Google's Slack-like business app Chat, previously known as Hangouts, is getting an AI update on web, the company announced. As with Docs and Gmail, Google is introducing "smart compose," suggesting relevant phrases in context as you write, effectively saving time by reducing repetitive typing. The aim, the company said, is to help you communicate with colleagues quicker "to move conversations or projects forward more efficiently."
Google has notoriously confusing communications around its messaging apps, so as a reminder, Chat is its enterprise chat app originally introduced among a slate of business offerings. It has features similar to the original Hangouts experience, but with upgrades like reactions and reply suggestions. While designed for enterprises, it's available for free to individual users as well.
Google
Chat got Google's Material Design treatment earlier this year, tying it more closely to Gmail, from where it can be directly launched. Along with new fonts, colors, panel sizing and other aesthetic changes, Google introduced a new topic button designed to make project collaboration easier.
Since Chat has a lot in common with Gmail, it makes sense to have the smart compose option in both apps. Google notes that it will be turned ON by default and can be disabled by unchecking "Enable predictive suggestions as you compose a message on web and desktop" under smart compose. As mentioned, the update only pertains to the web version — it's now rolling out to rapid release domains, and will arrive to others starting on June 26th.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-brings-its-predictive-smart-compose-feature-to-chat-113511311.html?src=rss
It’s an Apple-heavy TMA today, so strap in. After years of speculation, at its WWDC 2023 keynote yesterday, Apple revealed almost everything about its first spatial computing headset, the Vision Pro. In typical Apple style, it looks almost completely different to existing headsets. As Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar put it during his time with the device, the Vision Pro is like the iPod to MP3 players of old, the iPhone to the BlackBerry.
The Vision Pro is a standalone headset (well, with battery pack) that forgoes controllers. Instead, through external and internal sensors and cameras, you use the Vision Pro with voice input and hand/eye gestures. You can finger pinch to select things and use pinch-slide motion for scrolling up/down or left/right. Unlike the Oculus Quest series, you can even make those hand gestures comfortably on your lap – you don't have to hold your hands up dramatically like a Minority Report cosplayer. The most unusual twist might be EyeSight. Apple uses the curved display on the headset's exterior to display your eyes and reactions while you’re wearing the device.
Apple's visionOS, made for this new kind of product, feels like a cross between iOS and macOS, powered by a new R1 chip and an M2 processor to deliver what Apple describes as responsive, "lag-free" standalone performance. Tapping the digital crown (yes, like the Apple Watch) brings up your app icons, while in some demos, rotating the crown will blend the augmented reality vision into a more immersive one. Read our full impressions testing out the headset right here, but expect to wait (and save up): the Vision Pro will be $3,499, and it won't be available until early 2024. Countries outside the US will have to wait longer still.
– Mat Smith
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As expected, the new MacBook Air is extremely similar to the redesigned 13-inch version announced at WWDC one year ago – just a bit bigger. But it marks the first time Apple has released a laptop with a screen this size that wasn't part of its "pro" lineup of devices, stretching all the way back to the PowerBook era of Apple laptops. The 15-inch MacBook Air has the same M2 chip as the smaller model, but Apple hasn't said exactly what the resolution of the 15-inch MacBook Air display is yet. It doesn't have the ProMotion adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz – this one tops out at 60Hz. Apple says it should offer 18 hours of battery life and is only about 3.3 pounds and 11.5mm thick. The laptop starts at $1,299 and is available to pre-order.
The big update to your iPhone brings a raft of improvements to smartphone basics. Incoming calls can now include custom posters for certain contacts, and you'll get Google-style live transcripts for voicemail. Messages, meanwhile, offers easier replies, audio message transcripts and a check-in feature that automatically lets people know if you've arrived or are delayed. You’ll even be able to leave voicemails through Facetime.
With NameDrop, a new feature, you can share contact details just by bringing your iPhone close to someone else's device. You can also share photos that way and leave AirDrop transferring content even when you have to step away. As rumored, you’ll also get a new Journal app, which will send shockwaves to the litany of third-party journaling and diary apps already out. The iOS 17 developer preview is available today, with a public beta coming in July. The software will officially debut this fall.
