The hosts discuss the completion of their annual review and the additional extras available for club members. They express their appreciation for Federico's review and discuss the enhancements made to iPadOS 17. They explore the potential of an always-on screen on the iPad and the new features of iOS 17 including widget interactivity and standby mode. They also discuss updates to the Reminders app, improvements in the Notes app, and the role of AI in Apple's products. Finally, they discuss stability and performance issues with the Shortcuts app and the future of widgets and shortcuts in iOS and iPadOS.
iOS and iPadOS 17 enhance user productivity with interactive widgets and improved keyboard functionality.
The Reminders app in iOS 17 introduces sections for better organization, while Look Up gains new features for practical use.
The lack of significant updates to shortcuts in iOS 17 raises concerns about its future potential for power users.
Deep dives
iOS and iPadOS 17 brings significant updates to widgets and keyboard
iOS and iPadOS 17 introduce significant updates to widgets and the keyboard. Widgets are now interactive everywhere, allowing users to perform tasks directly from the home screen or lock screen. The introduction of standby mode also brings widgets to the forefront, turning the iPhone into a more useful device while charging. The keyboard has also received improvements, with auto completion and auto correction now being more accurate and helpful, making typing a more seamless experience. Overall, these updates enhance user productivity and convenience in iOS and iPadOS 17.
Reminders, Look Up, and the practical approach to intelligence in iOS 17
The Reminders app in iOS 17 introduces sections, allowing users to create sub-sections within lists for better organization. It also offers a column view, reminiscent of Trello, enabling users to drag and drop reminders between columns. Look Up gains new features, such as reading clothing tags and interpreting dashboard symbols. However, its ability to identify specific dishes in photos still needs improvement. The pragmatic approach to intelligence in iOS 17 focuses on practical uses, such as creating calendar events with natural language and improving the keyboard's auto completion and correction capabilities. These updates make Reminders, Look Up, and the keyboard more powerful and user-friendly.
Disappointments in iOS 17: The Continued Trend in Shortcuts
One disappointment in iOS 17 is the lack of significant updates to shortcuts, particularly for power users. Apple's focus on simple actions and system integrations leaves power users wanting more. The hope for improved shortcuts on the Mac has not materialized, and the current offerings for power users in shortcuts are limited. This continuation of the trend raises concerns about the future development of shortcuts and its potential limitations for advanced users.
Widgets Everywhere and the Changing Concept of Apps
Widgets have become a significant part of the app experience, offering modular functionality that can be accessed on the home screen. With widgets, users can interact with specific features of an app without launching the full application. This modular approach to apps, where components like widgets, Siri integrations, and shortcuts actions become core interactions, is shaping the future of app design. It raises the question of what it means to be an app on iOS when interactions can happen through various components rather than simply launching the app.
The Potential of App Intents Framework
The App Intents framework is a technology worth paying attention to. It started as a way to integrate apps with Siri and became the foundation for shortcuts. App Intents allows developers to create programmable actions for their apps within shortcuts. This year, widgets heavily rely on App Intents, enabling developers to program buttons with the same technology used for shortcuts. As widgets become visual versions of shortcuts, App Intents emerges as a crucial technology with potential future implications. It's a technology to watch as Apple continues to invest in its development, potentially playing a key role in Siri's conversational capabilities and the evolution of app interactions on iOS.
