Apple’s WWDC 2024: Reactions, Highlights & Breakdowns with Jason and Alex | E1964

Jason and Alex kick off the show (0s)

• iOS 18, iPad OS 18, and Mac OS Sequoia are introducing a new era of intelligent technology.
• The advancements may lead to ethical concerns as technology becomes more sophisticated.
• The relationship between OpenAI and Microsoft may be strained due to competing interests.
• The technology showcased represents a significant milestone in computing.
• Squarespace offers a free trial and a 10% discount on website or domain purchases with the code "twist."
• LinkedIn Jobs allows businesses to post their first job for free (terms and conditions apply).
• The Equinix Startup Program provides startups with a hybrid infrastructure solution, including credits and personalized consultations.
• Apple's WWDC 2024 event showcased significant updates and advancements across various platforms.
• iOS 18 introduced new features such as improved widgets, enhanced multitasking, and a redesigned home screen.
• iPad OS 18 brought major changes, including a new multitasking interface, improved file management, and better integration with external displays.
• Mac OS Sequoia introduced a revamped design, enhanced multitasking capabilities, and new productivity tools.
• Apple also unveiled new hardware products, including the iPhone 15, Apple Watch Series 8, and AirPods Pro 2.
• The event highlighted Apple's continued focus on privacy, security, and user experience.

Jumping into the keynote from Apple and whether or not it impressed. (1m50s)

• Jason is very impressed with Apple's keynote and believes it could be a seminal moment in technology.
• Apple is giving more forward-looking statements, outlining a vision that makes Apple a huge buy and will push the hardware and storage envelope on smartphones.
• Jason believes Apple is not getting displaced by AI and this will accelerate their dominance.
• Alex notes that Nvidia is currently worth more than Apple, raising the question of where the value will accrue in the AI race.
• Both agree that Apple has a unique advantage because of the iPhone and what's stored on it.
• Siri has been reborn and is expected to be much improved, with a billion five queries per day.
• iOS 18:
  • New lock screen with customizable widgets and fonts.
  • Live Activities feature provides real-time updates on events such as sports games or food delivery.
  • Focus mode improvements with new filters and the ability to create custom Focus modes.
  • SharePlay improvements, including the ability to watch shared content on Apple TV.
• iPad OS 18:
  • Stage Manager feature allows users to multitask with multiple windows and external displays.
  • New multitasking gestures for easier window management.
  • Redesigned Files app with improved search and organization.
• Mac OS:
  • New System Settings app with a redesigned interface and more granular control over settings.
  • Continuity Camera feature allows users to use their iPhone as a webcam for their Mac.
  • New multitasking features, including the ability to create window groups and quickly switch between apps.

“Apple Intelligence” has landed! (5m24s)

• Apple Intelligence is a personal intelligence system that uses powerful generative models on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
• It focuses on personal information and privacy protection.
• Apple's emphasis on privacy builds trust among consumers who are increasingly concerned about data breaches.
• Consumers view Apple as a privacy-first company due to its history of privacy initiatives and resistance to government requests for backdoor access.

Reactions to the new Siri. (8m32s)

• Siri has a new look with a glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen.
• It has richer language understanding capabilities, allowing for more natural conversations.
• The new interface integrates Siri into the system experience, making it feel less jarring and more synonymous with the existing user experience.

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• Siri has improved significantly over the years, overcoming its initial issues with speed and accuracy.
• The speaker frequently uses Siri to dictate text messages.
• The new version of Siri feels like an integrated operating system tool rather than an app.
• It has the potential to revolutionize how users interact with their devices, allowing for more nuanced commands and deeper integration within apps.

The importance of Apple’s addition of “on-screen awareness”. (12m42s)

• Siri will be able to understand and take action with things on the user's screen.
• Siri will be able to take hundreds of new actions in and across apps, including enhancing photos and adding information to notes.
• Siri will be able to take actions across apps, such as adding information from the Photos app to the Notes app.
• This feature will bring us closer to realizing the vision of Siri moving through the system in concert with the user.
• It depends on a thing called app intents, which are essentially places in apps where Siri can link in and tell it to do stuff.
• This is a massive moment for computing as it will make speech the dominant interface, allowing users to order food, book flights, and more, all through voice commands.
• Siri will have the ability to take hundreds of new actions in and across apps.
• Some of these actions will leverage Apple's new writing and image generation capabilities.
• For example, users will be able to ask Siri to show them photos of a specific person or thing, and Siri will be able to enhance those photos.
• Siri will also be able to take actions across apps, such as adding information from the Photos app to the Notes app.

Breakdown of Apple’s use of data with their AI. (16m30s)

• Apple's AI will store data on the device to provide a more personalized experience.
• Apple emphasizes data security and privacy, aiming to make data processing invisible to the user.
• The AI will learn user preferences and behavior over time, similar to OpenAI's history and memory feature.
• This shift towards speech-based interaction will reduce reliance on touch input.
• Siri will evolve from a single-task assistant to an agent capable of handling complex queries and tasks.
• Apple has been observing user behavior in simulators to understand how to best implement these features.
• Siri will be able to handle complex queries involving multiple tasks and apps.
• For example, it could book a flight, hotel, and restaurant reservation in sequence, understanding user preferences and providing relevant options.
• This agent-like behavior goes beyond single tasks and requires a more sophisticated understanding of user intent.

