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Stuff I’d like to see added to WatchOS:
1) Apple Notes app. At least the ability read Notes written on other devices.
2) Add the * and # keys to the phone dialing keypad.
3) Ability to display months and days in Calendar app.
4) More standard functions in Calculator app.
5) Ability to play music over the built in speaker.
6) Safari. I’ve been using the micro browser app since it came out. Works well enough to be useful, but pretty basic & rough. Would be nice to have something a bit more refined.
 
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The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple's annual developer and software-oriented conference, is now less than two months away. In line with previous years, Apple is likely to introduce major updates to all of its operating systems, including watchOS 9, iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, and tvOS 16, bringing new functionality and a more refined experience to existing devices.


While rumors about macOS 13 and tvOS 16 remain purely speculative, there are growing indications from reliable sources about some of the specific features we can expect in watchOS 9, iOS 16, and iPadOS 16.

watchOS 9

watchOS 8 brought ID card and keys in the Wallet app, a redesigned Home app, new workout types, the Mindfulness app, updates to Sleep tracking, a Portrait mode watch face, Focus modes, and more. From what we know about watchOS 9 so far, it looks like Apple will focus on several system features, as well as health monitoring, activity tracking, and Workout app improvements.

The current picture of watchOS 9 comes from multiple reports from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, The Wall Street Journal and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

System Features

  • Refresh of existing watch faces
  • Low Power Mode to run some apps and features using less battery life
  • Crash Detection feature, similar to Fall Detection, capable of recognizing a car accident by measuring a sudden change in g-force, contacting emergency services, and sending location data

Health Monitoring

  • Improved health tracking
  • Improved atrial fibrillation detection by calculating "burden," a measure of how long a person is in a state of atrial fibrillation across a certain period

Activity and Workout App Improvements

  • Improved activity tracking
  • More workout types
  • Additional metrics for running workouts

According to Kuo, watchOS 9 may drop support for the Apple Watch Series 3 because its computing power will not be able to meet the requirements of a new operating system. watchOS 9 would therefore only be available for the Apple Watch Series 4 from 2018 or newer.

The Apple Watch Series 3 was released in September 2017, making it almost five years old. It is the oldest device to support the latest version of watchOS 8, but its S3 chip significantly lags behind the Apple Watch SE's S5 chip and Apple Watch Series 7's S7 chip in terms of performance. The Apple Watch Series 3 is also the only remaining Apple Watch to feature the older, thicker Apple Watch design with large bezels and angular corners around the display.

Following the iOS 14.6 and watchOS 7.5 updates last year, Apple Watch Series 3 users have to unpair and re-pair the device from its linked iPhone when updating watchOS because the Apple Watch does not have enough internal storage to complete an update independently.

While the unveiling of major new versions of Apple's operating systems usually takes place at WWDC in early June, the updates themselves are not typically released to the public until the fall, which would coincide with when Kuo believes Apple will discontinue the Apple Watch Series 3 and launch new Apple Watch models.

iOS 16

iOS 15 introduced a redesigned notifications system and Focus modes, Spatial Audio and SharePlay in FaceTime calls, Live Text, ID cards in the Wallet app, and new privacy features, as well as redesigns for Safari, Maps, Weather, and Notes. iOS 16 is shaping up to address notifications once again while adding a considerable number of refinements to the Health app.

iOS-16-mock-for-article.jpg

Gurman is the origin of many of the rumors about iOS 16's Health app and system features, but there have also been hints from The Wall Street Journal.

System Features

  • Enhanced notifications
  • Crash Detection feature, the same as in watchOS 9
  • Preliminary support for Apple's mixed-reality headset

Health App

  • Expanded sleep tracking
  • New medicine management feature to scan pills and get reminders to take them
  • New women's health features

Apple Music

  • Optional Apple Music app for classical music with specializations for classical music metadata
  • User interface based on Primephonic
  • "Visual, audial, and haptic" aspects
  • Option to redirect from tracks in the Apple Music app to Apple Classical
  • Support for Lossless and Spatial Audio

Signs of the Apple Classical app have been spotted in iOS 15.5 beta code. Apple Classical is almost certain to be present in iOS 16, but there is a chance it could debut at an earlier date. For example, Apple could unveil the new app at WWDC, but make it available immediately via an update to iOS 15.

iOS 16 will reportedly feature built-in support for Apple's long-rumored mixed reality headset to lay the groundwork for the new device. Gurman noted that this means Apple "could theoretically preview technical aspects of the headset or its software, without showcasing the full device" at WWDC.

iOS 15 supported the same devices as iOS 13 and iOS 14, with the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and first-generation iPhone SE being the oldest supported devices. It is unclear if iOS 16 will finally drop support for these older devices with the A9 chip.

iPadOS 16

Very little is currently known about iPadOS 16, but it will likely gain most of iOS 16's new features, alongside several iPad-specific enhancements. Gurman is the only source of early rumors about iPadOS 16, with the headline change currently focusing on improvements to the multitasking interface.

