{"id":320855,"date":"2019-06-02T07:51:51","date_gmt":"2019-06-02T05:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=320855"},"modified":"2019-06-02T07:51:51","modified_gmt":"2019-06-02T05:51:51","slug":"apple-to-replace-itunes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/mobile\/320855\/apple-to-replace-itunes\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple to replace iTunes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Apple Inc\u2019s developer conference beginning Monday will move the company closer to a future in which the iPhone is no longer the central cog for other products and services.<\/p>\n

Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and other leaders will make\u00a0a keynote presentation\u00a0at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California,\u00a0to unveil updates of Apple\u2019s\u00a0operating systems and\u00a0a new approach to apps.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0changes will showcase Apple\u2019s new generation of devices and software: Apple Watches that are more independent from iPhones, iPads with software that reduces the need for a laptop, apps that run on any Apple device,\u00a0and\u00a0growth areas such as\u00a0augmented reality and personal health-care management, according to people familiar with the plans.<\/p>\n

While the developer conference is software-focused, the company often sprinkles new hardware announcements in at the event. This year, Apple won’t show off a new Apple Watch or iPhone hardware until the fall, but has considered previewing the new Mac Pro at the conference.<\/p>\n

Watch Independence<\/h3>\n

When\u00a0Apple launched the Watch in 2015, it\u00a0was positioned as the next major product\u00a0after the iPhone. But sales haven\u2019t reached iPhone levels\u00a0and the Watch still relies on the handset.<\/p>\n

After adding cellular connectivity support to the device two years ago, the company will use its next software update, watchOS 6, to further break it free\u00a0from the iPhone by adding an on-board App Store, new apps like a calculator and voice recorder, and new messaging features.<\/p>\n

Read more about what\u2019s coming up at this year\u2019s WWDC.<\/p>\n

iPad as PC Replacement<\/h3>\n

Apple has pushed the iPad as a laptop\u00a0replacement for years. But many pro users have noted that while the\u00a0hardware is\u00a0capable enough, the\u00a0software is still behind. WWDC will reveal new efforts to\u00a0bridge that gap.<\/p>\n

The company plans enhancements to the home screen and new features around using multiple apps at once to help the iPad satisfy more of your computing needs.<\/p>\n

Unified App Strategy<\/h3>\n

Developers will get new\u00a0tools to build iOS\u00a0apps for Mac laptops and desktop computers, essentially unifying Apple\u2019s\u00a0app ecosystem. This follows last year\u2019s rollout of iPad versions of\u00a0Apple\u2019s News, Voice Memos, Home, and Stocks apps on\u00a0the Mac.<\/p>\n

The expectation is that single versions of all apps will eventually be able to run on every Apple device. As part of the shift, more underlying technologies will also merge.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe transition might not be finished for a couple of years, but this is the strongest push Apple has made toward the unification of its two platforms,\u201d said developer Steven Troughton-Smith. \u201cApple and developers can put more effort into one version of things instead of having to build everything\u00a0twice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more about the combination of iPhone, iPad and Mac apps here.<\/p>\n

\u201cDevelopers can put more effort into one version of things instead of having to build everything\u00a0twice.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Apps<\/h3>\n

Apple is also ensuring\u00a0its own core apps\u00a0are up to scratch\u00a0after letting some\u00a0languish\u00a0in favor of system-wide features. The company is readying major revamps of\u00a0the\u00a0Reminders and Health apps\u00a0and tweaks for Maps, Messages, Apple Books, Home, and Mail.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also planning to\u00a0merge\u00a0Find my iPhone and Find my Friends into a single app.<\/p>\n

Augmented Reality<\/h3>\n

Since getting into\u00a0augmented reality\u00a0in 2017,\u00a0Apple has added new AR features to its iPhone and iPad software annually. But until Apple launches its AR glasses, the technology, which superimposes 3-D images over views of the real world,\u00a0is unlikely to take off.<\/p>\n

At first, the headset will probably need an iPhone for certain tasks. Internal versions of\u00a0iOS 13 have begun to add technology that\u00a0supports a future headset, according to people familiar with its development.<\/p>\n

Apple is unlikely to talk about this publicly at WWDC, but the moves indicate the company is ramping up development of the glasses, which could be showcased as early as 2020.<\/p>\n

End of iTunes<\/h3>\n

iTunes has been the way Apple users listen to music, watch movies and TV shows, hear podcasts, and manage their devices for almost two decades. This year, Apple is finally ready to move\u00a0into a new era.<\/p>\n

The company\u00a0is launching a trio of new apps for the Mac \u2013 Music, TV, and Podcasts \u2013\u00a0to replace iTunes. That matches Apple\u2019s media app strategy on iPhones and iPads.\u00a0Without iTunes, customers can manage their Apple gadgets through the Music app.<\/p>\n

Health<\/h3>\n

Health care has\u00a0become a fundamental part\u00a0of many\u00a0Apple\u00a0products. For this year, beyond the revamped Health app for iPhones, the company will push into monitoring hearing health \u2013\u00a0how loud the external environment is and how loud you\u2019re playing sound on your device or headphones.<\/p>\n

It also plans\u00a0more comprehensive menstrual cycle tracking on iPhones, and a pair of health apps for the Apple Watch:\u00a0menstrual cycle tracking and pill reminders. There will also be a new Sleep Mode for Apple mobile devices and\u00a0better support for hearing aids.<\/p>\n

\n

Read: Apple vs Huawei vs Samsung vs Fitbit: who is winning the smartwatch war?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Apple Inc\u2019s developer conference beginning Monday will move the company closer to a future in which the iPhone is no longer the central cog for other products and services.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":65536,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[51,26],"class_list":["post-320855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mobile","tag-apple","tag-headline"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=320855"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":320857,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320855\/revisions\/320857"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=320855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=320855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=320855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}