This week on The Wrap, we’ll find out what’s happening in the world of Apple with iOS, watchOS, macOS, and more, plus what else the week of tech entailed. All that in five.
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It’s the end of June 2020, and you’re listening to The Wrap, Australia’s fastest technology roundup, and if you’re someone with an Apple device or someone who wants one, there are a lot of changes coming, which we’ll be covering shortly.
It wasn’t just an Apple week, though. Other things happened, like with Olympus, which won’t be making cameras anymore, it seems, or at least not in the way it once did. Olympus first started making cameras in the 1930s, and this week, the company has announced that it will sell its Imaging division to another company. It will still support current and older models, and there should be new models of Olympus cameras on the way, too, it just might not be the same.
We guess we’ll leave the Micro Four Thirds cameras to Panasonic, which clearly has quite a foothold in this category. This week, Panasonic even added one of those to its list with the G100, a camera focused on content creation with 4K video and an audio system that can capture and track sound from where it’s coming from, potentially making for better movie making in a camera you can hold.
That’s a more professional style of filmmaking, even in something small, but if you’re looking for movies online, that’s something else entirely.
In fact, if you’re looking for films online, Google is planning to help out, launching Google search features if you ask the search engine what you should watch. Much of what comes out of this is based on what’s popular and trending around the web, though Google told us that it could also come from your search history and any trailers you’ve watched on YouTube, which is great if you search for yourself, and possibly a little more G-rated if you search for things for your children.
And before we get into Apple-everything, if you’re missing the pub trivia night, you might be keen to try a little feature on Amazon’s Alexa-enabled speakers if you have one, with trivia added there. You can ask Alexa to give you an easy quiz or even a pub quiz, but you won’t win a meat tray or anything fun like an iPhone.
Fortunately if you already have an iPhone, or anything else made by Apple, it might feel like a new product later this year thanks to some updates that are on the way.
That’s the big news from Apple this week, using its Worldwide Developer’s Conference WWDC to talk up all the big things the iPhone maker has in store for the year.
And what a series of announcements it was, with updates for the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and the Mac, as well.
In the world of the iPhone, you’ll see iOS 14 later in the year, and it will see some changes, some of which may feel a little like other mobile operating systems. You’ll now be able to load in tiny apps in the form of widgets, and throw them on any home screen, much like how Android has worked for years. The approach is familiar, and there’s even a Smart Stack widget that combines a bunch of familiar apps and lets you flick between the ones you want quickly, while an App Library screen will offer an easy way to see all your apps categorised in one place.
There are other things, such as a slimmer design for Siri and phone calls, and some hyper local weather forecasting, plus a way to turn your iPhone into a set of car keys for new cars, but it’s not the only Apple device getting neat features.
iPad OS will see support for handwriting with scribbles and more smart home control, while Apple TV will be able to talk to video doorbells and get video notifications while you watch TV.
If you own a pair of Apple’s excellent AirPods Pro, you’ll soon get a form of spatial audio allowing you to experience 3D surround complete with head tracking, moving your head in the sound stage. It’s something specific to the AirPods Pro, though if you have other Apple or Beats recent earphones, you also will get a form of multi-device playback, with Apple switching from device to device for you.
And the Apple Watch gets a change, too, now able to track and countdown the time it takes you wash your hands, which is clearly a big deal. It will also track sleep, something that’s quite important, and will let you share watch faces. Perhaps even more interesting, you can download Apple Watch faces from websites, too.
Finally MacOS will also see a sleeker design with smart home control thrown in, plus more privacy and security from Safari, and even more support for apps made for iOS.
That’s a big deal because Apple is also making one other change, and will move away from Intel inside its computers. Within the next two years, Apple will be changing its computers to make the jump to its own chips, similar to what’s in its phones.
It’s a change that should deliver solid performance, and will mean iOS apps may run on both iPhone and Mac without major change, which will mean Apple’s phone and computer can come together.
That’s coming in the future, and is just one more thing to look forward to. The chip change is a little bit down the track, but the OS updates should be here in the next few months. And don’t worry about current Intel-based Macs either. Apple still has some on the way, and will be supporting a Mac you might own for the time to come. However big things for the Mac are on the way.
Things to look forward to. Right now, though, you’ve been listening to The Wrap, Australia’s fastest technology roundup. The Wrap will be back next week for more tech in five. Until then, have a great week. Stay safe, stay sane, and take care.