All the compatible devices for Apple's upcoming operating systems.
If you're still clinging on to an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X, you won't be able to update it to iOS 17. In other words, your iPhone will need to have an A12 Bionic or later chip to install the new OS. If you have an iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, iPhone SE (second-gen) or later, you'll have access to features including Live Voicemail transcripts, the StandBy display mode and improved autocorrect.
Your Apple Watch may look very different when watchOS 10 arrives. As expected, the company is giving the smartwatch user interface an overhaul as part of one of the firmware's biggest updates yet. The original Apple Watch UI was designed, in part, around Glances – a carousel of widgets for different apps and features. You’ll be able to rotate the Digital Crown to access a smart stack of relevant widgets. Things like timers, stopwatches and podcasts will show up as widgets when they're in use. You can even have a widget with your favorite complications. A public beta will arrive next month, and Apple plans to release watchOS 10 this fall.
The subreddits object to pricing that could hurt apps like Apollo.
Reddit's potential threat to third-party apps is prompting a high-profile protest. Dozens of subreddits, including major examples like Earthporn, LifeProTips, ReactionGIFs and Videos, have declared they're "going dark" (that is, going private) starting June 12th in response to an API pricing increase they believe will shut out third-party clients. Some will resume public access after 48 hours, but others will "permanently" isolate themselves until Reddit addresses their concerns.
Christian Selig, the creator of popular client Apollo, says the API pricing would cost him $20 million per year. The developers of other apps, such as Narwhal and Reddit is Fun, have also warned they can't afford the new prices and will likely shut down soon as a result. Moderators are concerned because third-party Reddit apps frequently include customizations and other features that help keep subreddits in check.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-apple-reveals-its-mixed-reality-headset-the-vision-pro-111424711.html?src=rss
Amazon is having a big sale on its Fire Kids tablets just in time for summer break. The Fire 7 tablet 16GB boasts one of the best discounts (along with normally being the cheapest option), with a 45 percent off sale bringing it to $60 from $110. However, for only $5 more, the 32GB model is on sale for $65, down from $130 — a 50 percent discount.
Both memory options are designed for kids ages three to seven and include one free year of Amazon Kids+, which has ad-free books, videos, games and Alexa skills. The kid-proof encased tablet also comes with parental controls, up to 10 hours of battery life, dual cameras and a two-year warranty. Plus, you can always add 1TB of extra storage with a microSD.
Amazon is also running sales on its other tablets for three to seven-year-olds, with the Fire HD 8 down from $150 to $90 and the Fire HD 10 down from $200 to $150. They offer many of the same features as the Fire 7 tablet, including parental controls, a sturdy case and a free year of Amazon Kids+. The main differences are increased battery life and the screens being larger and in HD.
For kids ages six to 12, the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet is 25 percent off — on sale for $150, down from $200. The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro lets kids browse the web with tailored parental controls in place. They can also call approved Alexa-enabled devices and send you requests to buy things like apps and eBooks in the digital store. The screen is a 10.1-inch HD with a kid-friendly case. Each Fire Kids tablet sale applies to certain available colors.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-fire-kids-tablets-are-up-to-50-percent-off-right-now-103503750.html?src=rss
More than two years after it formed, the Oversight Board says that its recommendations have helped make Meta’s rules more transparent to its users, though the company still needs to improve in some key areas. The board, which is made up of nearly two dozen experts in human rights and free speech, published its annual report covering its work and interactions with Meta over the last year.
While last year’s report sharply criticized Meta for not being transparent enough, the latest report highlights the impact the board’s recommendations are starting to have on the company. “In 2022, it was encouraging to see that, for the first time, Meta made systemic changes to its rules and how they are enforced, including on user notifications and its rules on dangerous organizations,” the board wrote in a statement.
The report also highlights areas where its members believe Meta can improve. According to the report, Meta reversed its initial moderation decision in almost two-thirds of cases they were picked for the Oversight Board’s shortlist, which “raises wider questions both about the accuracy of Meta's content moderation and the appeals process.”