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• LinkedIn has over a billion members in more than 200 countries, making it a great platform to reach potential candidates.
• LinkedIn's AI and machine learning algorithms help match job seekers with relevant job postings, even if they're not actively searching.
• 70% of LinkedIn users don't visit other leading job sites, so posting a job on LinkedIn increases the chances of finding qualified candidates.
• 86% of small businesses using LinkedIn Jobs get a qualified candidate within 24 hours.
• Apple is in a unique position to capitalize on the integration of AI language models into computing.
• The app economy will become even more important as AI-powered apps become more prevalent.
• Apple may have an advantage over OpenAI in owning the consumer due to its control over the iOS ecosystem and its range of devices from smartphones to desktops.
• Apple's hardware position allows it to create a more integrated experience across different devices, making it more consumer-friendly.

ChatGPT’s integration with Siri. (23m53s)

• Siri can now tap into ChatGPT's expertise for various tasks.
• Users can ask Siri questions related to cooking, decorating, writing documents, presentations, or PDFs.
• ChatGPT can generate images to illustrate content.
• ChatGPT integration is free and does not require an account.
• User requests and information are not logged.
• ChatGPT subscribers can connect their accounts to access paid features.
• Users have control over when ChatGPT is used and can choose to share their information.
• ChatGPT integration will be available on iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia later this year.
• Apple plans to add support for other AI models in the future.

Unpacking the “free” use of ChatGPT with Apple products. (26m32s)

• Apple and OpenAI's partnership for ChatGPT integration raises questions about revenue generation.
• Compute costs for AI models are high, so a free service would require a significant financial investment.
• Apple is likely paying OpenAI for the integration, similar to Google's payment for being the default search engine on Apple devices.
• OpenAI may seek revenue through prompting users to upgrade to a paid version or by offering default status to the highest bidder.
• Google's current deal with Apple is highly profitable, but OpenAI's revenue potential is uncertain due to initial costs.
• Apple's approach is similar to AOL's strategy of charging for access to a large user base.
• OpenAI's aggressive stance and financial resources suggest a desire to block competitors in the AI market.
• The hot-swappable nature of the default GPT suggests Apple's intention to create a marketplace for AI services.
• Microsoft's reaction to these developments is a potential concern for Apple.

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Discussing the relationships between OpenAI and Microsoft and now Apple. (31m7s)

• Apple's investment in OpenAI may strain the relationship between OpenAI and Microsoft.
• Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has been criticized by the previous board for his business dealings.
• Apple gave significant branding to OpenAI during its WWDC keynote, highlighting their industry leadership and the use of ChatGPT and the specific 4 model.
• Apple emphasized user privacy when discussing ChatGPT integration, which aligns with their overall approach.
• Apple showcased "Image Playground," a new AI feature that allows users to generate and edit images using natural language prompts.
• "Live Text" will gain the ability to translate text directly within the camera app, making it easier to understand foreign languages.
• "Quick Look" will allow users to perform actions like currency conversion and unit conversion directly from the preview pane.
• Apple's new "Freeform" app provides a flexible digital canvas for collaboration, note-taking, and brainstorming.
• The new "Home" app redesign offers a more streamlined and efficient way to control smart home devices.
• Apple's "CarPlay" will receive significant updates, including a new customizable dashboard, improved navigation, and support for multiple displays in vehicles.

More “ooohs” and “ahhhs” from Apple’s new Image Playground. (34m44s)

• Apple introduced "Playgrounds," a feature that allows users to create customized images using artificial intelligence within apps like Messages.
• Users can select from various concepts, themes, costumes, accessories, and places to generate image previews and refine them with specific descriptions.
• Playgrounds understands the context of messages and suggests related concepts, including adding people from the conversation to the image.
• Apple's user-friendly approach to AI image creation simplifies the process, making it accessible to a wider audience.
• Apple's WWDC 2024 event showcased advancements across platforms and highlighted the growing popularity of AI, with an estimated 5-10% of the global online population having substantial exposure to AI tools like ChatGPT.
• Tech giants like Google, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft are expected to play a crucial role in simplifying AI for broader adoption.

Jason breaks down other key announcements from WWDC 2024 including a password manager and Apple TV’s new “Insights”. (40m25s)

• Apple introduced a standalone password app and new features for Apple TV, including "Insights" and a voice-boosting setting.
• Apple announced support for RCS in iOS 18, improving compatibility between iPhones and Android devices.
• The company showcased AI-powered features such as improved sound isolation for AirPods and enhanced photo editing capabilities.
• Apple plans to introduce satellite connectivity for SMS messages and tapbacks, but the satellite network provider is yet to be disclosed.
• The event highlighted the upcoming RCS support, addressing consumer demands and potentially mitigating antitrust concerns.
• Apple may use the introduction of new AI features to encourage users to upgrade to devices with the latest M-series chips.
• The WWDC 2024 event focused on encouraging device upgrades, potentially leading to increased storage and battery demands.
• Elon Musk's decision to ban iPhones from OpenAI due to data concerns is unlikely to significantly affect Apple due to its robust permission systems.
• The long-awaited Calculator app for the iPad was introduced, featuring AI-powered equation solving and drawing capabilities.
• Adaptive learning is seen as a critical tool in education, with the potential to improve learning outcomes by identifying and addressing individual weaknesses.
• The Fearless Fund, a fund for black women by black women, aims to bridge the gap in venture funding for black women, who receive the lowest amount of venture funding of any group.
• There is an ongoing lawsuit against the Fearless Fund due to allegations of discrimination, as it is illegal to discriminate against people in the United States.
• The hosts encourage viewers to participate in the docket by finding stories they want to be discussed on the show.
• The Twist 500, a list of the top 500 private companies, will be relaunched with a new process and will take a year to complete.