Apple Opens Siri to Third-Party Developers With iOS 10

At its WWDC keynote today, Apple announced that it would open Siri up to third-party developers with a public API, allowing users to use Apple’s personal assistant AI to summon third-party services and apps hands free.

Siri now supports a multitude of app types, including popular third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp and WeChat. Like with iMessage, Siri can be used to send texts to contact by uttering voice commands like “WeChat Kevin and tell him I’ll be late.” Siri can also be used for payment apps, VoIP apps and ride-hailing apps like Uber or Lyft.

The public API for Siri will be available for developers in the iOS 10 preview today, and will be available for users when iOS 10 launches in the fall.

Related Roundup: iOS 10
Tag: Siri
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Apple Music Revamp in iOS 10 Introduces Colorful Design and Simpler Interface

At WWDC today, Apple revealed an all-new Apple Music redesign while also confirming that the service has officially reached 15 million paid subscribers. The redesign introduces a bright and simplistic aesthetic and a new “Library” launch tab on the bottom left.

According to Apple, the new design language brings “greater clarity and simplicity to every aspect of the experience.” The Library, For You, Browse and Radio tabs have gone through a design change that will give the user “an even greater sense of place.”

The company has also begun to better differentiate streaming and downloaded songs in the new iOS 10 version of Apple Music, with a specifically designated “Downloaded Music” section located within the app. A few other minor additions include a new lyrics feature and revamped “For You” tab with daily curated playlists aimed at each Apple Music user.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Apple Announces Enhanced ‘QuickType’ Keyboard Functions in iOS 10

Apple has unveiled extensive new functionality, multiple language support, and Siri-enhanced features for the QuickType keyboard in iOS 10.

The update brings significantly expanded contextual awareness to the QuickType keyboard when responding to messages, with a number of suggested replies offered directly from Siri.

For example, if someone texts you a question like “Where are you?” Siri can offer to send your current location. Likewise, if you receive a message like “What’s Sue’s address?”, Siri can offer to send the information with a single tap.

Intelligent scheduling has also been improved, while users can now switch between multiple languages on the fly without having to manually change keyboards.

Other Siri assistive keyboard features include contact information, calendar availability, recent addresses, and contextual lookup options.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Apple Announces New HomeKit-Enabled ‘Home’ App in iOS 10

Apple today revealed an all-new HomeKit-centric app called “Home,” which will make its debut in iOS 10 this fall. The app will act as a hub for a user’s HomeKit-enabled devices, regardless of their manufacturer, letting users control everything from smart light bulbs to garage door openers from one app. HomeKit will be built into Control Center now as well, letting users tap through their smart home devices without unlocking their iPhone.

Support for HomeKit™ continues to expand globally with nearly 100 home automation products adopting HomeKit this year, bringing support for thermostats, lights, window shades, door locks, video cameras and more to the Home app. Later this year, leading home builders, including Brookfield Residential, KB Home, Lennar Homes and R&F Properties, will begin integrating many of these HomeKit devices into new homes.

Users can group accessories into “scenes,” or control them individually, and each device will be able to react to Siri voice commands. Apple confirmed that each device can be controlled remotely or even set up for home automation on Apple TV, “and can respond with automatic triggers set by time of day, location or action.”

Check out our iOS 10 WWDC keynote recap for more information on HomeKit, Messages, Apple Music, and more.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Apple News Gets Redesign With Simpler Interface, Subscriptions and More

Today at its WWDC keynote, Apple announced a redesigned version of Apple News, which the company says has 60 million monthly active users and over 2,000 publications. The new Apple News includes a simpler, bolder interface similar to the Apple Music redesign. It also includes new features like subscriptions, breaking news alerts and more.

Image via ArsTechnica
Apple News now includes subscriptions, allowing users to read news from select publications within the News app. The For You section also comes broken up into smaller sections to make it easier to follow, including a trending news section and the topics a user follows. News can also create new topic sections based on what you read. There are also featured stories hand-picked by Apple’s editors.

The new app can also send breaking news alerts to a user’s lock screen, allowing readers to quickly and easily get the news they need.

The new Apple News will be a part of iOS 10, which will debut in the fall.

Related Roundup: iOS 10
Tag: Apple News
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Apple Reveals ‘Swift Playgrounds’ Educational Coding App for iPad

Apple today revealed an all-new “Swift Playgrounds” app that aims to introduce users to “a new way to learn to code with Swift on iPad.” The app — which will be a free download — is aimed for a public release on the App Store when iOS 10 launches this fall.

The library of Apple-developed programming lessons helps students learn core coding concepts, such as issuing commands, creating functions, performing loops and using conditional code and variables, and allows them to progressively build confidence and skill. Apple will regularly release new standalone challenges so students can continue to refine their coding abilities as their skills and interests grow. Educators and developers can also use Xcode® to create their own unique challenges for the app.

Along with other features, the app has custom “learn to code” lessons from Apple that focus on crafting visual cues around numeric coding data to slowly introduce kids into the world of coding. Multi-touch on the iPad helps coding in the app more straightforward, but Apple also crafted a new coding keyboard to add in new code in just a few keystrokes.

