Were you underwhelmed by Apple’s WWDC 2021 keynote address and accompanying announcements? If so, perhaps you were expecting the rare hardware unveiling, as we’d hoped to see some Apple Silicon 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models for developers. But, if you look closely, there were some new features that stood out.
Gene Munster and David Stokman for Loup Ventures:
Some observers may view WWDC as evidence that innovation at Apple is waning. We disagree. The announcements today collectively add up to a tighter ecosystem, which means products that are easier to use. Keep in mind that Apple’s most exciting hardware announcements typically come in September and October. From a high level, this year, and maybe even next year’s WWDC event, will amount to a calm before an Apple innovation storm.
Out of the flurry of announcements, these five stood out to us:
• Mail Privacy Protection that will reduce spam.
• FaceTime scheduling, along with music, video and document sharing features.
• Apple Wallet driver’s license support.
• Siri voice control expands in the home to Apple TV and third-party hardware.
• Watch adds biomarker: respiratory monitoring.
MacDailyNews Take: We were especially impressed with iCloud+ which combines everything in iCloud with new premium features, including iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, and expanded HomeKit Secure Video support, at no additional cost.