Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) had its 2021 developer conference, and many were hoping for an update on the new MacBook Pro or other hardware announcements. However, the conference remained focused on software updates. While there was a lack of major headlines, there were several incremental product announcements. And, in total, they are quite meaningful.
Here is a roundup of some of the major announcements:
iOS15
Apple gave a preview of its newest operating system. The feature that caught the most attention was its updates to FaceTime which will allow Facetime calls with non-Apple users for the first time through a link that can be sent from an iPhone. New features for Facetime also include allowing people to listen to songs or watch videos together in addition to screen-sharing. It's not hard to see these features as a response to Zoom (Nasdaq: ZM) which quickly has become dominant in the video calling market.
MacOS Monterey
This is the 12th operating system for Macintosh. Some new features are Universal Control, AirPlay, and Shortcuts. Monterey also includes smaller updates for Safari such as a redesign and allowing for better organization of tabs. Many of the new features in iOS15 such as Facetime will also be available through the new OS. Many of the new features in Monterey are only available on the M-1 Macs and not Intel-powered Macs.
watchOS8
There were also updates to iWatch's operating system. These include updates to its health tracking app, a new Mindfulness app, and new ways to interact with the iWatch. It also added support for the "Find My" app. Smaller updates include a new music app, ways to share songs and photos, and the ability to set multiple timers.
Focus
Another new feature on iOS15 and Monterey will be an enhanced "Focus" feature. This largely follows Apple's recent trend of valuing the user experience such as increased privacy features and monitoring screen time. Users will be able to focus on particular tasks and filter out any unrelated notifications. It would work across all Apple devices so even phone calls and text messages would be temporarily blocked.
Improved Audio Quality
Apple also announced support for spatial audio and lossless audio. The company says this is the equivalent to upgrading from standard definition to high definition in terms of audio. The company also announced a new podcast subscription service that allows podcast publishers to release premium episodes within the feed that have to be purchased.