The first day of Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, a veritable Met Gala for Tim Cook fans, just came to a close, bringing with it a slew of updates to the tech giant's lineup.
Held at Apple's campus in Cupertino, the four-day event kicked off with a highly anticipated keynote presentation. Priming in-person attendees and virtual viewers for a newsworthy day, SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi debuted iOS 16, the latest iPhone operating system.
Set to release this fall, the program will introduce a bevy of new functions, including the ability to personalize the Lock Screen (date and time font included!), unsend and edit Messages, and schedule and recall e-mails sent via the Mail app.
iPhone isn't the only device that gets a new operating system. WatchOS 9 will introduce a sleep tracking function, as well as a medication manager that warns users of potential drug interactions.
iPadOS 16 will expand the tablet's document-editing capabilities, a plus for on-the-go workers. Freeform, an app expected to launch later this year, allows several users to work on one document at the same time, while Stage Manager lets you overlay multiple apps and adjust their window sizes.
Shifting to laptops, Apple announced a new chip, the M2. Delivering 18 percent faster CPU, 35 percent more powerful GPU, and 50 percent more memory bandwidth compared to its predecessor, the M2 powers both of Apple's brand new MacBooks: the Air and the 13-inch Pro.
The former is built with a redesigned shell that resembles the iPhone 13's flat edges. In four colorways (silver, starlight, space gray, and midnight), the ultra-light laptop reintroduces the MagSafe charger, a feature that Apple discontinued in 2016 in favor of the USB-C. A brighter display, 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and a four-speaker sound system further elevate the Air experience.
Need even more? The Pro boasts additional bells and whistles including faster video-editing performance, up to 20 hours of battery life, and a display that automatically adjusts its white balance depending on the temperature of the light around you.
Both MacBooks launch in July. If you're in the market for a new computer but your wallet isn't, Apple also announced its own "buy now, pay later" program, allowing shoppers to split any Apple Pay purchase into four equal payments over six weeks with no additional interest or fees.
