Apple posts WWDC Platform State of the Union video with deeper dive on new features

Posted:
in General Discussion edited February 2020
Apple delivered it's Platform State of the Union yesterday, announcing major overhauls and new tools for the way that developers create apps. Apple has posted a video of the presentation, with the main things for developers to focus on for the rest of the event.




In the presentation, Apple stated that they will be eliminating the letterboxing that occurs when using an app that was not designed with a specific device in mind. Letterboxing will now be countered by implementing new layouts and API. Apple stated that by next spring, all apps submitted to the App Store will be required to create content that adapts to different screen sizes.

Apple has continued to grow Swift by updating Xcode, a code editor and a debugger, and releasing Swift UI, a coding platform designed to pare down code for easier, faster developing. Xcode is getting a fully interactive preview mode, allowing developers to test their apps right within Xcode without needing to export them to a device first. Xcode also allows developers to export to a device and make real-time changes without needing to re-export their builds.

As we've heard, WatchOS 6 will be getting its own App Store, which means that developers do not need to create a companion app for the iPhone if they wish to develop for the Watch. Developers will be able to create Watch apps within Xcode and SwiftUI as well.

Apple has created Swift Packages, reusable components of code that developers can use in their projects. It was also announced that GitHub will be adding support for Swift packages to the Github Package Registry. This will allow developers to share their own code and find snippets of code that they can also freely use. Xcode also now seamlessly supports code packages for all Apple platforms.

One of the most exciting announcements during the Platform State of the Union is the upgraded accessibility features, including the voice control that was showcased during the keynote. These features include a greater control of screen selection, including the ability to overlay a grid to allow for precise region targeting. Developers will have access to the accessibility features and are encouraged to test their apps using voice control in effort to make their apps more accessible to those with disabilities. Additionally, mouse support is going to be added in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 as another accessibility feature.

Apple has also announced that it is developing a tool it calls Real User Indicator that could cut down on bots creating accounts with mobile and web services. This tool will be able to check for behaviors and traits that are more consistent with bots than people. If an account seems suspicious, it can alert the developer, who then can take extra precautions to verify that the creator is, in fact, human.

The video covers many more features, and is worth a watch for developers. End-users will glean less, but will get a preview of things to come.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,123member
    Swift Packages and SPM have been around for years. Must be more to this than what's in the article. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 10
    wookie01wookie01 Posts: 54member
    flydog said:
    Swift Packages and SPM have been around for years. Must be more to this than what's in the article. 
    I think it that SPM is now more fully supported for UIKit and AppKit projects. 
    And Xcode is making it easier to import packages without manually changing configuration files. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 10
    I wonder if they haven't posted the morning keynote because they're trying to edit out the audience loudly scoffing at the $1,000 Pro Stand.
  • Reply 4 of 10
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,417member
    I wonder if they haven't posted the morning keynote because they're trying to edit out the audience loudly scoffing at the $1,000 Pro Stand.
    It’s been out since last night, audience sound and all. 
    n2itivguyAppleExposedwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 5 of 10
    Where is the video link or is just for developers?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 10
    Where is the video link or is just for developers?
    It's the "Apple stated" link in the first paragraph. It links to https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2019/103/
    MichalPfeilJWSCwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 10
    I plan to buy 3 stands, 1 for home, 1 for work, 1 for client visits. Now I need a Pelican carrying case for the Mac Pri and the monitor. 

    Im budgeting $60K for my video editing setup. The stand pricing is tiny compared to my $25K editing monitor plus it’s $5K calibrating spider.

    i May need to re-budged up to 100K and raise my rates. Wish this were an 8K monitor.
    fastasleepJWSCAppleExposedwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 8 of 10
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,417member
    I plan to buy 3 stands, 1 for home, 1 for work, 1 for client visits. Now I need a Pelican carrying case for the Mac Pri and the monitor. 

    Im budgeting $60K for my video editing setup. The stand pricing is tiny compared to my $25K editing monitor plus it’s $5K calibrating spider.

    i May need to re-budged up to 100K and raise my rates. Wish this were an 8K monitor.
    Man I love it when actual professionals show up to comment. This is real world usage here folks ^^^^.
    JWSCAppleExposedwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 9 of 10
    This is a must-watch. Lots of incredible stuff here. The two most obvious "wow" moments were
    - Entire boot/OS volume is now read-only! User files are in a separate FS now. I'm curious about the details but this is a huge security win.
    - Voice dictation is now at an entirely new level, and it's all on-device. No more waiting for Apple's servers to recognize your voice and ship it back to your phone. This means you're not dependent on net connectivity anymore for this to work. (Of course, this is part of a bigger accessibility feature, which is even more revolutionary for those who need it.)
    n2itivguyJWSCAppleExposedwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 10 of 10
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    I wonder if they haven't posted the morning keynote because they're trying to edit out the audience loudly scoffing at the $1,000 Pro Stand.
    It’s been out since last night, audience sound and all. 
    Beat me to it; troll attempt.
    watto_cobra
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