The Apple WWDC 2018 Keynote Live Blog (Starts at 1pm ET)
by Ryan Smith & Andrei Frumusanu on June 4, 2018 12:30 PM EST12:33PM EDT - We're live from sunny San Jose for this year's Apple World Wide Developers Conference keynote
12:34PM EDT - This event is arguably Apple's marquee event of the year, as Apple has packed the San Jose Convention Center with press and developers alike to hear what the company has in store this year
12:35PM EDT - Joining me is the ever-awesome Andrei Frumusanu, who has forgotten more about phones than I'll ever know
12:36PM EDT - Apple really packs the house for this event. There are people in some fashion on basically every square foot of the venue
12:37PM EDT - And even then, it's pretty much a lottery to get in. Apple could still use more space
12:37PM EDT - Which goes to show just how popular the event is
12:38PM EDT - So what are we expecting this year? Software is a given, of course. This is traditionally the venue where Apple outlines their OS plans for the next 12 months
12:38PM EDT - So iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS news are all but guaranteed
12:38PM EDT - And we'll almost certainly see news about other pieces of software and aspects of the Apple ecosystem
12:38PM EDT - Now as for hardware, that's a different matter
12:39PM EDT - Bloomberg has published a report stating that there won't be any hardware at the show this year
12:39PM EDT - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-31/apple-to-tout-digital-health-ar-features-at-software-conference
12:40PM EDT - This is of course a rumor, but Bloomberg is traditionally a high quality source. And it's consistent with some things I've heard as well
12:40PM EDT - So right now I'm not expecting any hardware
12:41PM EDT - At best, Apple may announce some far-future products. But the company's logistical operation is so large that they can't hide anything that's close to shipping
12:41PM EDT - In which case this would be the first show in a while without some kind of hardware
12:42PM EDT - The flip side of that is that the last couple of WWDCs have already needed to move at warp speed
12:42PM EDT - So if this lets Apple's presenters slow down a bit, I'm not sure that would be a bad thing
12:47PM EDT - Meanwhile on the software side of matters, there's a lot of clammoring for Apple to focus on quality over features
12:47PM EDT - It is not unearned
12:48PM EDT - iOS 11 was a very rocky launch for Apple, with far too many bugs and features that weren't ready for shipping
12:49PM EDT - (I'm told the official Apple stream is finally up)
12:50PM EDT - https://www.apple.com/apple-events/june-2018/
12:50PM EDT - So if iOS 12 shores things up and changes fewer things, that would be okay
12:51PM EDT - And on a personal note, if it woud bring back the iOS 10 landscape keyboard, that would be even better
12:53PM EDT - As for Apple's services, that's going to be a grab bag, most likely
12:53PM EDT - So we'll have to see what Apple has in store
12:54PM EDT - Adding an extra spanner in all of this is that this year both WWDC and Computex are taking place at the same time
12:55PM EDT - Normally WWDC has taken place a week later than Computex
12:55PM EDT - So AnandTech staffers are flung across the far corners of the globe to cover everything this week
12:55PM EDT - (Thank you, Purch, for the travel budget!)
12:56PM EDT - So we're interspersing Apple news with things like new PSUs, mobile device developer kits, and of course, Android Smartphones
12:57PM EDT - Speaking of smartphones - and to fill some dead space here - I asked Andrei what he wants to see in iOS 12
12:58PM EDT - "More inter-app communications" and "more customization" were among the top things on Andrei's list
12:58PM EDT - The silence-your-phones notification has gone out, so we should be getting started soon here
01:01PM EDT - And here we go?