The board also points out that it’s been more than two years since it first recommended the company better align its policies between Instagram and Facebook, but that the company has “repeatedly pushed back the deadline” for doing so. The group also takes issue with Meta’s refusal to translate internal guidelines for its content moderators into their native languages. Meta has contended that all its moderators are fluent in English so the step is unnecessary. But the board says “English-only guidance may cause reviewers to miss context and nuance across languages and dialects,” which can cause errors in enforcement.
The report also describes a lack of transparency over some aspects of Meta’s “newsworthiness” exception, which allows for some rule-breaking posts to remain online if the company determines there is a “public interest value” in the content. The Oversight Board says there is still “little is known about the process it [Meta] uses to decide whether content is newsworthy” and that the company’s responses to questions about the policy side-stepped direct answers.
The board’s report suggests there are other frustrating moments in its interactions with Meta. At one point, the board notes that it took eight months for its members to gain access to the company’s analytics tool CrowdTangle. The board also notes that many of its decisions over the last year were published after the 90-day timeframe set out in its rules. The board cites a few reasons for these delays but says that in some cases delays were due to “negotiations with Meta about how much information, which was originally provided by the company on a confidential basis, we could include in our final decision” that took “longer than anticipated.”
It’s also notable just how few cases the Oversight Board ends up weighing in on. In the report, the board says that in 2022 it published 12 decisions — a tiny fraction of the nearly 1.3 million requests it received from users hoping to overturn one of Meta’s moderation decisions. The board notes that it purposely chooses cases its members believe will have a large impact on Meta’s user base. Even so, numbers underscore the fact that that board will never be able to address the vast majority of requests it receives, despite more than $280 million in funding from Meta. That said, the Oversight Board has said that it intends to move faster on some cases, and that it will issue fast-tracked “summary decisions” in some cases beginning this year.
Interestingly, the report also touches on Meta’s suggestion that other social media companies should consider using the Oversight Board. “We are interested in working with companies that share our belief that transparent and accountable content governance, overseen by independent bodies, is an essential part of creating an online environment that respects freedom of expression and other human rights,” the report says.
It’s still unclear how Meta’s peers would start working with the group — or if they have any desire to do so — but the board clearly thinks it has learnings other companies could benefit from. “We’re not seeking to be the board for the whole industry,” Oversight Board Director Thomas Hughes says in the report. “But we are seeking to share what we’ve learned, and work with companies interested in setting up different bodies to set standards and oversee content governance.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-oversight-board-says-the-companys-rules-are-slowly-changing-for-the-better-100059192.html?src=rss
Twitter's advertising revenue is down 59 percent during a five week stretch between April 1st and early May compared to the same period last year, The New York Times has reported. It regularly falls short of sales projections, and things aren't likely to change soon (apparently despite the arrival of new CEO Linda Yaccarino), according to Twitter employees and documents seen by the NYT.
Musk previously said that Twitter was on track to post $3 billion in 2023 revenue compared to $5.1 billion in 2021. Last March, he stated Twitter was worth $20 billion, less than half the $44 billion he paid for it.
In a Twitter Space last week, Musk said "half our advertising" disappeared, blaming advertisers in Europe and North America who have put "extreme pressure" on the company. "They are trying to drive Twitter bankrupt," he added.
However, Twitter's ad sales staff is worried that advertisers have been scared off by a rise in hate speech and pornography, along with a surfeit of ads for things like online gambling and marijuana products. Since Musk took over Twitter, he has taken actions like firing key sales executives and reinstating banned users. That prompted ad agencies and brands including GM and Volkswagen to pause ad spending.
Other advertisers including Apple, Amazon and Disney have reportedly been spending less on advertising than last year, employees told the NYT. It cited an example of large banner ads used to promote things like events or new movies (that can cost up to $500,000 for 24 hours) going unsold. Six agencies said clients have limited ad spending on Twitter over inconsistent support, confusion over changes and the presence of misinformation and toxic content.
They're also concerned about Musk's tweets, like one that compared billion George Soros — a frequent target of antisemites — to X-Men comic book villain Magneto. Earlier this month, Twitter head of safety and content moderation Ella Irwin left the company after the person previously in that role, Yoel Roth, departed in November of 2022.
