WWDC 2022, Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference, is here again. It’s that time of year again when Apple surprises us with all the things coming to its Operating systems for the year ahead. This year was no different, as Apple announced iOS 16, watchOS 9, macOS Ventura, and iPadOS 16. I did get to watch the WWDC 2022 keynote, I didn’t really take notes, but I did finish it with some impressions.
Everything, Everywhere, All at Once: WWDC 2022
The thing that really stuck out to me during WWDC 2022 was not a new feature or announcement, but that just about every announcement was not only coming to the iPhone but also to the Mac and the iPad. WWDC 2022 seemed to be about bringing every new feature to every platform, and while I’m here for it, it started to feel like each platform wasn’t as special as it used to be.
For example, there are enhancements coming to Apple’s Mail app. Search will now account for typos and offer suggestions. You can unsend an email or even schedule for when an email will be sent. You can also certain email accounts to only show up when you’re in a particular focus. But this doesn’t just stay with the Mac client, it is coming to every mail app. Which is great.
Messages
While I wish that Apple would have brought a few more enhancements messages, we are getting some good ones. Now, instead of sending a message with an odd autocorrect in it, and then another message trying to provide the correct word and having it autocorrect on you again, and then finally sending the right word, you can simply edit your messages! For the first time, messages will allow you to edit them! Of course, this will only work with iMessage or your blue bubble friends.
You can also destroy a sent message if you didn’t mean to send it, or regret it.
Apple also announced at WWDC 22, that it is bringing SharePlay to the messages app. Apple introduced SharePlay at last year’s wwdc, but it was only tied to FaceTime. SharePlay would allow everyone on a FaceTime call to share a video, app screen, music, or other multimedia. So basically, you could watch a movie with someone while you were on a FaceTime call. Now, you don’t have to sit there and watch someone’s face the entire time, you can just send messages. I think this way will get way more people using SharePlay.
FaceTime
One of the announcements at WWDC 2022 that I thought could be the most useful was HandOff for FaceTime. If you are on a FaceTime call and want to move to a new device, all you have to do is bring the two devices together. A banner will appear on the newer device that will offer to move your FaceTime call over. So for example, if you’re on a FaceTime call on your iPhone but you’re on the move and come up to your Mac, your Mac will detect it and will offer a button to move it over to the Mac. Pretty simple and useful. FaceTime HandOff will come to all of Apple’s devices later this year.
Stock Apps
This year, the Mac and iPad will be getting some long-forgotten apps from iOS. Weather will be making an appearance on the iPad and the Mac. The Clock app will come over to the Mac as well.
Home App
A new Home app was shown off on stage at WWDC 22. Apple has redesigned it from the ground up, getting rid of the single page for rooms. Instead, categories and rooms will be on the first page. You can use categories to go straight to something you might need like thermostat control or locks. You can scroll through your rooms on one page and more. I like the new design and can’t wait to take it for a spin in my smart home, but I’m already pretty used to the old app.
Stage Manager
Probably the most liked announcement from WWDC 2022 for iPad lovers would have to be Stage Manager. For the first time, the iPad will be able to deal with 4 apps at the same time when Stage Manager is invoked. The apps will be able to be resized and moved around the screen for the first time on an iPad (but you will have to have an M1 capable iPad. And for the first time, if you plug your iPad into a monitor, you can use Stage Manager on it as well to offer 8 apps at one time. I don’t know why anyone would need to run eight apps at one time, but you can.
You can see all the apps you currently have open on the left side of the screen and bring in new apps as you need to (notice the app library icon on the picture above to select apps that aren’t on your dock already).
Apple said during the WWDC 22 keynote that this is a great way for dealing with all your windows on a Mac or iPad. I don’t have an M1 iPad, I’m still on a dying iPad Pro from 2018, but I’m eager to test this. Hopefully, Apple will announce a new iPad Pro with M2 pretty soon. I don’t think this will solve any of my current frustrations with the iPad, but it won’t hurt. The great thing about this addition is that the old way of split view and slide over isn’t going away. You will be able to use both for whatever situation you come into.
The iPhone isn’t getting Stage Manager because you can’t multitask, but this will be on both iPads with M1 and Apple silicon Macs. So hopefully, I can try it out before too long.
Family Sharing
In iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, Apple is looking to make family plans and controls much easier. Setting up a device for a child on your family account will be easier if you have a family plan already. When setting up a new device, just bring over an adult’s device and it will ask you if you want to bring over all the child’s info and restrictions.
Furthermore, Apple is finally bringing a Shared Family Photo Album option to iCloud members. There will be automation such as including all pictures taken after a certain date or by the person in the picture. There will also be an option when taking a picture in the camera to upload the photo to the family photo album.
iOS 16 Got Some Love at WWDC
iOS 16 did get an exclusive feature: Customizable lock screens.
Users will be able to customize their lock screen, much like they have an Apple Watch. Pictures will have depth with the time and you can add what Apple is calling “widgets” but they are really just complications like on the Apple Watch. They will also let you create multiple lock screens for different focuses, times of day, locations, etc.
I think it’s neat that Apple is letting users customize more parts of their iPhones, but I’m not super excited as I would be otherwise. I doubt this will change the way I use my phone, but it is setting the groundwork for always-on screens which are rumored to come later this year.
watchOS 9
watchOS 9 seems to be cruising on as well. There are new watch faces and reworked older watch faces that will work better on the bigger screens since Apple Watch Series 4.
Runners will be getting new metrics that will help them pace themselves in the future. I would look forward to revamping my best running app for Apple Watch in the future (if I could ever find time to run again).
Very Calm WWDC 2022
So this year felt calm. There weren’t too many tech demos that got me truly excited for the future of my Apple devices, but that’s okay. I would rather Apple spent a year doing little things like we got this year to bring everything in line. I would even love it more if they spent some time streamlining everything, to get rid of some of the bugs, but there’s no way to bring groundbreaking features every year.
That said, I’m looking forward to the future. There is still AR/VR visor/glasses coming down the pipeline. Apple showed off some crazy CarPlay stuff that will be interesting once it’s all out there, but how long will it take to roll out?
What did you think of WWDC 2022? What was your favorite announcement?