hope this functionality carries through to iOS devices. It would be neat to be able to unlock my Mac whenever I’m in the room with my iPhone.
2) Raise to wake on the iOS is a noteworthy feature, as is the redesigned lock screen that utilizes 3D Touch. As an iPhone 6S user, the 3D Touch feature doesn’t get much use on my device – mostly because only a handful of apps take advantage of it. I’m anticipating this will change when newer iOS devices have the feature built-in.
3) Apple Music on iOS is cumbersome and frustrating at best. I hope that the new, streamlined version addresses the many shortcomings of its predecessor.
4) Swift Playground offers a lot of promise to get the average person on board with learning how to code. This was easily my favorite announcement at WWDC. I’ve tried learning Swift before, with a few false starts. The new interactive example based approach might be just the ticket to get me (and my daughter) on board to learn something new together. In some ways, Swift Playground reminds me of Logo, from my Apple // days. Here’s a rare look at the IIGS version of Logo…
5) Apple Maps new features, with its Navigation based focus, might get me to ditch Google Maps altogether.
6) Voicemail transcription for phone messages is a win for me, as is the ability to detect potential spam phone calls without having to answer.
7) Homekit automation intrigues me, and I’m glad to see that Apple is finally starting to get serious about it. Hopefully more third party Homekit enabled devices will enter the market to make this iOS addition worthwhile.
For me, the new iOS and macOS are finally moving both OSes forward, from a practical and functional standpoint (enlarged emojis and animated Message bubbles notwithstanding).
Lastly, with the new macOS, forced obsolescence once again rears its ugly head. The minimum requirements for macOS Sierra are 2010 models. This means that my venerable 2008 Mac Pro will be left behind. It will still continue to chug along with El Capitan.
I’m less enthused about Apple Pay on the Mac, iCloud, and the new gimmicks in Messages. That’s my take away from the keynote. What about you? Which features are you most looking forward to in macOS Sierra and iOS 10?
-Krishna
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