The first day of Apple’s annual WWDC developer conference is over, with the company announcing iOS 16 for the iPhone, as well as software updates for the Apple Watch, Mac and iPad. The developer conference is off to an interesting start with a long list of features coming to the iPhone and other Apple products later in the year. Although Apple didn’t reveal or tease the mysterious mixed-reality headset, it did announce the revamped MacBook Air with the M2 processor. Many of the announcements that were part of this year’s WWDC were already leaked or known in tech circles. But there were still a few surprises in store – ranging from the debut of the next-generation CarPlay to the ability to use your iPhone as a webcam on a Mac. Here’s everything we weren’t expecting at WWDC 2022.
Use your iPhone as a Mac webcam
Not sure why this wasn’t announced during the height of Covid-19, but yes, we liked the idea of turning our iPhone into a webcam. After all, laptop webcams are still terrible. Apple’s announcement that we will soon be able to plug our iPhones into Macs for webcam use was exciting no doubt. The best part is you don’t have to connect the iPhone to the Mac; the computer will instantly recognize the unit. You will, of course, need to update your iPhone to iOS 16 and Mac to the latest macOS Ventura to turn an iPhone into a webcam.
Hold on, there’s more. The feature will also let you use two of the iPhone camera lenses at the same time. One will be on the speaker, while the other can focus on something else. Apple calls it “Desk View,” to simultaneously show the user’s face and an overhead view of their desk. It’s great for doing unboxing videos. But to make this all work, Apple recommends getting a holder which is made by the accessory company Belkin.
All-new CarPlay
Nobody thought that Apple would preview the next generation of its in-app car mirroring tech at WWDC. The all-new CarPlay takes the in-car interface beyond just displaying the information on your iPhone to the actual hardware integration with your car. The best part of the new CarPlay experience is how it adapts to multi-display dashboards and screens, depending on what car you own. The level of customization features and the way you control your radio, adjust your AC and view car data like fuel level or speed shows how serious Apple is thinking about getting the software right on cars.
The first cars that support the next-generation CarPlay will be announced late next year. We still don’t know many details, but one thing is clear: Apple seems to be interested in proving its in-car OS to the leading automakers. Maybe someday Apple might want to