  • New multitasking interface
  • Enhanced notifications, the same as in iOS 16
  • Apple Classical app, the same as in iOS 16

Apple has significantly refined the multitasking experience in iPadOS in recent years, enhancing features such as Slide Over, Split View, and the dock. For example, iPadOS 15 added a new multitasking menu at the top of apps, as well as center window, a new multiwindow shelf, and a more intuitive experience with Split View. The exact further improvements to multitasking for iPadOS 16 are as yet unclear.

Release Dates

Apple is expected to preview watchOS 9, iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, and tvOS 16 at WWDC, which is set to kick off on Monday, June 6. After being introduced at the conference, the new operating systems are likely to be seeded to developers for testing purposes that same day. Later in the summer, Apple will likely provide it to public beta testers.

When beta testing has finished, the new operating systems will be released to the public, presumably alongside new hardware products such as the iPhone 14, in the fall. While watchOS 9, iOS 16, and iPadOS 16 will probably be released simultaneously, the new version of macOS often follows at a later date.

Article Link: 20+ New iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9 Features and Improvements Rumored to Arrive at WWDC 2022
Can they just focus on HomeKit improvements thanks
 
It is mind boggling that multitasking on iPadOS is still so bad.

Also, why can't the software updates happen progressively throughout the year? For example, you fixed the podcast app, great, give it to us now.

Mind boggling? I use mine and it works fine. Nothing I thought about getting worked up about. Life goes on.
 
Apple has significantly refined the multitasking experience in iPadOS in recent years, enhancing features such as Slide Over, Split View, and the dock. For example, iPadOS 15 added a new multitasking menu at the top of apps, as well as center window, a new multiwindow shelf, and a more intuitive experience with Split View. The exact further improvements to multitasking for iPadOS 16 are as yet unclear.

these refined multitasking experiences will work well with those with 3 hands and 12 fingers.
 
Just gonna remind y’all that nobody truly knows exactly what’s in store until the event takes place. There could very well be a ton of stuff planned that we don't know about yet. (but also make sure you keep your expectations realistic)
Also important to note that software is not developed like hardware.
Hardware has to be assembled all around the world, so it’s easy to put together everything new in a product.
With Apple software, it’s exactly the opposite. Different teams work on different features, and there are certain bills that have certain features that aren’t in other builds.
It could be very Possible that Germann only has contacts in the teams that are working on the new notifications and multitasking features, but not teams that are working on, say, springboard widget updates or something like that.
Remember the internal build of iOS 14 that was leaked with a complete wallpaper settings redesign?
Or the internal build of iOS 15 that had a completely redesigned lock screen and control center?
Yeah, those were things that certain teams in Apple were actually working on, that didn’t make it to the final update.
When that iOS 15 internal build was reported on, there was absolutely nothing said about SharePlay or the redesign Safari, which were in the final update.
So just something important that should be noted, and there might be a lot more from different teams that we just don’t know about, and it’s possible that these notifications and multitasking updates don’t make it to the final update. We really won’t know until it comes from Apple‘s mouth.
Again, software is very different from hardware when it comes to how it’s released.
 
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It is mind boggling that multitasking on iPadOS is still so bad.

Also, why can't the software updates happen progressively throughout the year? For example, you fixed the podcast app, great, give it to us now.
… they do?
And they have for years at this point.
The initial launch of iOS, iPadOS and macOS usually don’t have a lot of the features mentioned, and there slowly added over the next year.
iOS 15.0 launched in September without most of the features announced at WWDC.
15.1 added shareplay and the FaceTime updates.
15.2 added app privacy report, Legacy contacts, communication safety features, and a couple other things announced at WWDC.
15.4 added universal control, face ID with a mask, and began the rollout for digital IDs.
So they already do this
 
Apple Music

  • Optional Apple Music app for classical music with specializations for classical music metadata
  • User interface based on Primephonic
  • "Visual, audial, and haptic" aspects
  • Option to redirect from tracks in the Apple Music app to Apple Classical
  • Support for Lossless and Spatial Audio

Signs of the Apple Classical app have been spotted in iOS 15.5 beta code. Apple Classical is almost certain to be present in iOS 16, but there is a chance it could debut at an earlier date. For example, Apple could unveil the new app at WWDC, but make it available immediately via an update to iOS 15
Very much hope if this new Apple Music classical app has a brand-new fancy design, the regular Apple Music app gets it as well so they look similar. Also, the Apple Music app just needs an update, the current one isn’t the best.
 
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iOS 15 supported the same devices as iOS 13 and iOS 14, with the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and first-generation iPhone SE being the oldest supported devices. It is unclear if iOS 16 will finally drop support for these older devices with the A9 chip.
personally I don’t think it will.
I could see it dropping support for the A8 line (iPad Air2 and Mini4) as that cpu is getting long in the tooth.
But the Basic A9 with 2 GB of RAM was not only used for several years after the 6S, but also it’s not that much different than the A10.
In actual performance the processors aren’t that much different since the A10 can only have two cores being used at the same time, and the ram didn’t change between the two processors.
Also if they dropped the iPhone 6S and first generation SE, they would also have to drop the 2017 iPad which uses the exact same processor, and even quite possibly the 2016 iPad Pro 9.7 inch which features a slightly slower processor than it’s 12.9 inch brother.
I don’t know if Apple is quite ready to start discontinuing 2017 product support, so I could see these all getting support for one more year.
Not to mention, the 6S and SE run iOS 15 just fine, with their only big problem being battery life.
The A10 is even more complicated since it was used in devices introduced just as recently as 2019 (iPod Touch and iPad) so I don’t think that will get discontinued support anytime soon.
 