It's not all bad news, though, as some large media buyers have recently advised clients to return to Twitter, the report states. When Linda Yaccarino was appointed CEO last month, Musk said that she'll "focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design and new technology." She may also be able to help Twitter smooth over troubled relationships with advertisers and resolve issues around moderation for hate speech, pornography and more.
"For a period, we weren’t even sure who to get on the phone with to talk to," one media exec told the NYT. "With Linda coming in, that could change that in a big way." At the same time, he acknowledged that it may be a "tall order" for Yaccarino to deal with the volatile environment Musk has created.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitters-ad-sales-have-reportedly-dropped-by-59-percent-since-last-year-092543851.html?src=rss
Mouser Extends its Comprehensive Microcontroller Line-up to Provide Embedded Developers with More Processor Choices
Mouser Electronics, Inc., the industry's leading New Product Introduction (NPI) distributor with the widest selection of semiconductors and electronic components™, recently added new microcontrollers to its extensive Embedded Processors and Controllers portfolio.
Microsoft will have to pay $20 million to settle charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that the company violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). In the complaint filed by the DOJ on behalf of the FTC, the department accused the tech giant of collecting its underage Xbox users' information and retaining their data even without their parents' consent. To be able to play Xbox games and use services like Xbox Live, users have to sign up for an account and provide their personal information, including their full name, email address and place of birth.
Until 2021, users were also asked for their phone number and to agree to Microsoft's advertising policy. The FTC found that Microsoft only asked users under 13 to get their parents to complete their account creation after they had already provided their personal information. And apparently, from 2015 until 2020, Microsoft collected and retained data from underage users, even if their parents didn't complete the registration process. Under COPPA, online services and websites must obtain verifiable parental consent before using any personal information from children.
The FTC also explained that Microsoft combines a user's gamertag with a unique persistent identifier that it could share with third-party developers, even for accounts owned by underage users. In a blog post, Dave McCarthy, the CVP Xbox Player Services, said Microsoft didn't intentionally keep child accounts that weren't completed by their parents. The company found a technical glitch that caused data retention during its investigation, he said, and its engineering team deleted affected children's data after fixing the issue. "The data was never used, shared, or monetized," he added.
In addition to paying $20 million to settle the FTC's charges, Microsoft will also be required under the DOJ's proposed order to change its account creation process for underage users. The tech giant has already updated the process so that it asks somebody's date of birth first and, if needed, ask for parental consent before it requires users to key in any other identifiable information. It will also ask users under the age of 13 who created an account before May 2021 to have their parent reverify their account over the coming months.
The FTC requires Microsoft to establish a system that would delete all the personal information it collects from kids within two weeks if their parents don't complete their account creation, as well. Plus, it wants the company to notify video game publishers if the personal information shared is from a child, so that it can protected by COPPA. While Microsoft has already implemented changes to its sign-up process, the proposed order must still be approved by a federal court before it can go into effect.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-will-pay-the-ftc-20-million-to-settle-charges-over-collecting-childrens-data-074602067.html?src=rss
"Wow, wow, wow. Bellissimo." That was the first thing I heard from one excited WWDC attendee as I waited to test Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset. That level is excitement is exactly what Apple is hoping for. Realistically, not everyone will be able to afford a $3,499 device. But if Apple can get mainstream consumers excited about the idea of spatial computing, then it'll be able to make a bigger splash when it inevitably unveils a more affordable follow-up.
After spending thirty minutes with the Vision Pro, my reaction is more tempered than that excitable attendee. It's undoubtedly the best mixed reality (VR/AR) experience I've had yet, delivering an unparalleled sense of immersion, displays sharp enough to read text on websites, and an intuitive gesture-based user interface. And yet... it's still ultimately a VR headset, with many of the issues endemic to the entire category.
But let's start at the beginning: Before I was anywhere near the Vision Pro, I had to jump through a few setup hoops on an iPhone. First I rotated my head around to map my face, then I gave the phone a full view of my ears for it to personalize the headset's spatial audio. I hopped into another room, took off my glasses, and an Apple representative used a machine to detect my prescription. The Vision Pro can't be used with glasses, so anyone who needs vision correction will have to order additional lenses.