01:01PM EDT - As usual, Apple starts by rolling a video
01:02PM EDT - A faux nature video about developers migrating to San Jose for WWDC
01:05PM EDT - "Only the strongest apps will survive"
01:05PM EDT - The video has ended, and Tim Cook is taking the stage
01:06PM EDT - Developers here from 77 countries
01:06PM EDT - And 20 million registered developers
01:06PM EDT - 6000 people in the conference hall itself
01:07PM EDT - Apple is getting ready to celebrate the 10th birthday of the app store
01:07PM EDT - (And to think the iPhone didn't have an app store in its first year)
01:08PM EDT - Apple is expecting total developer payouts via the App Store to top 100 billion USD this week
01:09PM EDT - Now diving into Swift, Apple's favored programming language
01:10PM EDT - Cook is recapping Apple's efforts to teach coding
01:10PM EDT - "Today is all about software"
01:10PM EDT - So that's that when it comes to hardware
01:11PM EDT - Now diving into Apple's 4 platforms: iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS
01:11PM EDT - Starting with iOS
01:11PM EDT - Now on stage: Craig Federighi
01:11PM EDT - Federighi confirms that the next iOS is 12
01:12PM EDT - (iOS 6. Now there was a good OS)
01:12PM EDT - Touting the fact that all Apple customers are able to quickly update to the latest release of iOS
01:13PM EDT - Still, only 81% of devices are on iOS 11
01:13PM EDT - Apple says that customer satisfaction for iOS 11 is 95%
01:13PM EDT - iOS 12: "We are doubling-down on performance"
01:13PM EDT - (Yay, I'll take it)
01:14PM EDT - iOS 12 will be supported on all devices that can run iOS 11
01:14PM EDT - Making it the biggest window yet for iOS support
01:15PM EDT - Apple will also be focusing on older devices; those that need the most performance gains since iOS 10/11 added features at the cost of performance
01:15PM EDT - 40% faster app launch on a 6s, etc
01:15PM EDT - It sounds like iOS 12 is going to get a new CPU governor
01:16PM EDT - Much faster CPU clockspeed ramping up and down
01:16PM EDT - And that's the word on performance
01:16PM EDT - Now on to Augmented Reality
01:17PM EDT - Apple has created a new file format for AR: USDZ
01:17PM EDT - Designed in collaboration with Pixar
01:17PM EDT - Designed to be easily sharable. Apple is working with multiple companies to get support for the format in their apps
01:18PM EDT - Now on stage: Abhay Parasnis of Adobe
01:18PM EDT - Adobe will support USDZ in their Creative Cloud applications
01:19PM EDT - Also will be releasing a new iOS application for designing AR content
01:19PM EDT - A WYSIWYG editor for AR
01:19PM EDT - Back to Federighi
01:20PM EDT - New Apple app: measure
01:20PM EDT - Apple is finally integrating measurement support for their cameras
01:21PM EDT - Similar to how 3D cameras already have this feature, but instead you need to mark two points and the phone needs to calculate the distance
01:21PM EDT - So a best-effort implementation without true 3D vision
01:22PM EDT - Can also estimate the size of basic rectangles (example: a printed photo)
01:22PM EDT - Showing off more AR/USDZ uses
01:23PM EDT - Now announcing ARKit 2
01:23PM EDT - (No point-oh)
01:24PM EDT - Improved face tracking, 3D object detection, shared experiences, etc
01:24PM EDT - Multiple people can see the same environment from difference perspectives
01:24PM EDT - Quickly demoing it while Federighi talks
01:25PM EDT - Now on stage: Martin Sanders of LEGO
01:25PM EDT - LEGO wants to combine physical and digital
01:26PM EDT - Demoing LEGO's latest AR-enabled software
01:27PM EDT - Up to 4 people in the same space
01:29PM EDT - Can also save a world for future use
01:29PM EDT - Up next: photos
01:30PM EDT - First up: search
01:30PM EDT - iOS 12 is adding search suggestions for photos
01:30PM EDT - Can search by locations, events, etc
01:31PM EDT - New tab: For You
01:31PM EDT - For You can also suggest photos to share
01:32PM EDT - And whom to share them with
01:32PM EDT - Photos are shared at full resolution
01:32PM EDT - Multiple phones can recognize photos taken at the same event, and suggest photos to send back
01:33PM EDT - All based around Messages, of course
01:33PM EDT - Now on to Siri
01:33PM EDT - New Siri feature: Shortcuts
01:33PM EDT - Lets apps expose features to Siri
01:34PM EDT - Showing an example of having Siri launch an app based on a specific phrase
01:35PM EDT - Users will also be able to create their own shortcuts
01:35PM EDT - Using the aptly named Shortcuts app
01:36PM EDT - Drag & drop interface
01:36PM EDT - Now on stage: Kim Beverit
01:36PM EDT - Now demoing Siri shortcuts
01:37PM EDT - Shortcuts recognizes that Kim is running late for a meeting, and suggests notifying the organizer
01:39PM EDT - Now showing a complex shortcut that does several things: maps a route, texts a contact, changes the radio, and sets the home thermostat
01:40PM EDT - Back to Craig
01:40PM EDT - And then to Susan to talk about apps
01:40PM EDT - Quickly covering updates to various Apple apps
01:40PM EDT - Starting with News
01:41PM EDT - (Be sure to subscribe to AnandTech!)
