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Apple unveils iOS 11 for iPhone and iPad

Apple has officially unveiled iOS 11 at WWDC 2017. Details below:

The first new feature centers around Messages…

The app drawer is now redesigned with a scrolling view. Messages also works with iCloud now so messages stay in sync including deleted messages and more. This new feature also works with macOS and still includes end-to-end encryption. Apple Pay also now works with iMessage to enable peer-to-peer payments as an iMessage app as rumored.

Siri has also improved starting with a new voice created by deep learning. The new machine learning improvements apply to both the female and male voice. Siri now supports translation in beta including translated feedback and a new visualization. Siri will now work with task management apps and more, offer contextual aware responses based on on-device learning, and more.

Apple’s Camera app is also doing better video and photo compression to optimize storage during capture without breaking sharing compatibility. Software changes include new features like a new Depth API for dual camera iPhones.

The Photos app will use machine learning to find new Memory categories like sporting events and anniversaries, and portrait orientation Memories as well as Live Photo improvements like choosing the still shoot and looping clips.

Control Center in iOS 11 has been redesigned with a single page layout for the first two panels on iOS 10. 3D Touch is used to expand panels with related controls.

The lock screen and Notification Center have also been redesigned to be a single interface.

Apple Maps has been updated with detailed floor plans for malls across a handful of cities with more to come. Airports are also supported for indoor mapping. Speed limits and lane guidance are also now available.

Do Not Disturb While Driving is a new feature that brings CarPlay-like alert muting to all iPhones based on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more to suggest the new muting feature to make driving safer.

HomeKit is also being updated to support speakers using AirPlay 2 to support multi-room audio. Apple TV makes connected speakers AirPlay 2 compatible, and third party speaker companies will add support for AirPlay 2.

Apple Music is gaining a new MusicKit SDK for developers and includes new social features for sharing what your friends are playing recently.

Next up is the App Store. Faster app review times, expanded free trials, and a new design are incoming. Phased releases will be a new option for developers releasing apps this year.

The new App Store design will include a new Today view for discovering brand new apps with featured cards with editorial content. Games gets its own tab now with a dedicated section for gaming apps. In-app purchases can also be highlighted in this section. Apps has its own separate tab from Games with classic App Store features.

Apple is also detailing new machine learning features coming to iOS 11 for developers through CoreML. New APIs include natural language and face detection features previously only available in Apple apps.

Augmented reality features are also coming for developers through ARKit. This uses iPhone sensors to determine plane, lighting, scale estimation, and more. Apple says ARKit will make iOS the largest AR platform in the world.

App updates using ARKit will include an update to Pokémon Go as well as IKEA software for visualizing items in your environment.

Other features not detailed include a redesigned Podcasts app, HomeKit occupancy and duration triggers, and iCloud family storage plans, iCloud file sharing, and Flashlight support on the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

After the 10.5-inch iPad Pro introduction, Apple is now detailing iPad iOS 11 features. The Dock is now way more expansive and includes a predictive slot, the App Switcher has been totally redesigned with Control Center and much more.

Drag and drop is also now supported between Split Screen apps. The keyboard on iOS 11 also includes swipe up support to access more characters. Files for iOS is a new app that works with iCloud Drive and other cloud-providers like Dropbox.

The new Dock is also accessible from apps with a swipe up. Drag and drop supports multi-finger selection and tons of formats including images and URLs.

Apple Pencil now has more functionality throughout iOS including Markup in Safari, editing screenshots, Instant Notes access from the lock screen, searchable handwritten text, inline drawing within typed notes, and much more. Notes also gains a new document scanner and Mail gains an inline drawing markup feature.

iOS 11 will be available in beta to developers today, public beta testers later this month, and all customers later this fall.

iOS 11 Brings Powerful New Features to iPhone & iPad This Fall
Biggest Software Release Ever for iPad & New AR Experiences Among Hundreds of Updates
June 05, 2017 03:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time
SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today previewed iOS 11, a major update to the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, bringing new experiences and hundreds of features to iPhone® and iPad® this fall. iOS 11 is the biggest software release ever for iPad, with powerful multitasking features, the Files app and more ways to use Apple Pencil®. Augmented reality is coming to hundreds of millions of iOS devices with a new platform for developers to build apps that let users place virtual content on top of real-world scenes. CoreML™ gives developers on-device machine learning capabilities so they can easily make apps that will predict, learn and become more intelligent. Additional features include the ability to pay friends using Apple Pay®, Do Not Disturb while driving to help users stay more focused on the road, even more intelligence and a new voice for Siri® and new professional capabilities to Photos and Camera. iOS 11 is available as a developer preview today and will be a free software update for iPhone and iPad this fall.

