Hands on with iOS/iPadOS 16 + WWDC22 wrap!

June 11, 2022

What a week! As usual, the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference gave us a rather thorough and exciting glimpse at where iOS, iPadOS and macOS are headed. (watchOS and tvOS, not so much.)

To wrap things up, we've got all our WWDC22 coverage, plus hands-on posts that walk you through some of the most exciting things coming in iOS and iPadOS.

And don't miss our exclusive photo gallery brimming with insider shots of Apple Park and the new Apple Developer Center.

Time to relax with some weekend reading ...

– Lewis Wallace, managing editor

P.S. What features coming in Apple's next-gen software are you most excited about? Let us know via Twitter.

WWDC22 in depth coverage

There’s a lot to like in iOS 16, so I couldn’t resist installing the first beta to test the best new features. Here’s my hands-on experience with the new Lock Screen, improvements in the Messages and Mail apps, and more.

Plus, more on iOS 16:

One of the most-requested iPad features is here. Stage Manager in iPadOS 16 puts applications in resizable, floating windows. Here's how the first beta works.

More on iPadOS:

Credit to Apple: The company managed to sneak some real surprises past the leakers and tipsters. Several reveals during Monday’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote came as a shock to everyone.

Plus, more on the WWDC22 keynote:

The new Mac operating system will focus on better window management, enhanced system apps, new Continuity features, smarter Spotlight, better gaming performance and more.

Plus, more Mac news:

CUPERTINO, California — For the first time, a big group of developers, students and media were allowed inside the very heart of Apple’s spaceship HQ during WWDC22. See our photo gallery for a virtual tour of Apple Park.

If passwords are the bane of your life, Apple's got some good news.

Plus, more upgrades coming to Apple apps:

Apple honors exceptional apps and games that “demonstrated outstanding technical achievement” and more.

News and opinion

Surely you already know that the newly redesigned MacBook Air is super-thin. But you might not have realized just how very sleek it is.

Unfortunately for folks who are already salivating at the idea of such a big Apple tablet, it probably won’t arrive until early 2023.

Plus, more Apple rumors:

Improvements to Automatic Switching are in the offing for Apple's earbuds and headphones.

Imagine standing in your backyard and looking up at a full-size Tyrannosaurus rex. That’s the possibility raised by a report that Apple asked producer Jon Favreau to turn his Prehistoric Planet docuseries into augmented reality or virtual reality.

The company is dropping support for many older iPhones, iPads and Macs this time around.

Deals

Bored of looking at the same old Apple Watch on your wrist? Give yours a makeover by adding a brand-new band or bumper case. There are a wide range of awesome Apple Watch accessories available at surprisingly affordable prices. We rounded up some of the best that are currently priced at $40 or less to help you out.

If you’re sick of plugging in your stuff all over the place, try a multi-device charger like the SwitchEasy MagPower 4-in-1 Charging Stand.

Plus more charger deals:

A few years ago, it was hard to find anything even close to competing with AirPods Pro, but now you can pick up a pair of affordable wireless earbuds with many of the same refined features.

Urban sketching is the practice of drawing the world around you, even if it’s the world you’re used to seeing all the time. You can learn to see, appreciate and render the world you live in with the 2022 Urban Sketching Course Bundle.

Reviews

The alt-history space saga splashes down in the go-go ’90s in its not-really merited third season. After another decadal jump, Nirvana is king, Bill Clinton is running for office, and we’re apparently going to Mars.

Plus, more Apple TV+ recaps:

Everything old is new again, eventually. Floppy disks, an important storage medium from the closing decades of the last century, return in the form of an Apple accessory from Elago.

Gone are the days where folks needed a document scanner sitting atop their desks. Instead, we have our trusty iPhones!

Plus, more Awesome Apps:

Setups

We see plenty of paired HomePod minis in computer setups, but not many stereo twosomes of the OG HomePods -- the big ones Apple discontinued (and which may one day return in some form).

Sometimes looking at computer setups is all about practicality, as in finding the right tools for the job at the right price. But other times it’s like ogling other cool stuff you wish you had, like pimped-out cars or beachfront real estate.