01:41PM EDT - New Browse tab for News
01:41PM EDT - And a new view on the iPad
01:41PM EDT - The Stocks app has been completely rebuilt
01:41PM EDT - (AAPL is at $192)
01:42PM EDT - Apple News is coming to Stocks
01:42PM EDT - Top stories in Stocks is business news that's curated by the Apple News editor team
01:42PM EDT - Stock is also coming to the iPad
01:43PM EDT - Voice Memos has been completely rebuilt as well
01:43PM EDT - And Voice Memos comes to the iPad as well
01:43PM EDT - iBooks is now Apple Books
01:44PM EDT - "Very dramatic. We dropped the 'i' "
01:44PM EDT - Now on to CarPlay
01:44PM EDT - iOS 12 will support 3rd party navigation apps with CarPlay
01:45PM EDT - Back to Craig
01:46PM EDT - Next subject: a comprehensive set of features to limit how distracting an iOS device is
01:46PM EDT - Do Not Disturb is being updated
01:46PM EDT - Introducing DnD During Bedtime, where notifications will not be shown
01:47PM EDT - DnD control updates in the Control Center as well
01:47PM EDT - "Instant Tuning" for notifications from the lock screen
01:48PM EDT - Apple's essentially looking to clamp down on how many notificaitons that users actually need to deal with
01:48PM EDT - Grouped Notifications: notifications can now be grouped by app
01:48PM EDT - New feature: Screen Time
01:49PM EDT - Weekly activity summary, somewhat similar to what Google announced for Android P earlier this year
01:49PM EDT - Shows app usage, how often the phone is picked up, what apps send the most notifications etc
01:50PM EDT - App Limits
01:50PM EDT - Have the phone harass you about how much you're using it, based on how long of a limit you send
01:50PM EDT - Parental controls without the actual hard limits, basically
01:51PM EDT - Speaking of parental controls, those are updated as well
01:51PM EDT - New feature: allowances
01:51PM EDT - So limit when apps can be used and how much total time
01:52PM EDT - Built on top of Family Sharing
01:52PM EDT - Now on to Animoji
01:53PM EDT - Tongue Detection (not a joke)
01:53PM EDT - And Memoji
01:53PM EDT - Your own personal animoji
01:54PM EDT - (So Mii Moji?)
