AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE BOREDOM AWAY: THE LATEST GAME-CHANGER FEATURES FROM APPLE

As ever, in this new digital age, where technology has become a way of life rather than just a tool, the announcements of grand new AI-dominated features might get all the fanfare at one of Apple’s tech conferences, but it is often the little convenience improvements, the discoveries of how to make things a little nicer for the end user, that people will talk about the most. Apple’s recent World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC 2024) saw two features announced that would make the Apple experience better and more convenient to use.

THE UNEXPECTED HERO: APPLE'S IPAD CALCULATOR

For 2024, we would think the addition of a Calculator app to the iPad would barely raise an eyebrow. But to paraphrase Mark Twain, rumours that everything is quaint About the App Store soon ruined it for everyone. The Calculator app for iPad was the dark horse of the night – the most conventional and obvious of the pre-AI demo products, yet somehow the most incredible.

It is even before the features of the app are demoed. It is the leaping up and down of the crowd that is the revelation. Apple did not just add a calculator to the iPad, they added an equation-solver that will make the iPad a tool for students and anyone else who needs to make quick calculations. It’s a little thing, but it adds to the feeling that Apple pays attention to the details that make our lives comfortable by filling in the cracks with just the right stuff.

A HEALTH GAME-CHANGER: PAUSING ACTIVITY RINGS ON THE APPLE WATCH

The frustration experienced by Apple Watch users like myself – who depend on the device for health metrics and activity goals, particularly those who like to mark days off a calendar – during an illness or resting period had been all too real. A feature to let us pause activity rings, which we’ve been waiting for, arrived with watchOS 11.

Tailoring Your Goals

Along with the watchOS 11’s ability to pause activity rings – finally! – it also enables more flexibility through goals. Apple has recognised that for a diverse audience, there’s never been a one-size-fits-all approach to working out, and so now you can set variable goals across different days. It’s the ideal option for athletes or anyone who just needs to follow a more varied training routine, enabling you to have a rest day and not feel like you have to smash your activity targets.

Anticipating the Future

But these user-centric updates have a quicker impact on our daily lives than, say, the next big thing in artificial intelligence or hardware improvements such as a faster processor. When Apple debuted the Calculator app for use on the iPad – the romantic story goes that Steve Jobs used to use a physical pocket calculator to keep track of his business dealings before launching Apple – or this year’s ability to pause activity rings on the Apple Watch, these features were met with praise from tech types and Apple users as the company enhances the user experience with each update.

A NOTE ON APPLE'S INNOVATION

No, look at the way Apple still innovates, with each device and app. Even that tiny Calculator app gets updated from time to time! In fact, I would argue that it is Apple’s ability to listen to their users, hear what they want, and create a product that truly fits them and the lives they lead that really sets them apart from other technology companies.

The announcements at WWDC 2024 demonstrate that Apple’s belief in humanising technology, so that its devices not only work well but also have the potential to make our lives better, is alive and well. We can be certain of one thing as we head into the future: Apple is still at the cutting edge of the technology that makes it possible.