What’s new from WWDC 2014, The Round Up

Apple made some big aannouncements at this year’s WWDC keynote. Unlike previous years, this years keynote was completely about the software with no new hardware announcements. Expect some big stuff coming in the next few months though.

Here’s what was announced today:

Apple unveiled iOS 8, the newest version of its mobile operating system. iOS 8 is a huge release for developers, meaning all of your favorite apps are going to get a lot better. Here are some key highlights:
– new interactive notifications give you interactive widgets in your notification center.
– double tapping for your running apps will also give you quick access to dial contacts
– new predictive typing keyboard
– new iMessage “Threads” remove yourself from group messages!
—- also, add video and audio, location.
– New HealthKit provides apps with a mechanism to collect, share and manage helath related information
– New discovery in app store will help users find apps they like
– App Bundles will be available in the store, allowing developers to sell several apps at a discounted rate
– A Video may be included on the app store page.
– apps get extensions to access system services. Including safari, photo and keyboard access. This allows apps to interact with system apps! It also allows Keyboard Plug-Ins
– Touch ID API. Apps can now work with Touch ID
– Home Kit API. Apps will have a standardized framework to work with home automation systems to control things around your house.
– Cloud Kit API. Developers will have a framework to make web based applications that work with iCloud Data.
– New “Metal” makes new intense 3d gaming more possible because of performance enhancements
– SceneKit gives developers an easy to use 3d API
– New programming language- Objective-C that is used to writs our apps is being replaced by a completely new programming language, called Swift. We developers have ALOT to learn!

Apple also unveiled its newest version of its Mac Operating System, this one named “OSX: Yosemite”. It implements many nice enhancements and feature additions.
– various look and feel improvements
– notification center widgets
– new global search “spotlight”
– New iCloud Drive offers Dropbox like functionality
– Mail Drive helps to send large mail attachments
– New ‘Continuity” allows your iPhone and computer to work together
– Free update coming in fall

It shouldn’t be surprising that that Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference is being used to unveil so much Developer focused news. What all this really means is that Apple is giving us tools to make our apps a lot better and do things that were not possible before. This means lots of opportunities for new app ideas to emerge. What it means for us developers is we have A LOT of learning to do! If you are an Apple developer, you had better make sure you watch your WWDC videos this year or you’ll be getting left in the dust.