01:54PM EDT - Now on stage: Kelsey Peterson
01:54PM EDT - Demoing more of the new animoji features
01:58PM EDT - New image filters for Messages
01:58PM EDT - (In case your Messages wasn't Snapchat-y enough)
01:58PM EDT - Back to Craig
01:59PM EDT - Now on to Facetime
01:59PM EDT - Introducing Group Facetime
01:59PM EDT - Facetime with up to 32 people at once
02:00PM EDT - (Okay, that's a lot of people at once)
02:00PM EDT - Facetime is now integrated into Messages. Go from a group chat to a group Facetime
02:00PM EDT - I'm curious if 32-way group Facetime works on the iPhone 6 and the like
02:00PM EDT - That's potentially a lot of pixels to decode
02:01PM EDT - Now demoing the feature
02:01PM EDT - Up to 4 big tiles, and then everyone else is in a bar at the bottom
02:02PM EDT - The bottom bar is called the "roster"
02:02PM EDT - And more filters and animoji
02:03PM EDT - Works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac (and audio-only on Apple Watch)
02:04PM EDT - And that's iOS 12
02:04PM EDT - Next up: Apple Watch
02:05PM EDT - Apple Watch grew 60% last year
02:05PM EDT - Now sharing a user story
02:06PM EDT - Introducing watchOS 5
02:06PM EDT - Now on stage: Kevin Lynch
02:09PM EDT - Progress rings update, adding features such as competitions with other Watch users
02:09PM EDT - New workout type: Yoga
02:10PM EDT - And Cadance support, so runners can see their steps per minute
02:11PM EDT - Also adding automatic workout detection
02:13PM EDT - New watchOS 5 communication feature: Walkie-Talkie
02:13PM EDT - This is implemented as a Watch app
02:13PM EDT - (Kids all over the globe are wondering what a Walkie-Talkie is)
02:14PM EDT - Siri Shortcuts are coming to watchOS as well
02:15PM EDT - 3rd party apps can now be used on the Siri watch face
02:15PM EDT - No longer need to say "Hey Siri", just raising your wrist will be enough
02:16PM EDT - WebKit support: can now view web content in messages and mail
02:17PM EDT - Apple Podcast app is coming to the Watch
02:18PM EDT - Now moving on to Watch demos
02:18PM EDT - Doing the demos while biking
02:19PM EDT - Demoing activity competitions
02:22PM EDT - Demo's over. Back to Kevin
02:23PM EDT - 3rd party apps can now play background audio
02:24PM EDT - Student ID card support coming to Wallet
02:24PM EDT - Aha, a little bit of hardware. A "pride edition" Apple Watch band
02:25PM EDT - Next up: Apple TV
02:25PM EDT - 50% year-over-year growth to the business
02:26PM EDT - Now on stage: Jen Folse
02:26PM EDT - Now talking about what's new with tvOS
02:27PM EDT - AppleTV 4K is getting Dolby Atmos support
02:28PM EDT - Atmos, for those unfamiliar, is Dolby's object-based sound format. (So objects positioned in 3D instead of fixed audio tracks)
02:28PM EDT - iTunes will be adding Atmos content
02:29PM EDT - Owners of any content updated with Atmos content will get the updated content for free
02:29PM EDT - Added live sports and live news
02:30PM EDT - Now discussing service provider partnerships
02:30PM EDT - Charter Spectrum will be coming to AppleTV in the US later this year
02:31PM EDT - Apple is updating Single Sign-On
02:32PM EDT - If you're on your TV provider's broadband network, then it can skip the authentication entirely
02:32PM EDT - Apple calls this Zero Sign-On
02:35PM EDT - And that's tvOS
02:36PM EDT - Back to Tim
02:36PM EDT - Mac time
02:37PM EDT - Back on stage: Craig to talk about the next version of macOS
02:37PM EDT - Recapping recent macOS release history
02:37PM EDT - (I miss the big cats)
02:38PM EDT - macOS 10.14: Mojave
02:39PM EDT - First new feature: Dark Mode
02:40PM EDT - It's exactly what the name says on the tin: a dark mode
02:40PM EDT - (This would go really well with an OLED screen)
02:40PM EDT - Xcode works in dark mode as well
02:41PM EDT - New feature: Dynamic Desktop
02:41PM EDT - Desktop changes throughout the day
02:41PM EDT - Now shifting to demos to show off more of the new features
02:42PM EDT - Desktop Stacks
02:42PM EDT - Desktop content can be arranged into stacks based on various features (kind, date, etc)
02:43PM EDT - New gallery view for Finder
02:43PM EDT - For easy image preview
02:44PM EDT - Sidebar supports full metadata
02:44PM EDT - There are also new "quick actions" in this mode
02:45PM EDT - Easy image watermarking as well
02:45PM EDT - (This is still in the Finder)
02:46PM EDT - Quick Look is getting document, photo, and video editing abilities
02:46PM EDT - Now for screenshots
02:47PM EDT - Added video capture to screenshot tools
02:48PM EDT - On to Continuity
02:48PM EDT - Continuity Camera
02:49PM EDT - Use continuity to ask the paired phone to take a photo
02:50PM EDT - Photos, document scans, and videos
02:50PM EDT - Now jumping to apps
02:50PM EDT - Apple News is coming to macOS
02:51PM EDT - Overall seems to look and behave very similar to iOS News
02:51PM EDT - Stocks is also coming to macOS. Again similar to the iPad version
02:51PM EDT - And Voice Memos
02:51PM EDT - (There's a trend here...)