After a few minutes of admiring Apple's meticulously designed corporate campus, I entered a room to see the Vision Pro in action. It looked even more impressive than when I first caught a glimpse of it in the morning, but that's probably because I didn't have to fight off desperate Apple media at the same time. I slipped it on like any other VR headset: I held the front lenses in my left hand, pulled the rear headstrap back a bit, and gently guided the device over my head.
The Vision Pro's stretchy rear headband felt better on my noggin than any of Meta's VR devices, but the headset still placed a bit of pressure against my eyes and around my nose once I securely tightened it with a rear dial. The prototype unit also had a velcro strap going over my head, just like the Meta Quest. That's not visible on any of Apple's promotional materials, but the company tells me that the headset's modular design supports additional straps if necessary.
Even without the overhead strap, though, I'd wager the Vision Pro would still feel noticeable against your eyes. You probably won't forgot you're wearing it, which would ultimately cut into its sense of immersion.
But I'll admit, I mostly forgot about that slight discomfort once I saw the Vision Pro in action. When the screen lit up, I was confronted with the same posh meeting room I initially entered, except this time I could also see an array of app icons hovering in front of me. Thanks to the headset's high-resolution front cameras, I had a clear view of my surroundings, along with the Apple representatives guiding my demo. It wasn't a perfect representation of reality, but it was better than any VR or AR product I've seen yet.
After a bit of eye tracking training, which involved following dots moving around the screen with just my eyes, it also felt like I gained a superpower. A mere glance at an app icon, or a specific menu or button, would instantly highlight it. Then I learned two key gestures, a finger pinch for selecting things, and a pinch-slide motion for scrolling up/down, or left/right. Unlike the Quest, you can also make those hand gestures comfortable on your lap, you don't have to hold your hands up like an amateur symphony conductor.
It may be a cliche to say this, but after just a few seconds of learning those gestures, I felt like Tom Cruise in Minority Report. A glance and a pinch is all it took for me to open up apps and breeze through the interface. I also figured out a flick and pinch motion could quickly scroll through websites, a genuinely intuitive gesture that simply felt delightful. After years of living with touchscreen interfaces on iOS and iPadOS, I don't think anyone is going to have trouble learning how to use the Vision Pro.
With the basics down, I was ready to experience the Vision Pro's most wondrous bits of hardware: Its dual 4K micro-OLED displays. They look sharper than any screen I've seen before, be it a VR headset or a TV. Photos look incredibly crisp, especially panoramic pictures, which completely fill your entire field of vision. And 3D videos shot with the Vision Pro's front cameras look eerily lifelike — almost as if you were replaying a perfectly captured memory.
I was most impressed with how the Vision Pro handled a 3D clip of Avatar: The Way of Water. The movie looked crisp and clear with all of the 3D depth I remembered from the theater. At times, the 3D looked even better than in cinemas, since I didn't have to reduce the brightness of the film with shaded 3D glasses. Apple wouldn't confirm if the Vision Pro could play The Way of Water in in a 48fps high frame rate — the film initially swapped between 24fps and 48fps footage in theaters — but even without that capability, it's something I'd still prefer to watch on headset instead of a 2D 4K TV.
Apple
Like other VR headsets, you can also hop into a virtual cinema to watch videos. By default, that mode puts you in the middle of a theater, but as a dedicated front row sitter, it wasn't nearly close enough for me. (Fight me, I don't care.) Thankfully, the Vision Pro gives you options: I was able to virtually move much closer to the screen, while back row weirdos can also create that experience. Seeing Avatar: The Way of Water projected in clear 3D, at a size close to my local multiplex, felt miraculous. Just imagine slipping this thing on during a long flight and having a movie marathon.
The Vision Pro's side speakers also do a great job of recreating cinematic spatial sound. Since they're basically just tiny speakers, though, other people can also hear them. For a truly private experience, you'll have to slip in a pair of AirPods or AirPods Max.
While I'm mainly dreaming of the private cinema possibilities of the Vision Pro, Apple is positioning it as a next-generation computing platform. You can launch many of the company's native apps from its home screen, including Safari, the aforementioned Photos, and Messages. Keeping the dream of Minority Report alive, you can also drag windows to specific spots in your room. As you open new windows, apps also reposition themselves to make room, as you'd expect.
