The Keynote at Annual World Wide Developers Conference was crafted entirely towards consumers, not developers. There a few takeaways and thoughts that we want to share with you.
New Tone.
Today we saw the new face of Apple: the intro video, dancing Eddie Cue and tons of celebrity endorsements. The tech crowd in the room felt that sometimes it's too much of a show. However, I think the keynote overall showed how Apple is transforming and trying to become more open and "fun".
Complexity.
While we do like all the enhancements in iOS, Mac OS, and Watch OS that we saw during the keynote, it feels like the whole user experience has become more complex.
Apple has always focused on exceptional user experience; that's why they can command a premium price for their devices. Superior user experience makes Apple different from Google or anyone else. But by making iOS devices more powerful and more complex for the average person, Apple risks weakening their position in the long term.
Have a look at the new Spotlight in iOS 9. There's so much information inside and so many things to do. It might be totally overwhelming for an average user. The same applies to the Notes app–a lot of people use it because of its simplicity. Now it offers similar functionality as Evernote and provides its new features via a toolbar at the bottom of the screen. But have you considered how that will look on an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5? I assume it's not going to be great for those people who just need a simple note-taking app.
Battling for iPad Success.
Apple is making a huge bet on iPad once again by adding powerful features and apps to further increase iPad usage. News app seems to be a great addition for those who never heard or used Flipboard. The rumored larger iPad might be launched later this year.
Third Party Complications.
Very nice thing. We can't wait to put your unread email count on the Apple Watch face of your choice. Also, I'm sure that Apple developer community will create some really fun/useful/interesting complications that nobody can foresee now but everybody will appreciate upon the release.
Productivity Boost.
I'm very excited about all the new features that increase productivity. iOS 9 does a good job with its Split Screen view and improved Keyboard. We are going to adjust our apps to support Split Screen, because it's a great contextual help for your tasks. Spark, PDF Expert 5, Calendars will work just great in that mode.
The Watch Is Getting There.
Finally we and other developers have an opportunity to make a first class Apple Watch app. It looks like most of the tools (that until recently could be used only by Apple apps) are finally available for developers across the world. Expect to see some really innovative Apple Watch apps and improved versions of the apps you already wear on your wrist.
Focus on Privacy.
Apple is trying to differentiate itself from Google and Facebook by making a huge bet on privacy. This is why we saw at least 3 slides yesterday with Privacy improvements and mentions. And indeed, they need that with Apple Pay.
We saw a new Apple with its new face, tone, music and videos. Overall, iOS 9 became more stable and mature. This allows us to focus on polishing our products and adding great functionality.
Denys Zhadanov,
Head of Marketing.