“With iOS 11, we’re delivering the biggest AR platform in the world, and it’s available today for developers to begin building AR experiences using ARKit for hundreds of millions of iPhone and iPad users,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “iOS 11 gives iPad users the powerful app functionality they need to take advantage of everything iPad is capable of, and brings hundreds of new features and incredible updates to the iOS apps iPhone and iPad users enjoy every day.”

iPad Becomes Even More Powerful

iOS 11 makes multitasking on iPad even more powerful with a new customizable Dock that provides quick access to frequently used apps and documents from any screen, and a redesigned app switcher makes it easier to move between pairs of active apps, used in Split View and now Slide Over. The new Files app keeps everything in one place, whether files are stored locally, in iCloud Drive® or across other providers like Box, Dropbox and more, and with Drag and Drop available across the system, moving images and text is easier than ever. Apple Pencil is more deeply integrated into iPad with support for inline drawing and a new Instant Notes feature opens Notes from the Lock Screen by simply tapping Apple Pencil on the display.

AR Experiences for iPhone & iPad

Apple is introducing a new platform for developers to help them bring high-quality AR experiences to iPhone and iPad using the built-in camera, powerful processors and motion sensors in iOS devices. ARKit allows developers to tap into the latest computer vision technologies to build detailed and compelling virtual content on top of real-world scenes for interactive gaming, immersive shopping experiences, industrial design and more.

Siri is Even More Useful & More Natural

Siri is the most popular personal assistant in the world with more than 375 million active devices accessing Siri each month across 36 countries. Using the latest advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence, new male and female voices are more natural and expressive, adjusting intonation, pitch, emphasis and tempo while speaking, and can translate English words and phrases into Chinese, French, German, Italian or Spanish. Siri extends beyond voice, using on-device learning to deliver more personal experiences and offers suggestions based on personal usage of Safari®, News, Mail, Messages and more. For example, as Siri learns topics or places a user is interested in while browsing Safari, they will be suggested when typing in Mail, Messages and other apps.

Professional Camera & Photos Features

With iOS 11, Portrait Mode images can be taken with optical image stabilization, True Tone® flash and HDR, so every shot looks even more professional. Live Photos™ are more expressive with new Loop and Bounce effects that create continuous video loops, while Long Exposure can capture time and movement. In Photos, Memory movies are optimized to play in both portrait and landscape orientation, and more memories, such as photos of pets or birthdays, are automatically created. With iOS 11, Apple introduces a new technology called High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) that reduces the file size of every photo taken with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Pay Friends with Apple Pay

Apple Pay users will be able to make and receive payments with friends and family quickly, easily and securely. They can send money and get paid right in Messages, or tell Siri to pay someone, using the credit and debit cards they already have in Wallet. When users get paid, they receive the money in their new Apple Pay Cash™ account. They can use the money instantly to send to someone, make purchases using Apple Pay in stores, apps and on the web, or transfer it from Apple Pay Cash to their bank account.

Do Not Disturb While Driving

iOS 11 introduces a new way to help drivers stay more focused on the road with Do Not Disturb while driving. iPhone can detect when you may be driving and automatically silence notifications to keep the screen dark. Users have the option of sending an auto reply to contacts listed in Favorites to let them know they are driving and cannot respond until they arrive at their destination.

Additional iOS 11 Features

— App Store® is redesigned to make discovering apps and games easier than ever before. Through in-depth features and interviews, App Store editors will uncover the stories behind iOS developers and the incredible apps and games they create.

— App Store for iMessage® has a redesigned app drawer for more convenient access to apps and stickers, so it’s easier to decorate messages, share a song and more.

— Control Center offers more customization, enabling quick access to frequently used controls all on one page, and a new Lock Screen delivers a more convenient way to see Notifications all in one place.

— Apple Maps adds indoor maps for major airports and shopping centers around the world and lane guidance to avoid missing a turn or exit.

— Home supports more categories of accessories including AirPlay® 2 speakers and more ways to automate your home with new triggers.

— AirPlay 2 offers multi-room audio enabling users to easily control speakers using Control Center, the Home app or Siri.

— Apple Music® offers more ways to discover music with friends. Subscribers can create a profile so their friends can follow them, listen to playlists they’ve shared and see the music they listen to most.

— Apple News™ is even better at keeping readers informed and entertained with personalized top stories and suggestions from Siri, great stories curated daily by Apple News editors in the new Spotlight tab and the best videos of the day in Today View.

— One-handed keyboard mode on iPhone makes typing on the go even easier and a new QuickType® keyboard on iPad delivers quick access to numbers, symbols and punctuation.

iOS 11 for Developers

At the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple demonstrated the power of bringing new AR experiences to iPhone and iPad and introduced additional tools to help millions of talented developers around the world bring new features and experiences to over one billion active Apple devices.

— CoreML makes it easy for developers to create smarter apps with powerful machine learning that predict, learn and become more intelligent. Designed for iOS, this new framework for machine learning lets all processing happen locally on-device, using Apple’s custom silicon and tight integration of hardware and software to deliver powerful performance while maintaining user privacy.

— HomeKit™ is even more accessible, with easier ways for developers and hobbyists to get started and new ways to authenticate devices using software — a great way for existing accessories to support HomeKit.

