It looks like Apple's plans for WWDC go beyond sprinkling ai fairy dust over everything (although that will be a big part of it, too). In addition to Siri getting new ai-powered app control, the company also plans to overhaul things like the Settings apps for iOS and macOS, Control Center, Messages, Mail, and more..
A new, “cleaner” Settings app UI will mean better organization and improved search. Mark Gurman writes in its Switched on Newsletter for Bloomberg today. He adds that a similar revamp is also coming to the macOS system settings app.
Apple will also update Control Center, the quick settings drop-down menu in iOS, with a new music widget and “improvements to the way you operate smart home appliances.” Gurman didn't specify what he would change, but as useful as the Home widget is right now, I can certainly see room for improvement; For example, it would be useful to be able to customize which devices appear there.
Messages will get a new feature that lets you animate individual words in a text message, Gurman writes, backing up a MacRumors Friday report. He adds that Apple will also add new Tapback icons – the reaction emoji-style icons that appear when you long-press a message. And Apple will reportedly bring changes to the Photos user interface and will also update the Mail app with “several improvements.”
Apparently, Apple will also announce visionOS 2.0, with native versions of its own applications. Right now, visionOS only has iPad versions of Apple apps like Home, Calendar, Podcasts, and Pages.
Gurman reiterated, however, that Apple's biggest focus at WWDC 2024 will be ai. A major rumored feature is that, without any configuration on the part of users or developers, Siri can offer to perform tasks within the apps themselves based on your device's analysis of what you're doing, a bit like the promised “model big action” from Rabbit, but with shades of Clippy. Some ai-update-will-let-users-control-features-in-apps-with-voice”>examples that have been reported include Siri offering meeting summaries, cropping photos for you, or moving notes in the Notes app from one folder to another.
According to Gurman, some ai features will arrive this fall when iOS 18 launches. Previously rumored iOS ai features include voice memos and notes apps that will get real-time voice transcription. There is also the ai-created custom emoji feature that could be available. WWDC 2024 is scheduled for June 10, so we won't have to wait long to find out what Apple has up its sleeve for its ai, iOS, and macOS updates this year.