Apple's visionOS, which powers the headset, feels like a cross between iOS and macOS. Apple fans will be right at home. Tapping the Digital Crown on the upper right side of the headset brings you to the home screen, which is organized into Apps, People and Environments. The latter includes 3D captures of scenic spaces, like Oregon's Mount Hood.
When I loaded that space, I found myself sitting in front of a peaceful lake, but I could still see the Apple meeting room around the edges of my vision. As I rotated the Digital Crown, the 3D environment completely overtook what I was seeing, transforming into a fully VR experience. That seamlessness was astonishing — it's even better than a similar feature I saw on the Magic Leap 2.
I was similarly impressed with a glimpse at Apple's new video format, Apple Immersive Video, which delivers razor-sharp 180-degree videos in 3D. While 360-degree VR videos are nothing new, even the best of them look fuzzier than real life. Apple's tech, which relies on 8K footage from a new camera developed by the company, looks startlingly real. It captured the wonder of flying through the air, as well as the thrilling moment of a well-placed soccer goal. If Apple's spatial vision tech gains some traction, I'm sure plenty of sports fans would be eager to have a field-level view of the action. Notably, the footage still managed to feel immersive, even though it didn't fully wrap me in 360-degrees of video.
A Mindfullness app demo also showed off how effortlessly the Vision Pro can take over your reality. As I worked through a calm breathing exercise for a minute, my field of vision was slowly filled with a virtual flower, which blocked out my view of the meeting room.
As impressed as I was by much of the Vision Pro, it's clear that Apple's mixed reality universe isn't fully baked. While it was fascinating to have a FaceTime chat with another Apple representative wearing her own headset, I found the computer-generated "Persona" avatar to be strangely off-putting. It looked human, but it was stiff and robotic, the uncanniest of valleys. If you were to FaceTime your parent, I'd bet they'd rather see your actual face, with all of its imperfections, instead of a cold CG simulacrum.
I thought back to that 3D video that initially wowed me: It showed a child blowing out their birthday candles and having fun with their siblings. But to take that video, a parent had to be wearing the Vision Pro headset, effectively separating themselves from fully experiencing that moment. Is a moment captured in time worth not being present for the actual moment? (It also brings to mind another scene from Minority Report, where a broken Tom Cruise finds a brief moment of solace by watching a hologram of his missing son.) Perhaps the Vision Pro could be placed on a stand to shoot 3D video, but that doesn't fully solve the odd inhumanity of Apple's initial pitch.
I ended my Vision Pro demo with an encounter with a dinosaur. When I launched the experience, the far wall of my meeting room transformed into an enormous prehistoric portal. I could see small reptiles crawling around the grown, and in the distance, I could hear an enormous dinosaur approaching. After asking if I was comfortable with being up close with a dino, the Apple reps suggested that I get up out of my seat and walk towards the wall. The dinosaur approached end eventually walked through the portal and partially entered the meeting room. It sniffed my hand when I held it out. Its scales looked impossibly real.
But, like so many VR experiences, it was a completely solitary endeavor. Maybe someone could have joined me if they had their own Vision Pro headset nearby, but how many people will actually buy this $3,499 device? Apple is positioning the headset as an alternative to an expensive home theater, but that's also something you can enjoy with other people. I'm pretty sure my wife would rather see Avatar: The Way of Water in 2D on our TV, instead of just hearing me wax about how great it looks in the Vision Pro. (More than one Apple representative suggested that problem could eventually be solved by buying multiple headsets. I laughed.)
Apple is still straddling the line between immersion and isolation with the Vision Pro. Some features, like EyeSight, which projects your eyes onto an OLED screen on the front of the device, can connect the headset's users with others nearby. I also thought the ability to see your hands in mixed reality, as well as to see others when they got close, was all pretty thoughtful. But those hands you see aren't real. The eyes on the headset are just a replication of your own. They're efforts to solve some of the more annoying issues with VR, but they aren't complete fixes.
