Keeping Current: Apple’s WWDC 2021

This week was one of the biggest events in the technology/social media space… Apple kicked off its yearly Worldwide Developers Conference. Each year they use this conference to announce new technology, new software, etc. There were some major changes that you will begin to see in the coming months, so what exactly do you need to know and how will you be affected? That's what we're here to tell you.

iOS15

The first major update was the announcement of iOS 15, the newest iPhone operating system. This operating system update was expected, but some of the changes within the new system are game-changing. The most influential change lives within FaceTime video calls. Prior to this update, FaceTime was exclusive to Apple products. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, we as a society have become completely dependent on video calls and Apple took note. It's now possible to include Android users on FaceTime with a shareable link that opens the call in a browser. It also includes new spatial audio that reflects the speaker's location on-screen, and voice isolation to help reduce distracting background noise. For visual updates, there is a newly designed portrait mode that can blur backgrounds within FaceTime calls. It will now be easier than ever to share ideas, links, music, etc. with the SharePlay. This sets Apple up to be a competitor with Zoom and other video conferencing platforms.

Travel

Traveling just got easier as well… Apple Wallet will now have the ability to use the app as digital identification at airports across the United States. After scanning a driver's license or state ID from several states, it can be used as a digital ID with the TSA and other services. From having your boarding pass on your phone to now being able to scan your ID - ease of travel in the post-pandemic world will be unmatched.

AI

Another update that will make your life just a little bit easier dives into the world of AI. Have you ever handwritten notes in a meeting and quickly realized you wish you had a typed version of them? Well, Apple has solved this problem with the help of artificial intelligence. It's called Live Text and it has the ability to digitize text in your photos, which can let you copy and paste text from a photo, for example, or call a phone number that's in a photo. So, instead of transcribing your own handwritten notes, Apple will do it for you!

Summary

In our blog about the last iOS update, we discussed the major change around App Tracking Transparency and what it means for social media. But how do these updates announced at Apple's WWDC affect you? Most of them are focused on making your life more seamless. From traveling to transcribing handwritten documents, many are essentially time savers. The FaceTime update will likely be the largest change that you will see, the interconnectivity of technology and people continually grows and this is no different.

Apple has always been a leader in the technology space, and nothing has changed. Technology and social media go hand in hand and it's important to understand how they work together so you can better use them. We're here to help!

Want to learn more about how Hyperchat Social can help you Turn Social Into Sales? Schedule a demo with one of our social media experts today by clicking HERE to learn how you can be optimizing your social media & advertising within the Apple's latest updates!