02:51PM EDT - Home is also coming to macOS
02:52PM EDT - Next subject: security and privacy
02:52PM EDT - "We think you should be in control" of who sees your private data
02:53PM EDT - macOS will be locking down a lot more data stores and sources, including camera, mic, and mail DB
02:54PM EDT - Apps will need explicit permission to access these
02:54PM EDT - So something approaching finer-grained sandboxing
02:55PM EDT - Safari is going to be blocking more tracking methods
02:56PM EDT - This includes blocking browser fingerprinting. No legacy plug-ins, no fonts reported except the default system fonts
02:56PM EDT - Now to the app store
02:58PM EDT - The Mac App Store has been "redisgned from the ground up"
02:58PM EDT - New side bar and tabs, incuding Discover
02:58PM EDT - In terms of features this looks to bring it up to par with the iOS 11 app store
03:00PM EDT - Apple will be adding a rating and reviews API for the Mac App Store
03:00PM EDT - Office 365 will be coming to the Mac App Store
03:00PM EDT - And Adobe Lightroom CC
03:00PM EDT - And BBEdit
03:00PM EDT - Now shifting to macOS core technologies
03:01PM EDT - Metal update
03:01PM EDT - Recapping external GPU support
03:03PM EDT - Demoing a MacBook Pro with an eGPU
03:03PM EDT - Now talking about machine learning training on Macs
03:04PM EDT - New tool: CreateML
03:04PM EDT - Simplified model training for developers
03:04PM EDT - GPU-accelerated, of course
03:04PM EDT - Apple wants to get rid of the need for servers to training
03:05PM EDT - Core ML 2
03:05PM EDT - Apple is touting a 30% performance improvement via batch predictions
03:05PM EDT - And smaller models using quantization (essentially lower precision models)
03:06PM EDT - "Are you merging iOS and macOS?"
03:06PM EDT - A: "No. Of course not"
03:06PM EDT - Now talking about the hardware differences that make the Mac different from iOS devices
03:07PM EDT - Metal != "Cross Platform"
03:08PM EDT - Apple is bringing some of the iOS frameworks to macOS, such as UIKit
03:08PM EDT - Make it easier to bring iOS apps to the Mac
03:08PM EDT - So News, Stocks, etc are the first iOS apps ported to macOS
03:09PM EDT - Coming to developers in 2019
03:09PM EDT - So this isn't a native ability to run iOS apps, but it is meant to make for very easy porting to macOS
03:09PM EDT - APFS will finally support fusion drives
03:09PM EDT - And that's macOS
03:09PM EDT - Back to Tim
03:10PM EDT - Tim is now recapping everything
03:11PM EDT - New OSes will launch this fall, and the developer betas will be out after the keynote
03:11PM EDT - Now rolling another video, this time to celebrate developers
03:16PM EDT - Tim is thanking all the developers in the audience as well as the Apple employees
03:16PM EDT - And that's a wrap. See you all next year!
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