Riding on the high after the mind-blowing announcements at WWDC23 this year, Apple released a full suite of exciting updates to keep you on your toes in late 2023. Let’s just say, we wouldn’t expect anything less from Apple.
Source: Apple
From Collaborative Playlists in Apple Music, to discovering offline maps and hiking trails on Apple Maps, to new ways to enjoy Apple Podcasts – here’s a list of updates you can look forward to later this year. Let’s start with Apple Music.
Source: Apple
Collaborative Playlists on Apple Music
If you’re an Apple Music subscriber, you can now look forward to collaborating with your loved ones on your mutually favourite playlists. Perfect for family dinners, events, and even an intimate get together session with your closest friends; Collaborative Playlists will give users the freedom and flexibility to invite each other to select and edit tracks – and even add emoji reactions to your favourite songs.
Source: Apple
Immersive Apple Music Sing Experience
Remember Continuity Camera? Apple has decided to marry Apple Music Sing and Continuity Camera in the perfect union – where you can now see you and your loved ones onscreen with fancy all-new camera filters, all while belting out all your favourite tunes – complete with lyrics onscreen. Talk about a kick-ass after party!
In addition to that, some of us (myself included) have always wanted to find out more about my favourite artists (*coughs* Taylor Swift *coughs*) while listening to their songs on repeat – and guess what? Now you can, with Song Credits in Apple Music. Now, I can find out more about Taylor Swift and the brilliant minds behind her music, together with the instruments they played and how they contributed to her songs.
Source: Apple
SharePlay
Yoooooooo this is one sick update all of us have been waiting for – being able to hijack boring tunes during loooooong road trips overseas is quite the heaven-sent?! With Apple Music’s SharePlay, you can now automatically join a karaoke session and control the music from your own device – even if you don’t have an Apple Music subscription.
Source: Apple
Catalogues on Apple Podcasts
I’m not sure why anyone needs an incentive to be an Apple Music subscriber, but if you really need a nudge – here’s one. As an Apple Music subscriber, you’d be able to listen to an entire catalogue of award-winning and commercial-free Apple Music radio shows in Apple Podcasts. You’d be able to enjoy the flexibility to follow individual shows to automatically download, and get a ping every time new episodes are released.
Source: Apple
Now Playing on Apple Podcasts
You can now enjoy an all-new Now Playing design on Apple Podcasts, with a dynamic background that places the podcast’s art and enhanced controls to manage your audio queue effectively.
Source: Apple
Episode Art and App Store Subscriptions with Apple Podcasts
As with Apple Music, you can also explore more about an episode with the new episode art on Apple Podcasts. You can easily preview, play, or follow podcasts for episodes, shows, and channels in Up Next with the new update. Listening to Apple Podcasts can also allow you to access new shows and eligible subscriptions to top apps on the App Store, including Bloomberg, Calm, The Economist, L’Équipe, Lingokids, The Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and more.
Source: Apple
Offline Maps on Apple Maps
Sometimes, just sometimes, you’d lose connection to your 5G network while driving or travelling in areas with choppy network access. With offline maps on Apple Maps, you can easily access the navigation for driving, walking, transit and even cycling; and see the ETA you need and more – simply by selecting an area on your device and download it.
Source: Apple
Explore Park Trails with Apple Maps
If you’re planning a trip to the States anytime soon to visit the National Parks and breathtaking scenery, you’d be able to now discover different trails in parks across the States with place cards that include detailed information to help you plan your hiking trails more efficiently. Only in U.S. for the time being.
Source: Apple
EV Charging Availability
If you own an electric vehicle (EV) and constantly trying to look for an EV charging station, you can easily search for available spots real-time on Apple Maps.
Source: Apple
ID is Coming To iPhone and Apple Wallet
Later this year, businesses will be able to recognise IDs in Apple Wallet – so you don’t have to worry about forgetting your ID in your car anymore. You’d be able to securely present your ID in Wallet to a registered business by simply holding your iPhone or Apple Watch near the business’s iPhone. Privacy is an extremely important aspect to Apple, and users can be assured that you will be asked to authenticate and consent by using Face or Touch ID before your information is shared and stored on the receiving party’s device.
Share Locations and Items with Find My
You can share your location (and ask for someone else’s location) through Find My in Messages with the new ‘Location’ option in the Send Menu and easily create a route to your loved one’s location directly in Apple Maps. You can also share items using AirTag and Find My to five other people of your choice. No more worrying about not being able to access your items.
Availability
A public beta will be made available next month here, and new software features will be publicly available later this year.