Starting today, Swift Playgrounds is available to Apple Developer Program members, and will additionally be available in the iOS 10 public beta this July. The final version of the app is expected to launch for free on the App Store sometime in the fall. All iPad Air and iPad Pro models will be compatible with the app, as well as iPad mini 2-and-later devices.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Apple Unveils Multiple New ‘Messages’ App Features Coming in iOS 10

Apple has announced a number of new features for the Messages app in iOS 10, including Digital Touch videos and new chat bubble effects.

Messages now shows shared media inside chat transcripts, so that link and image thumbnail previews display, Apple Music tracks can be listened to, and videos can be played without leaving the app.

The camera functionality has also been enhanced inside Messages, allowing users to see what the camera lens is focusing on, while recently taken photos can be browsed alongside the lens view.

iOS 10 also brings emoji predictions as you type, and Messages will highlight words that have corresponding emoji characters, allowing users to tap them and instantly turn them into images. Emojis are also displayed three times bigger than previously in chat transcripts.

Another new feature is called “Bubble Effects”, which enable users to expand or deflate chat bubbles in the transcript screen for emphasis. Bubbles can also be made to reveal their contents gradually for dramatic effect.

In addition, Messages in iOS 10 will support handwritten message bubbles, and includes a Digital Touch feature similar to on the Apple Watch, allowing users to sketch responses, share their heartbeat, and more.

Fullscreen animated background effects are also included in the new Messages app, such as disco lights and fireworks, while new third-party ‘iMessage apps’ can be added in a dedicated app drawer similar to that found in Facebook Messenger, where stickers, seals and animations reside for quick access.

iOS 10 supports all iOS 9 devices except the iPhone 4s and iPad 2, and is available to developers in beta today, while the public beta comes in July, followed by a full release in the fall.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Many Preinstalled iOS Apps Such as ‘Stocks’ Now Deletable in iOS 10

During today’s keynote, Apple released several new apps into the App Store under their developer account. The apps are all stock iOS apps that presently come pre-installed under iOS 9.

The list includes:

– Weather
– Stocks
– Mail
– Maps
– Notes
– Voice Memos
– Watch
– Music
– FaceTime
– iTunes Store
– Calendar
– Contacts
– Videos
– Calculator
– Compass
– Tips

If you try to download an existing iOS app, the “Get” button is greyed out, indicating you already have the app. Several readers have confirmed that you can now delete these apps in iOS 10, and later redownload them from the App Store. Apple could also choose to upgrade the apps from the App Store rather than waiting for iOS updates.

Related Roundup: iOS 10
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List of iOS 10 Compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch Models

Apple today announced iOS 10, the next major version of its mobile operating system. The software update is compatible with all iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models currently capable of running iOS 9, except for the iPhone 4s.

iOS 10 is available in beta for registered Apple developers starting today, while the update will be seeded to public beta testers in July. The free software update will officially launch in the fall, presumably alongside the iPhone 7 in early to mid September.

iOS 10 features redesigned Messages, Apple News, Apple Music, and Photos apps with several new features, a brand new Home app for controlling HomeKit accessories, a Siri SDK for third-party app developers, and much more. Read our WWDC 2016 liveblog and coverage for a recap of today’s announcements.

The complete list of iOS 10 compatible devices:

iPhone

• iPhone 6s
• iPhone 6s Plus
• iPhone 6
• iPhone 6 Plus
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 5s
• iPhone 5c
• iPhone 5

iPad

• iPad Pro (12.9-inch)
• iPad Pro (9.7-inch)
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Air
• iPad (4th generation)
• iPad (3rd generation)
• iPad 2
• iPad mini 4
• iPad mini 3
• iPad mini 2
• iPad mini

iPod touch

• iPod touch (6th generation)
• iPod touch (5th generation)

Apple has shared the full video of its WWDC 2016 keynote, where it also introduced macOS Sierra alongside new versions of watchOS and tvOS.

Related Roundups: WWDC 2016, iOS 10
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OnePlus 3 photos show off the handset in clearest pictures yet

The OnePlus 3 launch event is so close we can almost see it. In fact we pretty much can see the handset, thanks to leaks. Now there are even more photos that have slipped out early to show what we can expect.

Leaked via Steve Hemmerstoffer from China’s Weibo, two new images show off what’s claimed to be the OnePlus 3 from the front and back.

The photos look identical to those leaked already, suggesting this HTC-like design is what we can expect. That means a metal unibody, USB-C, fingerprint sensor on the front button and a single 16-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel selfie snapper.

READ: OnePlus 3: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know

OnePlus 3 specs leaked so far include a 5.5-inch 1080p display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 CPU with 6GB of RAM and 32GB, 64GB or 128GB storage. A 3000mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 is also expected. A starting price of around £245 is rumoured from launch.

OnePlus will hold its launch event, in VR, on 14 June at 17:30 BST or 12:30 EST. Most VR headsets should support the event as long as you have the OnePlus 3 Launch app installed from the Google Play Store on your Android device. This also supports non-VR viewing of the event. Find out everything you need to know about watching the launch at the link below.

READ: How to watch the OnePlus 3 launch