WWDC 2017 Initial Impressions
Check out a developer’s initial impressions of the new announcements at WWDC 2017 so far! By Andy Obusek.
HomePod
Apple’s response to the Amazon Echo and Google Home was announced today, HomePod. It follows suit as an Internet connected speaker that has an always-listening virtual assistant.
What was most interesting to me was that Siri was totally underplayed, and instead it was the musical and audio capabilities of the speaker that were highlighted. It was almost as if it’s advertised primarily as a listening device, and as a smart device second – which is opposite of the Amazon Echo and Google Home.
HomePod can also serve as your HomeKit hub. One thing of note is until you say “Hey Siri” the HomePod will not send any information to Apple.
Refreshed Desktops
iMacs and Macbook Pros were updated with contemporary hardware and new prices.
iMac Pro
Apple announced a brand new iMac Pro that will be available in December 2017.
New iPad Pro
A new 10.5″ iPad Pro was announced effectively replacing the 9.7″ iPad, while also providing newer capabilities.
What Are People Excited About?
Ray ran a quick Twitter poll to see what people were the most excited about, and looks like quite a few people are planning on picking up a HomePod:
Where To Go From Here?
That wraps up my list of highlights from WWDC 2017, day one.
Whether you’re at WWDC, or catching the couch tour and watching videos at home, I’d love to hear from you. What were your impressions? Did I miss something important? Please let me know in the comments!
In the meantime, we’ll be working hard on making some new written tutorials, video tutorials, and books in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! :]