The WWDC ’19 keynote saw the overhauled Mac Pro and an epically bright Apple Pro Display XDR debut, along with iOS 13 dark mode, new iPadOS and an Apple Watch App Store that’s actually on the watch.
Originally Published by, LORI GRUNIN Via CNET
Apple held its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Jose on Monday and threw a lot of new stuff at us, including a Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR, iOS 13 with a dark mode, MacOS Catalina, an operating system just for the iPad called iPadOS and new features for Watch fans. WWDC 2019 was a lot different than the single-OS conference of 20 years ago and a new experience for some.
If you just want to cut to the chase, here are some highlights:
- Apple iOS 13: New Siri voice, camera tools, Dark Mode for iPhone
- New Mac Pro makes its debut, starts at $5,999
- Apple gives the iPad its own OS
- Apple’s new MacOS opens up to iPad apps in the fall
- All the latest from WWDC
As the conference started, Tim Cook gave us:
- A preview of the new Apple TV Plus show, For All Mankind,
- News that Apple TV’s TVOS is getting multiuser support,
- and native support for Xbox One S and DualShock controllers, which will work with Apple’s forthcoming Arcade gaming service.
He also addressed the big “Is Apple a monopoly” question in an interview with CBS News.
To get a written play-by-play recap of the entire event, check out the CNET liveblog.
Mac Pro and Apple Pro Display XDR
- The cheese grater is back for 2019 — but it’s modernized, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
- Thanks to the magic of AR, you can see what it will look like on your desk.
- It’s beastly, and here are the specs to prove it. Apple’s also introduced a custom video accelerator card, called Afterburner, designed specifically for video editing acceleration to support native ProRes and ProRes Raw in 8K. Hello, 1.4-kilowatt power supply. But: optional wheels!
- The rumored 32-inch HDR display (that Apple dubs “XDR”) is real as the Pro Display XDR; Apple intends it to replace both reference and working monitors for video editors. It’s got a matching cheese-grater back that’s also a huge heat sink. The panel has a 6,016×3,384 resolution, is true 10-bit, and incorporates a polarizer for better viewing angles, etched glass and a large array of blue LEDs with lenses and local dimming. It supports 1,600 nits peak and 1,000 nits sustained and high contrast.
- The monitor stand costs an extra $1,000, which did not go over well.
- Apple’s new Mac Pro with monitor costs $12K, so here are 10 cars that cost less
Pro Display XDR: Hands-on with Apple’s new $5,000 6K monitor


IPad now runs iPadOS
- It wasn’t announced, but it looks like iPadOS is getting mouse support
- Splitting the operating system lets Apple take better advantage of the bigger screen. It lets you pin widgets to the home screen, provides a better multitasking interface, permits multiple windows in apps with split screen, and has App Expose.
- Now there’s a column view in Files, more metadata and quick actions. Also, folder sharing finally comes to iCloud Drive, and you’ll be able to attach to network servers.
- It adds support for USB thumb drives and the ability to import photos directly from a camera.
- Safari on iPad will pull the desktop site resized for its display and optimized for touch input.
- There’s support for custom fonts from the big foundries, as well as better text selection.
- Apple Pencil has lower latency and is better for doing markup, and Apple has opened the programming interface to other software developers.
- All these changes mean the iPad is more like a laptop than ever.


Coming to the iPhone: iOS 13
- PSA: Your iPhone may not be compatible with iOS 13
- Dark mode is a-comin’. Here’s why you should use it.
- It’s got a lot of new features, and you can install the beta right now.
- Safari, Mail, and Notes get some updates, but the big rewrite is in Reminders; also more detailed maps will arrive in Maps by the end of 2019.
- Apple has cracked down on some privacy tracking including Apple tracking-free single-sign on, and random email addresses with forwarding — it will also be on the web. Here’s how Sign In with Apple works.
- HomeKit security is also improved, and Apple now has a HomeKit-in-routers partner program.
- And, of course, some Memoji upgrades for personalization; here’s how it works. Now there are automatic sticker packs of your Memoji.
- Portrait lighting effects and an improved editing interface in Photos, as well as the ability to rotate and filter videos. Plus, a new automatic organization of your Camera Roll.
- Siri can read and reply to messages via your AirPods, HandOff to your iPhone is coming to the HomePod and more personalization across loads of HomePad capabilities.
- iOS 13 will let you share music with an AirPods-equipped friend from one iPhone.
- CarPlay has a new dashboard with expanded partner apps.
- Siri’s voice sounds a lot more natural, since it’s completely procedural rather than pieced-together recorded syllables, and has learned to read incoming Messages.


MacOS Catalina
- The new version of MacOS, version 10.15 or “Catalina”, has an iTunes replacement dubbed Music, less-intrusive iPhone integration, a Podcast app with indexing for easy finding, and Apple TV with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support.
- There’s a new app called Sidecar that lets you use the iPad as a second display.
- It adds assistive voice control.
- An Activation Lock and Find My comes to MacOS for locking access to your MacBook from thieves.
- Project Catalyst (formerly Marzipan) is only for iPad apps; it permits developers to now easily port their iPad apps to MacOS.
- For developers, RealityKit and Reality Composer updates to ARKit (with built-in motion capture) made Minecraft in the real world possible, and that’s just for starters.
- Swift programming language has a new framework to make programming easier.


Apple Watch and Watch OS 6
- Voice memo and calculator are now on your wrist.
- There are new watch faces for Apple Watch: gradient face, digital face, California Dial and a Solar face with a 24-hour sun path.
- The Apple Watch app store is coming to the device, letting you browse, purchase and install right on the watch.
- There’s a redesigned Health app, hearing monitoring app called Noise, and fitness-tracking updates are coming. Also, menstrual cycle tracking is coming to both the Watch and the iPhone.
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