I believe that you all have watched Apple’s annual developer conference?
As a dual-user of Apple and Android, I felt no emotion after watching this video.Because whether it is iOS 18, iPadOS 18 or macOS Sequoia, they have too many shadows of Android. Apart from Apple AI, only the calculator is slightly interesting.
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However, Shichao who was sitting next to me was quite excited. As a staunch iPhone fan, iOS 18 supports call recording, App locking, icons can be arranged freely, and lock screen shortcut keys can be customized. In his opinion, these features are “epic” upgrades. Apple finally listened to his advice this time!
Not only did our editorial department have mixed reactions to this year's Apple WWDC, but the online reviews also had two completely different styles.
Many Android users are complaining that Apple is becoming less and less innovative, and that many of the new system features are leftovers from Android's past. However, many Apple users feel that since it is made by Apple, it should be better polished, and are already considering whether to refresh the system of their devices in advance.
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In recent days, news about Apple's new system and new features have been trending on major platforms such as Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Bilibili, and Zhihu more than once.
All I can say is that the mobile phone circle is still as lively as usual. Although netizens argue, no one can convince anyone in the end. However, one thing is certain – with the release of this new system, the official has started to make a certain application, and next a batch of third-party apps will be killed by Apple.
Take the calculator for example. Previously, no matter iPhone or iPad, the system did not have a calculator. If you wanted to use it, you had to download one yourself. Now if we search for calculator in the App Store, there are at least hundreds of third-party calculators, if not thousands:
Many of these calculators are either charged based on their functions or subscriptions, or have various advertisements built in. It cannot be said that there are no third-party calculators that are completely free and ad-free, but they are few and far between. After all, not everyone can generate electricity with love. It can be said that Apple has supported this large number of apps.
Apple also gave an explanation for why its own devices do not support calculators. I remember the answer given by a senior executive at the time was: Calculators are simple to make, but since we want to do it, we will make the best one. He was very confident and arrogant.
Of course, Apple does have the capital to be proud. Although it took a little longer, it did it. The calculator that comes with iPadOS 18 not only supports regular calculations, it also supports handwritten calculations. It can update the calculation results in real time based on handwritten variables, and can even directly draw function curves.
In short, it is to beat the third party in various ways.Most of the third-party calculators in the app store are unnecessary!
A few days ago, foreign technology media TechCrunch wrote a tweet like this, counting the third-party apps that are likely to be “killed” by Apple after this year's Apple WWDC. As a result, you don't know until you check it out. Once you check it out, you will find that there are quite a few third-party apps affected by the release of the new system.
In addition to the calculator introduced earlier, the new macOS has added a new cross-device interconnection function for iPhone, supporting iPhone mirroring. We can view and control the iPhone directly from the Mac, which means that third-party iPhone mirroring tools like Bezel are basically dead.
The native version does not require a data cable and can be used even if the phone is placed in the next room. If you use a third-party app and still need to plug in a cable, how can you make the call? . .
In addition, Apple has also launched an official password app that supports us to manage all iOS/iPadOS/MacOS passwords. All passwords can be stored in it. At the same time, these passwords can also be viewed across devices and automatically filled. It even has a Windows version.
With this app, I estimate that many people will switch from third-party password management software such as 1Password and LastPass to Apple's official one.
Not to mention other third-party software like recording/transcription tools: TapeACall, customized Emoji: Newji, customized maps: Alltrails, and macOS window plug-in Magnet. These apps are designed to achieve a specific function. With native ones, who would use third-party ones?
Of course, I say this not to feel sorry for these apps. When Apple doesn't develop a certain feature, they complain that iOS doesn't even have it. When Apple actually develops these features, they say that the official has stepped in to force third-party apps to death. It seems that all the good and bad things have been said by these foreign media.
On the contrary, I think that Apple's fate is definitely a good thing, because many of the functions mentioned above should have been built-in to the system (refer to domestic mobile phones). There is no need for users to spend extra money to buy many small and beautiful third-party apps to fill the functions that the system itself does not have.
For example, when we went out for interviews before, we had to spend money to buy the iFlytek App, and then use it to convert speech into text.Many Android phones now have built-in recorders that can do this, which is equivalent to helping us save money. Even now, many domestic mobile phones support AI voice summary, which is very useful.
To give an inappropriate example, in the past, after buying an iPhone, you had to buy various tool apps to use it comfortably. It is just like now that after we buy a Model 3, if we want the dashboard to appear on the steering wheel again, we have to spend a few hundred yuan to buy a third-party one from Taobao.
But cars should have dashboards, right? (Anti-bumper patch: I know the Model 3 main screen can display speed, but I personally prefer traditional dashboards~
And as far as I know, many mobile phone manufacturers' built-in recorders still use iFlytek's technology, and they have to pay iFlytek. These third-party manufacturers are still alive and well, but the ones paying the money have changed from consumers to mobile phone manufacturers. By integrating third-party services into the system, they are more convenient to use.
Of course, a company as powerful as Apple would definitely choose to do it itself first.If worst comes to worst, you can still use your “cash ability” to make a wave of acquisitions.
Third-party weather software Dark Sky, third-party extension tool Workflow, third-party testing platform TestFlight, etc., were all integrated into Apple's own system after being acquired by Apple. Even Siri was acquired by Apple in the beginning. Apple is very skilled in acquisitions…
To those software developers, I want to say, don't expect to make money lying down forever, you still need to have a sense of crisis and strive to make some differentiation in the software; and as a consumer, I want to say, Apple, please work harder, there is never too many useful functions, please give it more~