Perhaps I'd be more enamored with the Vision Pro as a computing platform if I saw more of its capabilities. I couldn't try out the virtual keyboard, or its integration with Bluetooth keyboards, trackpads and mice. I couldn't see what it was like to project my MacBook's screen into a virtual display — something I predicted we'd see last week.
At the very least, Apple has succeeded in crafting the most impressive pitch for spatial computing yet. It's not just about games or forcing people to care about the metaverse. The Vision Pro wants to bring the things you already do on your computers into mixed reality. Perhaps this will lead to cheaper and more consumer-friendly headsets down the line. Maybe it sets Apple up for a hologram-filled future, where you don't even need to wear glasses to see digital elements. So much is uncertain. But for Apple, jumping into spatial computing could be worth the risk.
Follow all of the news from Apple's WWDC 2023 right here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-vision-pro-hands-on-a-new-milestone-for-mixed-reality-060943291.html?src=rss
Apple’s WWDC 2023 keynote was today, and with it came the company’s long-awaited mixed reality headset. Apple Vision Pro is the company's name for its much-hyped entrance into spatial computing. The headset runs a new operating system called visionOS and starts at $3,499 when it launches next year.
Vision Pro wasn’t Apple’s only new hardware for the day; it also launched several new Macs. The 15-inch MacBook Air is the biggest-ever version of that model, running the M2 chip and starting at $1,299. The company also launched a second-gen Mac Studio and the first-ever Mac Pro with Apple silicon. Of course, it also upgraded its software ecosystem, announcing iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 and macOS Sonoma.
That’s a lot to catch up on, but we’ve made it easier by trimming the company’s announcements down to this 23 minute edit that focuses on the highlights while leaving out the filler and extra details.
Follow all of the news from Apple's WWDC 2023 right here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-apples-wwdc-2023-keynote-in-23-minutes-233038310.html?src=rss
To say that Apple's WWDC 2023 keynote was packed would be an understatement. The company introduced the Vision Pro, its first foray into mixed reality headsets, as well as a 15-inch MacBook Air. There was also an updated Mac Studio and Mac Pro, both of which use the equally new M2 Ultra chip. As you'd expect Apple announced significant upgrades to all its software platforms.
Apple Vision Pro
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
It's safe to say the Vision Pro was Apple's marquee device at WWDC. It's a standalone mixed reality headset with very powerful specs, including an M2 chip (plus an R1 companion chip), 4K displays for each eye and nearly a dozen cameras and sensors that allow for hand gesture input and 3D photography. There's even an external screen that shows your eyes and notifies others when you're using apps.
The Vision Pro runs visionOS, a new platform designed from the ground up for spatial computing. It centers on a mixed reality 3D interface that makes apps, FaceTime calls and other tasks effectively float in physical space. You can control your Mac, play games and run iPad apps using a virtual screen. Disney is even planning a suite of experiences that include a Disney+ app.
The headset won't be cheap. Apple will sell Vision Pro for $3,499, and it won't be available until early 2024. This is a wearable computer for developers, and Apple is pricing it accordingly.
15-inch MacBook Air
Apple
Apple's first hardware announcement at WWDC might also have been the most important one for everyday users. The company launched the 15-inch MacBook Air, its first truly large laptop aimed at everyday users. It has the same fanless M2 chip, MagSafe connector and twin Thunderbolt 4 ports as its 13-inch counterpart, just with a 15.3-inch display and a longer 18-hour battery life. It's billed as the "world's thinnest" 15-inch laptop at 0.45in thick, and relatively light at 3.3lbs.
The 15-inch MacBook Air ships on June 13th starting at $1,299. And if it's larger than you need, Apple has cut the price of the 13-inch Air to $1,099.
Mac Pro and Mac Studio with M2 Ultra
Apple
It took three years, but Apple has finally finished transitioning its computer line to in-house silicon. The company has introduced a Mac Pro that uses a brand new M2 Ultra system-on-chip at its heart. While the workstation shares the same cheese grater look as its Intel-based predecessor, the 24-core CPU, 76-core GPU chip is reportedly up to three times faster. You can't upgrade the RAM yourself, unfortunately, but seven PCIe slots and eight Thunderbolt 4 ports promise the expansion heavy-duty users demand.
