Every year at WWDC, Apple never fails to showcase some groundbreaking innovations. At WWDC 2024, Apple stayed true to its tradition, not only unveiling a slew of new devices but also rolling out significant updates to Siri and other AI features. These updates are far from trivial; they aim to make your Apple devices "smarter" than ever. Let’s dive into the highlights.

First and foremost, one of the most exciting updates is the completely revamped Siri. You might be thinking, “Hasn’t Siri always been around? What’s new this time?” Great question! Siri has indeed been an integral part of the Apple ecosystem, but let’s be honest—Siri hasn’t always been the most “intuitive.” Sometimes, it’s slow to respond or completely misunderstands what you’re saying, like a student who needs constant coaching and occasionally still gets things wrong.

But at WWDC 2024, Apple announced that the new Siri is smarter and more natural than ever! Its voice recognition capabilities have been dramatically enhanced, allowing you to interact with Siri more conversationally and casually—no more having to pronounce every word clearly like you’re training a robot. Imagine going to the supermarket: in the past, you’d stick to your shopping list, but now, Siri acts like a “shopping assistant” who reminds you, “Are you sure you wanted to pick this up instead?” rather than just silently watching you make a mistake.

More importantly, Siri is evolving beyond being just an “assistant.” It’s beginning to integrate more AI capabilities, effectively becoming an “invisible partner” in your daily life. For instance, if you say, “Plan my day,” Siri not only displays your schedule but also analyses your calendar and offers thoughtful suggestions. It can even adapt its responses based on your mood or the weather. Feeling down? Siri might automatically play your favourite song. Busy day ahead? Siri reminds you to prepare for your meetings in advance. Doesn’t it feel like Siri suddenly “gets you”?

Next up are the comprehensive upgrades to Apple’s AI functionalities. During WWDC, Apple introduced a host of new AI tools—not just Siri upgrades but also features that seamlessly “embed” AI into various corners of Apple devices. For example, the AI-generated smart photo albums. Apple’s new AI capabilities don’t just stop at organising your photos; they can analyse the content and emotions in your photos to automatically create suitable albums and edited videos. It even selects the perfect music and effects for different scenes, as if you had a professional photographer and video editor crafting your travel journal—saving you the hassle and giving you a “cinematic” effect to share on social media.

Beyond these subtle quality-of-life improvements, Apple also unveiled AI-driven health management tools. These tools don’t just monitor your fitness data or sleep quality; they can even recommend personalised exercise and diet plans when health issues arise. Think of it as having a personal doctor who not only tracks your health but also tailors wellness programs to your needs, reminding you to take your medication on time.

One of the coolest features is the new AI-powered voice synthesis. It doesn’t just “understand what you say”; it can mimic your tone of voice. Imagine being away from home—your Apple devices can mimic your speaking style to call your family or even converse with them, creating a sense of “remote presence” as if you were there.

These AI features are not just enhancements to the “hardware”; they make the entire Apple ecosystem smarter and more interconnected. Whether it’s your iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch, these devices no longer function as isolated tools but as part of an intelligent, collaborative network.

In summary, these new features and technologies not only make Apple’s ecosystem more intelligent but also provide each user with a more personalised and thoughtful experience. In the future, Siri will no longer be just a smart voice assistant.

（Writer：Wanny）