Tech

iPad Will Soon Have Its Own OS & Support USB

Krystal Tay

2019-06-05 , 5:00 pm

Back in the days when I was in School, one was considered a cool kid if he/she owned one of these phones:

Any phone under the Walkman series really.

Flip phones were bomb.com.

Or the classic, BlackBerry made famous by my all-time-favourite show, Gossip Girl.

But you might’ve forgotten about these because…

Yes. iPad.

It has taken over the world and every year, the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) gets more attention than the World Cup.

The brand showcases its latest technologies and software to attendees, particularly software developers. Since I’m not a tech junkie, I had a lot of homework to do.

According to their official website, attendees can look forward to a number of activities such as sessions, hands-on labs, consultations, networking sessions, exclusive presentations by guest speakers, and special events i.e. fitness and music events.

And this year proves exceptionally interesting for Apple users.

Top takeaways from Apple’s WWDC 2019

More often than not, Apple releases groundbreaking news at their annual WWDC. This year was no exception.

According to The Verge, the following are the most important updates in store for Apple users:

iPad will receive its own Operating System

In addition to a slightly different interface, fans can look forward to a USB-friendly iPad, as well as new text editing gestures.

iOS 13 to come with a dark theme and numerous updated apps

Fans who love night more than the day would be elated to know that the upcoming iOS 13 would be available in a dark theme.

The option for lyrics to be shown on the music app (perfect to practice before your K-sessions!) and a more detailed map (A NEED) are just a few updates to eagerly anticipate.

Enhanced security protocols

Users will be presented the choice of requiring apps to request for permission to access location-related information each time the app is used. In other words, greater transparency when location sharing is activated.

Siri to get a new voice, in addition to new features on AirPods and CarPlay

An iPhone fanatics’ best assistant or just someone to talk to when you’re lonely, Siri, is reportedly getting a more natural voice. This is great for lonely days, now Siri will feel more lifelike.

According to The Verge, “On the Bluetooth earbuds, Siri can read your incoming messages and let you respond immediately.” though more confirmation is required to understand if this feature is immediate.

While navigating on CarPlay, Siri can now recommend shortcuts automatically based on your activities and connected devices.

Adiós iTunes, Hola Catalina

It has been revealed that iTunes will be removed from the shelf. Instead, iTunes will be split into three standalone apps for Music, Podcasts and TV in the upcoming macOS, Catalina.

With Catalina, Mac users would be able to use the iPad as a second display in a new feature called Sidecar. The iPad can be connected with or without a wire.

A new Mac Pro

At first glance, the new Mac Pro brings to mind a futuristic cheese grater with numerous holes in place. In addition, it is equipped with handles for greater convenience.

With reference to The Verge, “The monitor is a 32-inch LCD screen with a Retina 6K display and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio… and it can connect six displays for up to 120 million pixels of display.”

For the total cost breakdown, refer to The Verge’s detailed article here.

Personally, the one update I’m most excited about is Siri’s new voice. Will it be creepy real? We’ll find out soon.