The most important announcements from Apple’s biggest event of the year

Hello! Apple’s event is just beginning. We’ll have all the biggest announcements from today’s keynote below. We’re expecting AI to be a major focus of the show, so stay tuned.

The big announcements

• iOS 18, the newest iPhone software coming this fall, comes with:
  • The ability to customize app widgets and apps, including the ability to change the color tint of all your app icons
  • A Dark Mode for the entire iOS home screen interface
  • A new customizable Control Center: multiple pages to swipe between your phone, home, and music controls; the ability to resize your controls; and a new gallery to choose which controls you want to see and toggle
  • The ability to lock an app, so friends and family can’t open certain apps or see sensitive information (this is going to test a lot of people’s trust in their relationships)
  • The ability to react to any message in Messages with any emoji or sticker, and you can format text to be bold, underlined, and more
  • The ability to schedule Messages (!)
  • The Mail app intelligently separates your mail into categories: primary mail, transactions, social media updates, and promotions
  • The ability to exchange Apple Cash without needing to share phone numbers or email addresses; just hold your phones together to pay
  • A redesigned Photos app that organizes your photos into categories like trips, people & pets, and more; a carousel for your favorite photos and featured photos (surfaced by the app)

The smaller stuff

• Apple TV+ is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year. The company showed off some new original movies and shows featuring big names like Matt Damon, Vince Vaughn, Harrison Ford, and more.
• Apple Vision Pro is getting its first major software update since its February release. VisionOS2 offers:
  • The ability to create spatial photos from photos you’ve already taken
  • Show you the time and battery level with simple hand gestures
  • Travel Mode, so you can keep working or watching entertainment in a moving vehicle
  • New developer APIs and frameworks to support experiences for the enterprise or tabletop
  • Support for third parties to create spatial video experiences, so you can shoot immersive video with a special Canon camera, or enjoy 3D videos on sites like Vimeo
  • New immersive content, including an Apple short film, and videos from Red Bull and The Weeknd
• Apple Vision Pro is coming to more countries, including Japan, Singapore, China, Australia, Canada, and more, this summer