This year’s WWDC keynote presentation was essentially a big software show. While iOS 12 and macOS 10.14, hogged most of the limelight, updates for watchOS, tvOS were also on deck. The upgrades for Apple watch and Apple TV operating systems centred around tweaking the existing features and adding a few new ones.
watchOS 5
iOS 12 may be the bearer of good news (supporting older iPhones and iPad), but sadly, Apple Watch ain’t so lucky. Apple left the 1st gen Apple Watch owners out in the cold. Yep, even that swanky $10K solid gold Edition version! (Well, I guess I am buying a new Apple watch now! Time to say goodbye to my beloved first-generation Apple Watch.) To be honest, given how sluggish these devices running watchOS 4 got; I ain’t surprised to see them get sidelined.
As announced by Kevin Lynch, the newest version of watchOS 5 focuses on enhancing fitness and Siri capabilities. In simpler words, you can now challenge your friends to share an activity and compare your workouts. (Get ready to eat dirt, ‘friend’!) The new yoga and hiking features like tracking, pace alert and cadence update are also a move towards turning the Apple watch into a serious workout companion.
The moment you start your workout session, the watch will start tracking it automatically. The coolest update? You will no longer have to wake Siri up by shouting ‘Hey Siri’; a simple act of raising your wrist will be enough. Helps when you are breathless from finishing that 5-mile run (which is never!) doesn’t it? Oh, and Apple also introduced ‘walkie-talkie’ feature, and it does exactly what the name suggests 🙂
tvOS 12
Apple introduced the tvOS 12 with a couple of new features including Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos (freaking finally!), zero sign-on which automatically signs you in all supported apps, new and interactive Aerial screensavers, and the new Spectrum TV app which lets you access live channels, thousands of on-demand programs on any of your Apple devices.
And here comes the bummer! As usual, India is left with just a taste of the pie. Apparently, we still aren’t getting the zero sign in and the TV spectrum App!
Both watch OS and the tvOS are currently in developer preview and the official update will be up for grabs in fall.
Also Read:
iOS 12: Everything You Need to Know about the New iPhone and iPad Software Update
Meet macOS Mojave: The New Operating System for Your MacBook
