This past Monday, Apple held their annual World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) in San Jose, California and announced some very exciting upgrades and new additions to the Apple operating system family. These improvements won’t just benefit developers however, as most professionals who use Apple products for their work will see an immediate boost to their work productivity. Here are ways that the new suite of Apple operating systems (OS) will thoroughly boost work performance for professionals.
WWDC 2019 notes provided by MacRumors.
WatchOS 6:
The newest rendition of the Apple Watch interface comes with a few new features and upgrades that will push the envelope of productivity. With the update, a large series of apps will now work independently on the watch, highlighted by Audiobooks app, Voice Memos, and the new calculator app, which includes add-ons that will assist in bill-split and tip calculation.
The main benefit people will see from the watchOS update is the freedom to do more without having to use your computer, phone, or tablet. By having apps run independently from the watch, professionals will be able to listen to their favorite books to keep them focused, drop themselves a quick audio note, or make a calculation all by raising their wrist, which ultimately gives them more time to focus on their projects and duties.
iOS 13:
The announcement of iOS 13 came with some fairly large updates, including at 30% faster Face ID unlock time, apps that launch in half the time, updates and downloads that take up significantly less space, and the much anticipated Dark Mode. These updates will make working on the go more efficient as you can access your information quicker, utilize more space on your mobile device for essential work information, and overall use less energy and save battery while using the dark mode setting.
Also announced were updates to the Maps app, which will now include 3D renderings of buildings and significant landmarks, as well as a new “Look Around” feature (very similar to Google’s Street View). This update is crucial for professionals on the go and can prove to be extremely useful in navigating a foreign city. May you never miss another meeting!
Apple has also revamped their Photo and Camera apps to be more user friendly in terms of editing on the go as well as accessing photos. The camera studio will now have more options for its users.
iPadOS:
This upcoming fall will also introduce a completely new OS to the iPad – finally branching the gap between mobile and computer production from a software perspective. iPadOS will now allow apps to be open in multiple windows (similar to apps on computers) and will include touch and keyboard shortcuts that will give users a more efficient grasp on how they manage their information on the iPad.
The new iPadOS will also include a cleaner setup for file browsing, as well as support for USB drive and SD card file sharing. For any professional out of the office who needs to access files in a hurry to a photographer working in the field, the nuances found in iPadOS will significantly improve the performance of the workers who use it.
MacOS Catalina:
The introduction of OS Catalina does not offer the dramatic physical changes that were seen in OS Mojave such as the optional dark mode, however Catalina has some interesting tricks up its sleeve.
For starters, Catalina will support a feature called “Sidecar” which allows Macbook users to wirelessly paid their iPad to create a second screen, or if using editing apps, a graphics tablet to make live edits to files with the accuracy the Apple pencil/pen provides. This feature will make for a more enjoyable and more productive editing experience for graphic design and content management professionals, while also giving other workers more space to spread their work out.
Catalina also offers improved accessibility options, including full voice control for all macOS and iOS features.
Additional security was also added to the new OS, with the “Find my iPhone” app transformed into the “Find My” app. Find My combines Find my iPhone and Find My Friends, and now can locate devices even if they are offline. On top of this, if a device is stolen or misplaced, the owner can use the Find My app to lock the device with an encrypted code. This is an absolute must have for any professional who finds themselves on the road as it adds an additional sense of security over both your information and your device.
Also announced was the much anticipated Mac Pro, which will be a godsend for any and all high-end music or video editors who require a boatload of processing power. Below is a video from Macworld describing all that the new Mac Pro has to offer.
All in all, it was another great line-up of software and hardware from Apple that will without a doubt push professional productivity to the next level. Which new feature do you think you’ll use the most in your work space?