The Mac Studio, meanwhile, is a straightforward refresh of last year's compact pro machine. It comes in M2 Max and M2 Ultra configurations with a higher-bandwidth HDMI port that supports up to an 8K resolution and 240Hz refresh rates.
Both systems are due to ship June 13th. The upgraded Mac Studio starts at $1,999, while the Mac Pro begins at $6,599.
iOS 17
Apple
Apple unveiled iOS 17 at WWDC, and this upgrade focuses as much on basic apps as it does extending the iPhone's functionality. Calls now include contact-specific "posters," with live transcripts for voicemail. Messages offers a sleeker interface, transcripts, a more powerful sticker feature and location-based check-ins with friends. FaceTime lets you leave video messages. Sharing has improved with proximity-based data and contact sharing, plus AirPlay sharing in hotels and to in-car infotainment systems. Siri is more powerful with support for back-to-back commands that don't involve the "Siri" keyword, and autocorrect includes sentence-level correction as well as predictions.
A new Journal app in iOS 17 lets you document your activities and thoughts, while mood tracking in Health can help you identify medically relevant emotional changes. Your iPhone can also double as a smart display through StandBy, which shows useful info on widgets while your phone is in landscape mode.
iOS 17 is due in the fall, although a developer preview is available now. A public beta will be ready in July. Notably, Apple is dropping support for the iPhone 8 and iPhone X with this release.
iPadOS 17
Apple
If iOS 17 is about revamping the iPhone experience, iPadOS 17 is about catching up. The newly-announced iPad update adds iOS 16-style lock screen customization, complete with widgets. Those widgets are now interactive on the tablet, though, letting you take actions without jumping into apps. Health is also available on the iPad for the first time, and takes advantage of new iOS features like mood tracking.
The Notes app will let you annotate and collaborate on PDFs for the first time. Stage Manager multitasking will give you more control over windows, and you can use an external monitor's webcam for video calls. iOS 17's Journal app, contact posters and Messages refresh will be available here as well.
iPadOS 17 doesn't arrive until the fall, but a developer preview is available now. A public test release is expected in July.
WatchOS 10
Apple
The Apple Watch is getting its first true interface overhaul with watchOS 10. The new OS includes a Smart Stack of widgets for timers, podcasts and other content you can quickly access by spinning the Digital Crown. Key apps like Activity and World Clock are adding more functionality, too. Cyclists will appreciate bike sensor support as well as heart rate and power data, while hikers may like automatic waypoint creation for emergencies as well as topographical maps (including trail searching) and 3D waypoints.
Other additions are more in line with iOS and iPadOS. The Mindfulness app now includes mood tracking, and you'll get outdoor time tracking to help prevent nearsightedness. You can view FaceTime video messages and join FaceTime group audio chats. If you're a Fitness+ subscriber, you'll have custom workout and meditation schedules.
A developer preview of watchOS 10 is available now, with a public beta arriving in July. The finished upgrade surfaces this fall.
MacOS Sonoma
Apple
Mac software upgrades tend to both match iOS releases while introducing a few new tricks, and that's certainly the case for the just-announced macOS Sonoma. The refresh adds interactive desktop widgets that can sync with your iPhone. Video calls get an upgrade with a presenter overlay, reactions and improved screen sharing. Safari adds stricter anti-tracking measures in Private Browsing as well as web apps in the macOS dock. Gamers will appreciate Game Mode's performance prioritization, and there's even Apple TV-style video screensavers. Accessibility is improved, too.
Developers can try a macOS Sonoma preview today, while a public beta is slate for July. The finished product is due this fall.
Apple TV and AirPods
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
There were a few nice-to-have updates across the ecosystem. Apple TV users running tvOS 17 will get FaceTime calls using an iPhone. Control Center has been redesigned, and you can use Siri to find a lost remote. If you own the second-generation AirPods Pro, you'll have a new Adaptive Audio feature that adjusts active noise cancellation and transparency mode based on your environment. The earbuds will even predict your volume preferences, and automatically lower the volume when you start speaking to someone else.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/heres-everything-apple-announced-at-wwdc-2023-223303827.html?src=rss
