WWDC 2019 unicorn emoji with different iOS symbols exploding out of its head

What Designers Need to Know About WWDC 2019

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From dark mode, to voice controlled everything, to the new Swift UI framework, we have a lot to look forward to this year! Here is the rundown on the biggest changes and most design relevant topics:

iOS 13

  • Performance improvements coming to iOS 13. Performance updates include: 30% faster face ID unlock, faster app downloads, faster app updates, and potentially faster app launches! Certain apps are also getting a UI overhaul and new features (photos, notes, reminders, safari, mail, etc). Learn more about iOS 13.
  • Sign in with Apple. As an alternative to Facebook and Google sign-in, Apple is offering a 3rd party authentication option focused on privacy. This service gives users complete control over what they share with your app. One of the key features is the ability to create an account using an auto-generated email address, reducing the amount of spam messages you receive from apps. Learn more about Sign in with Apple.
  • Dark Mode comes to iOS 13. No big surprises here! Now with both Android and iOS supporting dark mode, product teams will want to consider how dark mode fits in with their product strategy. Nothing is worse than having dark mode enabled on your phone and using an app that doesn’t support it.
  • SF icons is a new robust and customizable icon font library. The new SF symbols app has over 1500 SVG icons you can reference and use in your app. It is also easy to customize the symbols or make your own. This will be a very powerful resource for in-app icons and symbols! Learn more about SF Icons.
  • Apple believes privacy is a fundamental human right. New permission settings allow users to grant one time access to their location, giving users more control of when and how their location is shared. A new summary screen has been added to Settings detailing how each app is using your location data. Apple has also made a commitment to smart home security with HomeKit enabled routers and HomeKit secure video storage.

iPadOS

  • iPadOS breaks the iPad away from iOS. This will allow the iPad to be distinct from the iPhone and be optimized for it’s form factor. This update brings multi-window apps, multi-tasking, and unique shortcut gestures to the iPad. It also allows widgets to be added to the home screen of the iPad, finally making widgets a more compelling addition to your app ecosystem. Learn more about iPadOS.
  • Sidecar will allow your iPad to be a second screen and input device for your Mac. You will be able to draw, use touch controls, and have a portable second laptop screen anywhere you go. This may challenge Wacom’s place in the drawing peripheral world.

SwiftUI & Project Catalyst

  • SwiftUI makes UI design easier. Prototyping and building off standard components will be easier than ever with Swift UI. Not only does it reduce the amount of code it takes to use standard components, but it also make the Xcode editor more accessible to designers. SwiftUI offers automatic support for Dynamic Type, Dark Mode, localization and accessibility. Learn more about SwiftUI.
  • Project Catalyst allows iPad Apps to come to the Mac. This will make it easier to create app experiences for the Mac and get your product in the hands of more people. Learn more about Project Catalyst.

WatchOS 6

  • Improvements to Apple Health Data. There are new health metrics, including hearing health, you can access through iPhone and Apple Watch. These improvements also come with a summary of key health data and get health trend data/in-app coaching to help you reach your fitness goals.

Accessibility

  • Apple takes accessibility to the next level with voice controlled everything. iOS and MacOS will now support voice control natively across experiences. If you are using standard Apple patterns, this will likely be easier to implement in your app. Watch the video demo of voice control.

ARKit 3

  • ARKit 3 introduces people occlusion, built in motion capture, and RealityKit. This update jumpstarts how easy it is for people to get started with augmented reality, but also makes AR experiences more impactful by being more responsive to the environment. They had a very cute minecraft demo where the presenters were able to explore their minecraft creations in mixed reality. Learn more about RealityKit and ARKit.

Siri

  • New improvements to Siri. This includes auto read text messages and instant voice replies for apps using SiriKit, audio hand-off from your iPhone to Homepod, and a new voice for Siri. Learn more about updates to Siri and SiriKit.
  • Multi-user profile support across the Apple Ecosystem. This means that Siri can identify who is speaking and serve up relevant responses based on their personal profile and interests. This is hot on the heels of the spring announcements of family sharing and Apple pushing their own content creation services.

This is shaping up to be a very exciting year for Apple and brings a ton of new tools to all their properties for designers. I am very excited to see the continued commitment to accessibility and privacy. I am also looking forward to Mac OS Catalina, several quality of life improvements, and all the great tools coming out to help us make the best mobile experiences we can.