WWDC 2015 Announcements –From Developer’s Viewpoint

Apple WWDC is an annual mega event when great enthusiasm and curiosity of iOS developers ride on the back of immense joy. Developers across the world wait for it with increased Adrenaline levels and Apple mostly delivers as per their expectations! Yes, the same thing happened yesterday (June 8, 2015) in the grand get-together of iOS developers at San Francisco, when Apple announced a lot of updates and features regarding iOS, OS X, and much-awaited Watch OS. Let’s figure them out from developers’ perspective in this blog:

The latest iOS 9 steals the show

Yes, the new iOS 9 has everything to steal the show. Improved HealthKit, less space requirement on iPhone, new “low power mode” to preserve three extra battery hours (something to cheer!), etc. are among the amazing and useful features of the upcoming iOS 9. Developers will get its first ever public beta version in July and people will get the final version in the fall.

What is there for developers?

With the announcement of iOS 9, Apple also came forward with developer APIs that will allow developers to come up with better iOS apps. Deep and direct linking with content is now available within third-party apps. Also, Apple has introduced GameplayKit and Model I/O for better game development. ReplayKit will facilitate recording of gameplay.

New HomeKit, CarPlay and HealthKit are also coming to facilitate development of interactive and innovative iOS apps.

Bigger name, better performance

When it is a matter of limelight, we just can’t ignore Mac OS X update. El Capitan (OS X 10.11) is a new version of Mac OS X. Some of the innovative features include “pin” sights for instant loading, Spotlight to search anything in more extensive manner, split screen, multiple desktop layouts, and Metal- the unique optimization tool to boost performance. In brief, we can say Mac OS X upgrade gets a bigger name and a better performance.

Music on the move

Apple Music is a giant leap of Apple in the world of music streaming. With all necessary features, Apple Music is set to entertain the community of Apple product users. It contains a 24/7 global radio service and an innovative feature for the musicians called “CONNECT” to upload images and much more related to songs. Drake, the Toronto rapper said about Apple Connect that: This is something that simplifies everything for the modern musician like myself, and for the modern consumer like you.

News at your fingertips

News app is going to replace older Newsstand app. With some of the renowned names including CNN, Wired, Bloomberg, The New York Times, etc. News app is ready to change the news experience. We can pick the favorite channels and get a personalized feed in the form of articles with rich animation and graphics. At present, the app is available for the US, UK and Australia, but soon all the countries will get it.

Time to present WatchOS

Apple addresses developers’ demand effectively with a launch of WatchOS 2. It offers more control and freedom to the developers for making native watch apps with functions like audio and video playback. Also, the inclusion of more interactivity in an inventive manner facilitates developers to make innovative apps. In brief, Apple has finally opened the doors for making watch-centric apps by introducing WatchOS 2. Users can enjoy their Watch more by using features like Time Travel, Time-Lapse, and Nightstand mode.

Swift 2- Open for development

Another announcement that gives pleasure to developers is Apple’s decision to make Swift 2 language open source. Now onward, developers can freely contribute to Swift 2 development and use it for making customized apps for Apple devices.

Apple Pay comes to UK

Expansion of Apple Pay seems a never-ending process as Apple slowly introduces it to the new countries. In July, Apple Pay is coming to UK as Apple has done partnerships with eight banks and varieties of British brands. (Australia, you’re in a queue!)

Proactive, HomeKit, Maps

Let’s have a glimpse of various other features that Apple announced yesterday for iOS 9 before we conclude. Siri gets smarter as it will come with Proactive, the most innovative and interactive app from Apple till date. HomeKit is considered as a giant leap toward the internet of everything concept. Apple maps are coming with minute details like transit directions, and you’ll more count on them.

Apple TV, we miss you

Slight disappointment from Apple TV front was there yesterday as it looked elusive during an entire keynote speech. However, as many innovative functions are in the air, we can wait for the Apple TV, can’t we?

As conclusive notes, I would like to mention that just like Google’s I/O 2015 event, Apple’s WWDC mega event had many things for the developers to offer.