By Maureen Elinzano
On Monday, the world sat on the edge of their seats as millions awaited the announcements from the highly-anticipated Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California. Led by CEO Timothy D. Cook, Apple unveiled new software and features that again places Apple in the forefront of technology. The updates are supposed to make the iPhone and iPad faster and extend battery life on the iPhone 6 by an hour on average.
Our eFileCabinet mobile app is already good, but with all of these Apple features and the new version of iOS 9, it’ll be even better! Here are 11 awesome things that Apple has in store for you:
1. El Capitan
Apple’s new MAC OS X operating system, El Capitan, is based on its precursor, Yosemite, and will feature many new aspects including a more powerful and knowledgeable version of Spotlight, Apple’s search feature, and a faster and smoother version of Mission Control, Apple’s window management system.
Another feature is a button in the Safari web browser that mutes sound that accidentally plays from a webpage . . . so nobody can hear you watching “Frozen” videos for the millionth time. You’ll also be able to swipe fingers on the trackpad to delete emails, so you can also delete those emails that have “Frozen” videos from YouTube attached.
2. Apple Music
To rival popular streaming music services like Spotify and Pandora, Apple unveiled its new streaming music and radio service, Apple Music. The service, which is the first part of Apple Music, will be available on June 30. In collaboration with Beats Electronics, the app will have internet radio and the ability to stream everything in the iTunes Store. It will also give users access to their personal iTunes libraries.
There will also be a new version of iTunes Radio which will include a live station, Beats 1, which is the second part of the app. It will feature music curated by heavyweights in the music industry, such as former BBC producer Zane Lowe.
The third part of Apple Music is Connect, a social network (which was presented by rapper Drake at the conference) where artists can upload their music, their videos and their photos and it’s completely accessible to their fans.
Apple Music costs $9.99 per month with a 3-month trial and $14.99 per month for a family plan of up to six family members. For free, non-members can follow artists on Apple Music and listen to Beats 1.
3. News
One of the biggest product announcements from the conference, the News app will replace Newsstand and it will feature content from all over the web, from major media outlets like The New York Times, ESPN, Vogue and Vanity Fair to smaller players like local blogs and college newspapers. The app will reformat web articles into magazine-like formats, like the Flipboard app.
With instant updates every time that the app is checked, a large discover feature for finding new topics and channels, and a favorites page for all of your favorite major publications, the News app aims to please.
4. Metal for Mac
This is Apple’s new graphics support engine that will increase details in games and other apps. It will make things look more realistic and improve speed and performance. It will also improve performance for apps that leads to better battery life, the latter of which might just be the greatest thing that could ever happen to any Apple fan.
5. Siri Updates
Apple’s lovely voice-controlled assistant will be more predictive and context-based and you’ll be able to ask her more questions than ever before.
From searching emails in order to identify an unfamiliar phone number to reminding a user to grab a drink off of the top of a car roof to suggesting people that you might want to contact based on future meetings, Siri is on it!
6. Apple Pay Updates
Apple Pay will officially work with all major credit networks when Discover joins this fall and it’s also expanding its base to the United Kingdom.
Other features include integrating with loyalty programs with companies like Walgreens and Dunkin Donuts, renaming Passbook to Wallet, and having the option to purchase items from stores inside the Pinterest app, which is the greatest thing that could happen to all diehard Pinners.
7. Notes Updates
For all Type-A personalities who love Apple, this one is for you! A new toolbar in notes will make it easier to create titles, headings, styles, numbered lists and checklists.There’s also more integration with photos and the camera app and there will also be drawing tools so that you can sketch notes with your fingers and easily drop them inside the Notes app.
8. Maps
For all commuters who love Apple, the new Maps app will rival Google Maps and include a Transit view that will include directions for public transportation such as buses, trains, subways, and ferries (yes, ferries).
There will also be more integration with the new-and-improved Siri and timed walking directions to train stations.
9. iPad Updates
In preparation for a jumbo iPad for professionals that Apple is releasing in the near future, the iPad got some awesome updates. They include a quick-type keyboard that turns into a trackpad, a shortcut bar with third-party app customization, and three new features. One of them, Slideover, allows you to stay inside one app while checking another at the same time. The other one, Splitview, allows you to use and run two apps at the same time. The last one, picture-to-picture, allows you to stream video and keep an eye on something else that you’re watching while working in apps and other programs.
10. iOS 9 Apps
According to Apple, 100 billion apps have been downloaded through the App Store and with new apps always being released, that number is sure to increase! HealthKit will be improved with new measurement features like hydration, UV exposure, and reproductive health. HomeKit will focus on home security with thermometers, locks, lights, and sensors for carbon monoxide and security systems.
11. Apple Watch Updates
The recently released Apple Watch already has updates that include personalizing your watch face with a photo or a time-lapse, responding to emails on your watch, better integration between fitness apps and Siri and Apple’s native health and workout apps, playing audio out of the watch’s speaker and watching short videos on the watch face.
The new feature Time Travel will let you go through your schedule to view future appointments using the watch’s crown. So no, this app isn’t a way to access a time-traveling Delorean, but it’s still good!
As usual, Apple didn’t disappoint the world with new and exciting features like the News app, being able to watch videos on the Apple Watch, and the entire Apple Music package. With many of these updates being available as early as later this summer, we don’t have long to wait to utilize all of these awesome updates!
The future is now. Just imagine running the eFileCabinet mobile app on an Apple Watch with all of your files safe, secure, organized and easily accessible right on your wrist?