Another small feature I would love to see brought to the new operating systems, especially the new iPad operating system, is something that Apple actually has been working on.
It is 2022, there is absolutely no reason that if a $2400 2 terabyte iPad Pro, or a $1500 1 terabyte iPhone get somehow messed up, or something goes wrong during an update, or you just want to do a clean install, you have to hook it up to a computer and do it the old-fashioned 2007 way.
The Mac has had this for over a decade, no idea why iPhones and iPads don’t.
 
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Instead of classical music app they should bring back classic music app, the last great music app before apple music got shoved in it, i think iOS6 or so. And Cover flow.
 
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iOS 16​

iOS 15 introduced bug after bug after bug after bug after bug after bug after bug after bug ?
This is my main scary jump of faith situation issue with anything regarding upgrades… macOS Monterey didn’t behave up to specs until 12.3.1 for me, luckily the data sync and Dropbox/OneDrive nonsense didn’t really bother nor affect me.

I understand it’s impossible to get it perfect… but sometimes it’s so obvious, “AirPods don’t pair anymore”, or like the apple studio display camera issue (I have one, I love it, but the camera thing is damn real).

Notification request - When I receive a message from someone, and then another message, and another and another… just send me a notification for the first message and then mute for the next 5 min. I don’t need 8 notifications in a row, back to back, for a single text thread.
Woah! You know what? Try to send a feedback or request time permitting, it’s a great idea!

Ill do the same when I get to a computer.
 
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I'm sure Siri is going to be great
I use Siri every day, and it’s by far the most useful iOS feature for me personally, Which has been improving with dictation & deciphering, but not at the pace that it should. There’s loads of room for improvement, and I think if Siri can be more on par with speech recognition patterns, a faster, more accurate way of transcribing, that would be a starting point to continue to build.

No matter what, I think users need to realize, we all have different ways of pronouncing words, different rates of speeds at which we speak, and speech artificial intelligence/algorithms will never be consistent. It’s not that I think Siri needs to be more ‘intelligent’, I would like to see Siri more precise in terms of responding to requests and dictation.
 
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Apple has significantly refined the multitasking experience in iPadOS in recent years, enhancing features such as Slide Over, Split View, and the dock. For example, iPadOS 15 added a new multitasking menu at the top of apps, as well as center window, a new multiwindow shelf, and a more intuitive experience with Split View. The exact further improvements to multitasking for iPadOS 16 are as yet unclear.

these refined multitasking experiences will work well with those with 3 hands and 12 fingers.

You haven’t tried it in iOS 15, have you? While it could be better, its now pretty simple to implement. One finger is all that is needed.
 
Basically iOS 15.6 - was hoping for a major overhaul but that’s wishful thinking…
Genuinely curious here, what major overhaul are you expecting for futures iOS updates? I certainly have a wish list of future features, but iOS is a mature OS and I can't see Apple radically changing it without a reason. It will be more about fine tuning than radical changes in the next few years
 
It’s too difficult to keep all the products and os’s straight anymore.

Come on apple, get your Schmidt together.

Past time to call them:

macOS 22
iOS 22
iPadOS 22
watchOS 22
tvOS 22

And products should come into this system too:

iPhone 22
iPad 22
iPad mini 22
Mac 22
Apple Watch 22
Apple TV 22.

I used to love the big cat names and the California place names but it’s well we’ll well past time to reverse from prominent abstract marketing names to relatable numeric progression “macOS Catalina (10)”, to “macOS 22 (placename X)”.
 
I use Siri every day, and it’s by far the most useful iOS feature for me personally, Which has been improving with dictation & deciphering, but not at the pace that it should. There’s loads of room for improvement, and I think if Siri can be more on par with speech recognition patterns, a faster, more accurate way of transcribing, that would be a starting point to continue to build.

No matter what, I think users need to realize, we all have different ways of pronouncing words, different rates of speeds at which we speak, and speech artificial intelligence/algorithms will never be consistent. It’s not that I think Siri needs to be more ‘intelligent’, I would like to see Siri more precise in terms of responding to requests and dictation.
Can get behind this, less advanced though… I do use Siri daily a lot and many system wide or multi action instructions are done tons faster via Siri, things like:
- “remind me about the parking space every Wednesday at 9:30am”: this would be a bunch of taps, writing, scrolling, menus navigation, etc
- “Turn off all alarms”, don’t even know how to do that except going one by one
- Call x or y person
- add event on calendar
- Play music playlist “Running Workout” on Shuffle: these ones, by hand, is also a menu navigation and lists hassle by comparison

Understandably this is just the basics, but just these (when it works) is already amazing for me.
 
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