— SiriKit™ gives developers the ability to integrate Siri into their apps, and with iOS 11 it expands to support more categories, including to-do lists, notes and reminders, banking for account transfers and balances and apps that display QR codes.

— MusicKit allows developers to integrate Apple Music features into their apps, providing access to over 40 million songs, recommendations, featured content and recent search.

Availability

The developer preview of iOS 11 is available to iOS Developer Program members at developer.apple.com starting today, and a public beta program will be available to iOS users later this month at beta.apple.com. iOS 11 will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 5s and later, all iPad Air® and iPad Pro® models, iPad 5th generation, iPad mini™ 2 and later and iPod touch® 6th generation. Person to person payments and Apple Pay Cash will be available in the US on iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, iPad Pro, iPad 5th generation, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 and later and Apple Watch® this fall. For more information, visit apple.com/ios/ios11-preview. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all regions or all languages.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom (www.apple.com/newsroom), or call Apple’s Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.

© 2017 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad, Apple Pencil, CoreML, Apple Pay, Siri, iCloud Drive, Safari, True Tone, Live Photos, Apple Pay Cash, App Store, iMessage, AirPlay, Apple Music, Apple News, QuickType, HomeKit, SiriKit, iPad Air, iPad Pro, iPad mini, iPod Touch and Apple Watch are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Apple Unveils All-New App Store
Beautifully Redesigned, All-New Today, Games & Apps Tabs Packed with Original Stories & Editorial
June 05, 2017 03:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time
SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today unveiled the all-new App Store®, designed from the ground up to make discovering apps and games easier than ever before. The beautifully redesigned App Store is packed with original stories and editorial, updated daily in a new Today tab, as well as new Games and Apps tabs. Compelling stories, in-depth interviews, helpful tips and collections of must-have apps and games will showcase Apple’s unique perspective and aim to inform, help and inspire customers every day. App Store customers have now downloaded more than 180 billion apps and Apple has paid out over $70 billion to developers since the store launched in 2008, making it the most vibrant software marketplace in the world.

“Together with our incredible developer community, we’ve made the App Store the best app platform in the world, and more than 500 million unique customers visit it every week,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Now, we are taking everything we’ve learned from the App Store over the past nine years and putting it into a stunning new design. Every element of the new App Store is richer, more beautiful and more engaging.”

Today

It all starts with the Today tab, a daily destination all about games, apps and app culture. Through in-depth features and interviews filled with beautiful artwork and videos, the App Store’s global team of editors will share the stories behind the apps and games that change the way we live and the developers whose ideas push and shape the world as we know it. Today will feature exclusive premieres, new releases and a fresh look at all-time favorites, as well as recommended tips and how-to guides to help customers use apps in innovative ways.

Games & Apps

Games is the most popular category on the App Store, and with the new design there will now be a dedicated home just for games. It will feature recommendations of new releases and updates, compelling videos, top charts just for games and hand-picked collections. It’s now easier than ever to navigate the over half a million games available, and find the perfect game for everyone from the casual player to the hardcore enthusiast.

Apps will also have its own tab, bringing customers everything they use, need and enjoy, from photography to money management, shopping to social networking and more. Just like the Games tab, the Apps tab will have great recommendations, videos and hand-picked collections across 24 categories, as well as its own app charts.

Updates & Search

The Updates tab will allow customers to quickly see what has changed in their favorite apps and games with the latest update, and Search has been enhanced to include the editorial content found in Today, Games and Apps. Search by name, category, developer or topic, and you’ll receive relevant results for specific apps and games, as well as editorial stories, collections and in-app purchases.

App Product Pages

The home for every app on the store is its app product page. Apple has redesigned the experience so that all developers can spotlight their apps with more engaging content, putting the most important information front and center for the customer making a download decision. Developers can submit up to three video app previews and five screenshots, which can now be localized so a customer in any country can have a customized version of the video. Accolades including Editors’ Choice and chart position will be highlighted, as will in-app purchases and customer ratings and reviews.

In-App Purchases

Apple is also making in-app purchases more discoverable on the App Store. In-app purchases will show up on an app product page and in search results, and editors can feature them in Today, Games and Apps. Customers can now start their in-app purchases on the App Store and be taken directly into a developer’s app or game to complete the purchase.

Availability

The all-new App Store will be included with iOS 11. The developer preview of iOS 11 is available to iOS Developer Program members at developer.apple.com starting today, and a public beta program will be available to iOS users later this month at beta.apple.com. iOS 11 will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone® 5s and later, all iPad Air® and iPad Pro® models, iPad® 5th generation, iPad mini™ 2 and later and iPod touch® 6th generation. For more information, visit apple.com/ios/ios11-preview. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all regions or all languages.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom (www.apple.com/newsroom), or call Apple’s Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.

© 2017 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, App Store, iPhone, iPad Air, iPad Pro, iPad, iPad mini and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.