WWDC 2020: Huge iPhone iOS 14 update lets you TEXT your car key to pals – and speak in other languages
APPLE has revealed major news about your favourite gadgets – including iPhone, iPad and Mac.
You’ll soon be able to text your car key to friends, speak in other languages, and even track pole-dancing calories with the Apple Watch.
Apple WWDC 2020 news – what’s the latest?
Apple’s virtual WWDC event has finally begun.
Apple chief Tim Cook talked about the Black Lives Matter campaign in the USA.
“This country was founded on the principles of freedom and equality for all,” the Apple boss explained.
“For too many people and for too long, we haven’t lived up to those ideals.
“We must all aim far higher to build a future that lives up to our ideals.”
Tim then brought out Apple exec Craig Federighi to announce the next big iPhone update.
It’s called iOS 14, and it’s coming later this year.
The first big change is the new App Library, designed to clean up your home screen(s).
All of your apps will be organised automatically inside the App Library.
If you’ve got loads of pages, you can tap your screen to hide some of them.
And then you can find those apps in the App Library.
It’s a major change (already possible on Android devices) that means you can have a much tidier mobile.
There are new widgets that look much better than the old ones.
Better still, you can put these widgets on the home screen alongside your apps – rather than them being hidden.
For instance, you can have podcast or weather widgets, all obtainable through the Widget Gallery.
Apple has finally added a proper picture-in-picture mode that works across the device.
So you can play videos while doing other things.
And audio will still play across the device.
Siri has received a major update.
Your iPhone can now run dictation on the device, so you can read out texts to the Message app.
Apple is also using Siri’s technology for a new app called Translate.
It lets two people who speak different languages have text conversations.
The app works offline, and is a clear rival to Google’s own Translate app.
Messages is getting an update.
You can now pin conversations to the top of the Messages app.
And there are 20 new hear and headwear styles for Apple’s animated Memoji avatars.
There are face coverings (because duh!), and new age options for Memoji too.
Apple has added “mentions” that let you tag people in group conversations.
And there are now in-line replies for miniature threads in group chats – a bit like in Slack.
Apple has also promised to reinvent the car key.
“They’ve become big, bulky and ripe for reimagining,” said Craig.
Your iPhone can now work as a digital car key on certain new car models.
The first car to support the tech is the new BMW 5-Series, available next month.
But Apple says it’s working with other car-makers too.
You can turn off the key remotely via iCloud if you lose your iPhone.
And you can even text your key to a pal temporarily if they want to borrow the car.
Eventually, the feature will let you enter your car without even taking your iPhone out of your pocket, just because the car knows the handset is nearby.
Apple also unveiled App Clips.
They’re “light and fast” pieces of apps, and work through virtual cards.
You tap your iPhone on a real-world NFC tag (or scan a QR code), and it launches an App Clip.
For instance, you could access a shareable scooter in the real world, or check a coffee shop menu.
You can also launch App Clips from the web too, including via text.
The new iOS 14 update will be available in the autumn, like in September.
Apple also announced iPadOS 14 – a new update for your tablet.
You’ll get the same redesigned homescreen widgets that are being added to the iPhone with iOS 13.
The Photos app is being redesigned with a new sidebar that lets you quickly navigate to the photos you’re looking for.
And you can use it to organise photos between albums in seconds.
The Sidebar is being added to Notes, Files and Apple Music too.
Incoming calls are now presented with tiny notifications at the top of the screen.
That’s instead of taking over your entire iPad.
Thankfully, this is also being added to the iPhone, a feature that’s been requested by fans since the very first model.
It means you’ll no longer be completely interrupted when a call comes through.
And that makes it much easier to ignore a call if you want to, because you don’t have to cancel it to return to your normal screen.
Apple’s AirPods are also getting a few tweaks.
They’ll now automatically switch between your devices, if you have multiple Apple products.
There’s also a new Spatial Audio feature being added to AirPods Pro.
It’s compared to cinema-style systems where the audio seems to come from the front, sides and overhead.
Directional audio filters are applied – and frequencies adjusted – to play noise from any direction in the soundspace.
Next up was an upgrade for the Apple Watch software.
Apple unveiled the brand new watchOS 7, which has a few significant changes.
Apps can now have multiple Complications. For instance, a surfing app could have complications for water swell and wind directions – which wasn’t previously possible.
There are a few new watch faces, and there’s now the option to share watch faces.
It’s called Face Sharing – there are curated faces from Apple, or websites can share their own.
And pals can text their watch faces to you, if they’ve put together something particularly cool.
