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The big story out of this year’s Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) Worldwide Developers Conference was the unveiling of the much anticipated Apple Music streaming service.
But Apple Music was far from the only thing announced at the 2015 Apple WWDC.
Here’s a look at the other major announcements from this year’s Apple WWDC and why they matter to you.
Multitasking Comes to iPad
Apple is finally bringing multitasking to iPad, enabling users to simultaneously work in two programs at once. This is seen as a huge boost to the iPad’s functionality and is also a shot at the Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Surface tablet, which boasts multitasking capabilities.
Interestingly, multitasking will only be available on some of the latest models of iPads, requiring upgrades for those using older iPad models who wish to utilize the new feature.
Smarter Siri
Much the same as Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) has made upgrades to its Google Now intelligent personal assistant service to help it learn a user’s patterns, Siri is getting some upgrades that should make it more useful to its users.
Apple’s “Proactive Assistant” places a greater emphasis on user privacy than Google Now, in the sense that the data stays on the device. Google Now uses data more broadly in an effort to be more predictive of user behavior.
The next logical step for Siri would be to add enhanced artificial intelligence that can anticipate users needs based on their location, the time of day, etc.
Startup Killer
With an upgrade to its built-in Notes app with the new iOS 9 operating system, it looks like Apple wants to beat Evernote at its own game. Making notes available across devices is a no-brainer for Apple, and there’s no reason why Notes can’t erode the need for Evernote – even with Evernote’s strong following,
It also looks like Apple is trying to compete with Flipboard, a popular news app I like for its friendly graphics-heavy interface. Apple is replacing “Newsstand” with “News,” a significantly more visual and interactive news stream.
Whether Apple is deliberately trying to compete with these companies is irrelevant. By appropriating the best of what they offer, Apple is delivering a better user experience in these areas than it was before.
If it is successful, companies like Evernote and Flipboard – whose business models center around a service that Apple can offer for free – will be in significant trouble.
With the 2015 Apple WWDC behind us, our next glimpse into what Apple has been up to likely won’t come for several months. The next Apple announcement is rumored to be an updated iPhone and iMac suite.
DISCLOSURE: I personally own shares of Apple.
Apple’s most closely guarded secret
Apple recently blew away expectations yet again by beating Wall Street’s earnings estimates. Without a doubt, Apple is soaring higher than ever. Yet few analysts realize is that a little-known company is destined to soar right along with it. It’s Apple’s most closely guarded secret…one they would prefer you never know. Discover it right here.