WWDC15: How is Apple changing and what it means for your tech business WWDC15 is has made headlines and is trending in the news. The opening of Apple’s WWDC15 was earlier this week and with it came some interesting changes. Along with some big updates to their flagship products such as iOS, Apple Watch OS, and OS X, as well as an introduction of brand new services. WWDC15 comes on the heels of Google’s I/O 2015 conference and smooshed in between several other conferences, Apple’s top tier position in the tech world demands some attention. After all, what Apple decides today, impacts your business tomorrow (at the latest). While we can all look at Apple’s WWDC15 recap, sometimes it’s hard to sift through what this all means to the tech industry. That’s why you have us! Below are a few of the major developments at WWDC15 and what they mean for your tech business. Cool New Thing # 1: Oh Capitan, My Capitan We’ve been hearing about it for a while and the hints Apple has dropped prior to WWDC15 set much of the tech atwitter – or a-Twitter, rather. That’s right, OS X, ‘El Capitan’ is here! Well…kinda. Technically, a beta will be released in July, and the full version is expected to drop sometime this fall. So what changed? To be honest, El Capitan doesn’t make any huge changes to the way OS 9 operated. That being said, what El Capitan does do is clean up OS immensely. They brought in features to the new OS that make it much more competitive with Microsoft and Google. Check out this great article on how the new update modernizes the mac. Why You Should Care • Mac tends to suffer in the tech world because competing OS and support programs often do the job better (i.e Microsoft Office’s Evernote compared to Notes). Now El Capitan brings Notes up to par with Evernote, bringing an awesome on-board interactive meeting and schedule planning application to Apple users everywhere. • Cleaner lines, better functionality and more cool features will increase conversions to Apple. They’ve eliminated many of the issues that made Windows or other standalone programs attractive – while maintaining Apple’s undeniable flair for the artistic. • A smarter and more integrative search application not only searches faster and more intelligently, it also is much more integrated with programs and apps that are installed on your mac. This will drive re-engagement with your app and help to build your brand – always good! • Many of the same features will be seen with El Capitan will also be included in the iOS 9 for iPhone. This is especially important for the increased search app, and its new integrative functions with on-board apps. Again, this will drive more app engagement – now is the time to get started on your iOS app. Cool New Thing # 2: Heeeeere’s Siri! Siri has undergone some serious work (don’t say anything in front of her, she’s very sensitive) and has really stepped up her game. It’s time to take a closer look! Her new update brings her into direct competition with Microsoft’s Cortana. Cortana has long stood ahead of other digital P.A.’s, and Siri decided to take a page out of her book. The new Siri update makes her more integrated with the apps on your iPhone. This means she automatically will inform you of traffic near you, or on your route home. It’s becoming more intuitive and will attempt to predict your next question. For instance, when you get to your car, Siri may automatically show you the traffic conditions on your way to work and could ask if you want to open up [the new] Apple Music to play while you’re on the road. Don’t worry, she probably doesn’t stare at you while you’re sleeping. Why You Should Care • While Cortana has been capable of integrating apps for sometime, Apple simply has a much larger market than Windows. iOS app developers should take advantage of this new integration before it’s too late. • The increased integration between your personal assistant and the apps on your iPhone will help drive customers back to your app, much as the new Google Search update does. • Reinforcing your app encourages loyalty to your brand, which will help increase downloads of new apps you create in the future. Cool New Thing #3: The Apple Watch Cometh…Again Let’s face it: the first release of the Apple Watch was kind of a bust. So, Apple decided to redo it. The new Watch OS has features like a luminescent background while charging (nice for those of us who use our watches to see what time it is in the dead of night) with an alarm control options. Additionally, Apple now allows you to read and respond to emails from the watch, offers map directions from the face and will have full support for other major Apple products (i.e. Homekit and Healthkit). The most important Apple Watch OS update for app developers is that Apple is for the first time allowing apps to run directly on the Watch. This is a big change from the Watch debut and opens up a whole new app market. Why You Should Care • Obviously the take-away here is the new platform for mobile app development. The Apple Watch has always looked pretty, but lacked good apps. Now that Apple has allowed for developers to make fully functioning apps, the market will explode. Last Words Of course, this in no way covers everything they talked about at WWDC15, but we felt that this covered all over the important and immediate business concerns. If you’re an entrepreneur with a great idea you would like to turn into an Apple Watch app, or convert an older Android or iOS app to function on the Watch, get expert help from SDI. Call us now at (408.805.0495) or drop us a digital line for a free business consultation!