All The Updates, Features Apple Showed Off At WWDC 2019: Dark Mode, MacOS Catalina And More

Apple Inc. AAPL rolled out some much-awaited new features at the annual Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday. Here’s a look at the highlights.

Mac Pro

Apple rolled out its new redesigned Mac Pro, which will start at $5,999. It has more memory, more cooling power, and more USB ports. It will be available in the fall.

Sign In With Apple

One of the more popular new things is likely to be “Sign In With Apple,” a new authentication mechanism that allows people to sign in to third-party apps with their Apple ID in a similar way to how people can now sign in to some apps with their Facebook or Google ID. Apple says “Sign In” will have the added benefit of more privacy for the user because it’s free from tracking.

Dark Mode

Apple will add a system-wide dark mode setting that to many, will look better and may save battery power. Instead of bright white backgrounds on some apps, the background will be dark.

iTunes

Apple’s music service is being replaced with three separate services: A music service, a Podcast provider and a TV app.

Apple Maps

The company rolled out a new Apple Maps feature that is similar to Alphabet Inc. GOOGL’s Google Streetview. Apple’s been collecting the street view data for a few years in cars, just as Google did, to create a competing photo-based map.

WatchOS6

Apple also previewed watchOS6, adding new functions to its signature wearable device, including Cycle tracking to help women monitor menstrual cycle information, and an app called Noise that notifies wearers when the sound around them is dangerously loud. Apple also is putting the app store directly on Apple Watch.

Catalina

The next version of macOS (10.15) will be called Catalina. Among the new features of Catalina. It will be able to use an iPad as a secondary display with the “Sidecar” feature. Users will be able to completely control Catalina with Voice Control.

iPadOS

iPad is getting its own operating system. It allows users to work with multiple files and documents from the same app with a new Split View, and to switch between multiple apps in Slide Over. For example, Apple said, users can write an email while viewing another one side-by-side.