An update has added cycling directions.
It’ll tell you about time, distance and whether there a bike lines.
You also be able to find out about inclines, so you’ll know if there’s a giant slog up a hill.
There’s a new “dancing” tracker for Apple’s Workout app, and you can even choose specific styles.
So if you’re at the club doing a sweet shuffle, you can now track those calories accurately. It’ll help justify the takeaway after, too.
There’s even a pole-dancing option if that’s your thing.
You can now use a new ‘Wind Down’ feature, which involves setting a bedtime on the iPhone.
It turns on Do Not Disturb, and includes shortcuts for getting to bed – with relaxing music, and quick access to mediation apps.
Your Apple Watch will go into “sleep mode”, and will offer the option of gentle wake-ups in the morning – including a vibration alarm.
Apple Watch now has automatic detection for hand-washing.
It’ll be able to spot when you’re washing your hands (using motion and sounds).
And it’ll give you a countdown to remind you to wash your hand for long enough.
If you stop too early, you’ll even be prompted to carry on washing your hands for longer.
Apple didn’t forget about Mac fans either.
Coming later this year, you’ll be able to update your laptop or desktop to macOS Big Sur.
The software has been redesigned in a fairly significant way, with new icons, widgets and windows.
It looks even cleaner than the current macOS Catalina, which is no mean feat.
There’s a new Control Centre (like the one on iPhone or iPad), letting you quickly change volume, themes and Do Not Disturb.
Tim Cook also made a long-rumoured announcement about Mac.
Apple is finally moving to its own in-house chips – rather than relying on tech firms like Intel.
It means Apple can better-integrate its hardware and software, just like it does with the iPhone.
This is a very technical change, but it could mean smoother and potentially even cheaper Apple Mac devices in the future.
Apple says it’ll offer better performance respective to power consumption.
And it’s hardly a surprise: Apple already makes its own chips for the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
The first Mac with Apple Silicon is expected to ship this year, with a complete transition within two years.
That likely means Apple will have Apple Silicon versions of all major Mac products by the end of 2022.
What is Apple’s WWDC?
Nicknamed ‘dub dub’, WWDC an annual Apple event used to showcase loads of new tech at its flashy headquarters in California.
It stands for the Worldwide Developers Conference – an annual get-together for app makers hosted by Apple.
It typically sees Apple revealing major software news, including big updates for its most popular devices – like the iPhone and iPad.
This is the first year ever where Apple will host WWDC entirely virtually.
Apple WWDC 2020 Swift Student Challenge
Apple has also announced the Swift Student Challenge alongside its WWDC reveal.
It’s described as an opportunity for student developers to create their own Swift playgrounds.
Swift Playgrounds is an iPad and Mac app designed to make learning the Swift programming language fun.
It’s aimed at both kids and adults, letting you learn the language by playing a level-based game.
Student developers were able to submit their own interact scenes for a Swift playground, right up until May 18 – with winners announced at WWDC 2020.
And the prize is an exclusive WWDC jacket.
“Students are an integral part of the Apple developer community, and last year WWDC saw attendance from more than 350 student developers spanning 37 different countries,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering.
“As we look forward to WWDC 2020, although our gathering will be virtual this year, we want to recognise and celebrate the creative contributions of our young developers from around the world.
“We can’t wait to see this next generation of innovative thinkers turn their ideas into a reality through the Swift Student Challenge.”
Apple WWDC 2020 times and schedule – when is the keynote?
You can watch the event live here:
- Apple Events –
Here’s the full schedule for WWDC 2020…
Special Event Keynote – June 22, 10am PT (6pm UK time): This is where we’ll hear about the big Apple news, likely from chief Tim Cook himself.
Platforms State of the Union – June 22, 2pm PT (10pm UK time): This is where Apple engineers will reveal new tech advances for various software platforms, like iOS and macOS.
100+ Engineering Sessions – June 23-36: Apple is hosting a range of sessions to teach people how to create “the next generation of apps”.
All-New Apple Developer Forums – June 18: This is where Apple will connect developers with Apple engineers to answer questions they have.
1-on-1 Developer Labs (by appointment) – June 23-26: Developers can request their own appointments with Apple engineers to answer technical questions.
App makers can get the full WWDC schedule by downloading the Apple Developer app.
In other news, check out our review for the new (and very cheap) iPhone SE.
We were also very impressed by the new MacBook Air.
Take a look at these amazing iPhone tips and tricks.
And read our guide to the hidden secrets of FaceTime on your iPhone.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk