Apple’s non-AI WWDC plans embrace Settings and Management Heart revamps

It appears like Apple’s WWDC plans transcend sprinkling AI fairy mud on the whole lot (although that’s going to be an enormous a part of it, too). In addition to Siri gaining new AI-powered app management, the corporate additionally plans to overtake issues just like the Settings apps for iOS and macOS, Management Heart, Messages, Mail, and extra.

A brand new, “cleaner” Settings app UI will imply higher group and improved search, Mark Gurman writes in his Energy On E-newsletter for Bloomberg as we speak. He provides {that a} comparable revamp can also be coming to the macOS System Settings app.

Apple may even replace Management Heart, the slide-down menu of fast settings in iOS, with a brand new music widget and “enhancements to the way it operates sensible dwelling home equipment.” Gurman didn’t specify what would change, however as useful because the House widget is correct now, I may definitely see room for enchancment — with the ability to customise which units present up there could be useful, as an illustration.

Messages will get a brand new function that allows you to animate particular person phrases in a textual content message, Gurman writes, backing up a MacRumors report from Friday. He provides that Apple may even add new Tapback icons — the response emoji-style icons that seem if you long-press a message. And Apple will reportedly deliver UI modifications to Images and replace the Mail app with “a number of enhancements,” as nicely.

Apple will apparently additionally announce visionOS 2.0, with native variations of first-party apps. Proper now, visionOS solely has iPad variations of Apple apps like House, Calendar, Podcasts, and Pages.

Gurman reiterated, although, that Apple’s greatest focus at WWDC 2024 will likely be on AI. One massive rumored function is that with none setup from customers or builders, Siri can provide to carry out duties inside apps themselves based mostly in your gadget’s evaluation of what you’re as much as — slightly like Rabbit’s promised “Giant Motion Mannequin” however with shades of Clippy. Some examples he’s reported embrace Siri providing assembly summaries, cropping photographs for you, or shifting notes within the Notes app from one folder to a different.

Some AI options will reportedly come this fall when iOS 18 rolls out, in line with Gurman. Previous rumored iOS AI options embrace Voice Memos and Notes apps will get real-time voice transcription. There’s additionally that customized, AI-created emoji function which may be coming. WWDC 2024 is about for June tenth, so we gained’t have to attend lengthy to study what Apple has up its sleeve for its AI, iOS, and macOS updates this yr.