WWDC: More of our Favorites - Podcasts, HomePod and Apple Music - Part 3

Apple has redesigned its entire App Store in iOS 11. Along with this large update, there is also a new Podcasts App. This is terrific news as discovery has been less accessible on Apple's podcast app.

1. Redesigned Podcasts App UI

 While the overall idea of the app remains the same, the new Podcasts app in iOS 11 has significant changes to improve user experience with an improved interface design.

The podcast industry has also grown exponentially. 

Podcast Consumption via Apple at WWDC 2017

At WWDC last month, Apple shared some statistics too:

• 400,000 Podcasts

• 14,000,000 Episodes created

• 10,000,000 Episodes downloaded

• 155 Countries for distribution and submission

A lot of key media players have also now forayed into the podcasting space, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, BBC, NPR, CNN, Bloomberg, MTV, Vogue, Verge, ESPN, Disney, Buzzfeed, Entertainment News and more. Well known individuals for their business acumen or industry expertise have joined the bandwagon as well, offering insight via interviews with guests. A good example is LinkedIn's co-founder and Greylock partner, Reid Hoffman who interviews entrepreneurs and business leaders in his Masters of Scale podcast.

Improved Presentation

The new app addresses some of the problems in the prior iOS version where it was difficult to add all episodes to the library and the listening order did not truly reflect the content best. In the new Podcast app for iOS 11, you can:

• decide how episodes are ordered and recommended
• add the full season to your library, with the newest episode at the top
• have collections of episodes
• use Quick Play to pick up where you last left off
• easily find episodes with clear, concise titles

This new format is ideal for narrative and storytelling content and encourages listeners to hear the whole season and discover new episodes. There are also four new tabs along the bottom of the interface: Listen Now, Library, Browse and Search.

You can also add more detail about any episode. This is ideal for podcast trailers, season trailers and episode bonus content.

Podcast New UI Details via Apple at WWDC 2017

Podcast Episode Notes via Apple at WWDC 2017

Podcast Analytics

Apple has also added analytics accessible via iTunes Connect to help determine:

• how many people are listening
• how much do they actually listening
• where are they listening

Here's an example from the podcast The Very Hungry Tourists.

New Podcast Analytics via Apple at WWDC 2017

2. New HomePod, High Fidelity Sound for Your Home

Apple announced its new smart speaker, HomePod at WWDC to be released in December. While the new HomePod is similar to the Amazon Echo and Google Home in lacking a display and being activated by the voice, HomePod differentiates itself with superior sound quality.

HomePod via Apple.com

Given our work with and love for audio at Elf, we’re keen on trying out the new HomePod for ourselves. The ability to have distortion-free high fidelity sound with directional control is very appealing. HomePod achieves this with 7 beam-forming tweeters that come with individual amplifiers and an upward-facing woofer and a 6-microphone array. The A8 chip powers Siri and also has room-sensing technology. With its entry into the home audio systems, HomePod takes on the likes of Sonos and also offers integration with Apple Music.

HomePod via Apple at WWDC 2017

3. Updated Apple Music

Apple has also updated Apple Music so you can discover and share music and artists with your friends. We like this new feature as well as the option to play 2 different tracks in 2 different locations in your home using AirPlay 2. It's easier to control your home audio system and the speakers throughout your home.

Together, all these updates make for a much higher quality audio experience from discovery to playing audio. We're excited to contribute to this via our Hayden's podcast Stardust launching in early 2019.

New Apple Music via iOS 11

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WWDC: App Store Update - Part 2

In our second post on some of our favorite features in WWDC, we take a look at the new App Store design. We're excited by this on many levels. It's a cleaner look throughout with the new iOS 11 design elements offering a more seamless look edge to edge.

Image by Apple.com

The most exciting part about the App Store from a user point of view is discoverability and learning. The new App Store redesign makes it easier to find new apps, keep your pulse on what's happening in the App world via stories in the Today section, and to learn how to do things (tips and tricks). You can learn more about it here.

Stories available on 'Today' by Apple.com

Tips and Tricks available right in the App Store by Apple.com

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WWDC: Some of our Favorite Updates & Announcements - Part 1

At WWDC earlier this month, Apple shared so many exciting updates. Here's a look at some of our favorites.

1. Launch of the new 10.5 inch iPad Pro

Building upon its bestselling and beloved product, the iPad, Apple announced a new 10.5 inch iPad Pro to replace the prior 9.7 inch model. The new sizing allows you to have a full on-screen keyboard. The new ProMotion display technology at a refresh rate of 120Hz offers easier, smoother scrolling with swift responses. Animation and movement are more seamless, making the new iPad Pro models (both 10.5 and 12.9) able to display HDR video for the first time.

For folks like us who like to draw and tweak things on screen, you'll also like the lowered 20ms latency of the Apple Pencil for a more natural drawing experience. We also love the bigger color range available with a brighter 600-night display with True Tone for outdoor lighting, and also the two cameras available (12 Megapixels rear-facing and 7 Megapixels front-facing) first introduced with the iPhone 7. The new iPad Pro is designed with iOS 11 in mind.

Photo from Apple.com

2. AR Kit Offers Immersive App Experiences

Apple introduced the new AR Kit where we can build augmented reality apps for the iPhone. This means we can track motion, estimate scale, plan out ambient lighting and even locate objects (like a plane for instance). AR Kit builds upon the iPhone's existing high quality imaging capabilities and thus do not require additional external hardware like the HoloLens from Microsoft.

Photo from Apple.com

Photo from Apple.com

AR Kit Demo at WWDC 2017 via WingNut Studio, game development company founded by film director, Peter Jackson

3. iOS 11 Design Changes

The new iOS 11 offers some design changes system-wide, providing an increasingly seamless look with borderless buttons and bolder fonts, while overhauling some interface elements such as the Control Center with customization options and new animations. The Lock Screen and Notification Center are now merged, simplifying access.

New iOS 11 Control Center via Apple.com

New iOS 11 Integrated Notifications & Lock Screen via Apple.com

4. Oldest and Youngest App Developers

There's a lot to love about the new releases and product enhancements that were announced in 2017 WWDC, but one announcement by far, caught our attention immediately - the oldest (80s) and youngest (10 years old) app developers. Amazing, isn't it?

Just goes to show that age is literally no limit - on either end of the spectrum! So maybe you started the first part of your life doing one thing. Who knows? There may be an app developer in you yet!! :)

Youngest (10) and oldest (80s) app developers at WWDC 2017.

5. Xcode's Fast New Refactoring System

In terms of code, one thing that we're excited about is the ease and speed of use in the new refactoring system and source editor available in Xcode 9. This definitely makes things faster for repetitive steps and also better organization.

Image of Ken Orr, senior Xcode manager presenting at WWDC 2017.

We're also excited about the GitHub integration now available through easy cloning with full notes.

This is the first blog post in a series of 3 covering some highlights from WWDC 2017.

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