Apple has unveiled a new version of its operating system that — for the first time — includes voice activated commands for laptop and desktop computers. At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, in San Francisco, company officials also presented a completely revamped Apple Watch and improvements in many of the most popular apps.
Siri comes to Mac computers
As the name implies, this conference deals mostly with software, so the biggest news that would affect the largest number of Apple product users, is the new operating system, OS X, or as Apple prefers to call it, mac OS Sierra.
Another big announcement is that Siri, the upgraded personal assistant previously available only on iPhones and iPads, is integrated with the new operating system. Siri is now more intelligent and more intuitive, able to understand increasingly complicated commands, given with different word sequences.
Also, Siri will be open to developers who will be able to integrate it with new applications.
Synched destops across devices
Assuming that the owner of a Mac computer also has another Apple device, such as an iPhone or iPad, the new operating system will provide full continuity with the so-called ‘universal clipboard.’ That means a file or part of a file open on one device will be easy to transfer to another with a simple copy and paste operation.
Not only that, it will now be possible to view the same desktop across the devices.
Instead of re-typing the password whenever the desktop or laptop computer locks, the authorized user will be able to unlock it with a simple swipe of the wrist — provided that it holds the owner’s Apple Watch.
Mac OS Sierra will be released sometimes in the fall.
iOS gets upgrade too
The new operating system is coming to portable devices, too.
First of all, waking up the iPhone will no longer require pressing the home button, but merely picking up the phone.
The iOS 10 will offer a whole range of improvements —handwriting recognition and better auto correction. Apple maps will start showing traffic conditions and calculating time for alternate routes.
Maps will also now be open to developers around the world, which means that they will start being useful in many more countries.
If your iPhone's memory is full of vacation photos and videos that you never got around to assembling into a story or a slideshow, the phone will do it for you, making it as long as you want and editing to the music according to the mood you chose.
Among other upgrades, sending messages will be more fun, as you'll be able to embed videos, YouTube links, bubble effects and animations.
Free upgrades to iOS 10 will be available in the fall for iPhone 5 or higher and some but not all iPads.
Apple watch will feel as new
Apple also presented a new and completely renovated Apple Watch, which company officials say is faster and more versatile. It has a completely new, intuitive interface, its apps now open instantly and it recognizes handwritten characters so messages will not have to be typed.
If the owner is in an emergency situation, pressing the side button for a few seconds automatically makes a call to emergency service through the owner’s smart phone. Apple says it will work in any country in the world.
Apple’s 5-day World Wide Developers Conference is attended by over 5,000 software developers. 120 of them are under 18 years, with the youngest being a 9-year old girl.
