Apple launches iOS 11, watchOS 4 & updates entire MacBook lineup at WWDC

With the most awaited event - Worldwide Developer Conference- for the iOS geeks, Apple introduced a bunch of refinements in all its four platforms — tvOS, watchOS, macOS and iOS. Like every year, this year's event also saw Tim Cook say "this year is going to be the best and biggest WWDC ever." However, this year, it wasn't just their signature statement but something Apple did mean.

Last year, we saw Siri come to macOS, improved Messages (with stickers!), and improved continuity between Apple laptops and mobile devices. This year, in San Jose, California, the company announced a slew of upgrades, redesigns, added features and new products during the keynote address.

1. watchOS 4

Starting with watchOS 4, Apple introduced the next version of its smartwatch platform, which is expected to arrive in September. Including three new watch faces — Siri, Kaleidoscope, and Toy Story - Watch will also get usability improvements in its activity tracker, music, and a horizontal menu system that should be a huge improvement over the current vertical one. The Siri watchface uses machine learning to determine what information is most useful to you at a given point in time.

Apple said that watch wearers will be able to link their devices with the gym equipment through NFC.

2. macOS High Sierra

The latest version of macOS christened High Sierra, is the successor to Sierra, which was announced last year. The new version of Safari is the fastest browser, as per the company. Safari's Intelligent Tracking prevention uses machine learning to identify cross-site tracking services. Photos also get improved search and better facial recognition and now give you access to curves for advanced editing.

High Sierra can also automatically block auto-playing video and will deploy machine learning in an attempt to minimise the amount of ad-tracking information shared between sites. It will also introduce a new, default file system that will be able to speed up processes like moving or duplicating files even with the same computing horsepower.

3. New iMacs

It's finally happening. Almost after a gap of two years, the tech titan announced updates to its entire MacBook line giving its laptops more powerful specifications in the form of the latest Intel chips. Now MacBook Pros will be shipped with Intel's Kaby Lake processors and faster SSDs.

The 21.5-inch lower level model has received a major update with graphic processing, which makes it 80 percent faster than before. Also, iMac 4K Retina now moves to discrete graphics, which makes it three times faster than the previous generation.

On the other hand, the company has upgraded the 27-inch 5K iMac with 8 GB of VRAM, which can push up to 5.5-teraflops of computing power so it can handle VR development.

The company also launched a new configuration of the 13-inch MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar that starts at cheaper $1,299.

4. iOS 11

Expected to be launched in September, Apple's iOS 11 will include new features for the iPhone and iPad. iOS 11 will bring improvement to Siri to make it easier for users to synchronise various iOS devices, like iPhones and iPads. Siri will also now be able to do real-time translation so it can act as a go-between for people who don't have a common language. The company also said it will keep messages in the cloud, helping to save valuable hard drive storage space.

In iOS 11, Apple is allowing users to do person-to-person payments. Users will be able to send or receive money from people, effectively putting a built-in version of Venmo right inside iOS.

5. HomePod Speaker

Apple's Echo competitor is a Siri-powered smart speaker that will allow you to play music, check the traffic, control you smart lights, query sports scores and more. The seven-inch-tall speaker is powered by an A8 chip, and a 4-inch woofer and seven beam-tweeters. It uses spatial awareness to adjust its sound to the room it's in, and two HomePods will automatically synch.

But you will have to wait for speaker also, until December when it is expected to start shipping for $349.