Buzz
Apple Pay Later
Apple's financial services are seamlessly integrated into Apple Wallet. In simple terms, it's a 'buy now, pay later' service with 0% interest for up to 6 weeks, divided into 4 deferred payments. Although Apple Pay Later was introduced at WWDC 2022, it has not yet been rolled out by Apple. With the unveiling of Apple Pay Later, Apple officially steps into the BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) arena, posing competition to names like Klarna, Affirm, Paypal...
According to Bloomberg, Apple Pay Later is facing some technical hurdles, delaying its deployment. However, upon official release, it is expected to be almost immediately available at locations accepting Apple Pay.
Additionally, Apple integrates Saving Accounts into Apple Card, marking a new venture in Apple's financial services sector. Essentially, Apple will open a savings account for Apple Card users, promising high-interest returns. The exact interest rate remains undisclosed, and Saving Accounts have yet to be officially launched. Currently, Apple Card is in partnership with Goldman Sachs, and according to 9to5Mac, the bank's savings interest rate is 3.3% per annum.
Next-Gen Apple CarPlay
Also unveiled at WWDC, but the official launch of the Next-Gen Apple CarPlay is likely to take some time. According to Apple, the new CarPlay generation will undergo a complete overhaul compared to what we currently know. It will be more deeply integrated into the vehicle's hardware, supporting multiple screens in the car, for example:
- Display speed, fuel, temperature, and more on the dashboard.
- Control the in-car entertainment system.
- Personalize the driving experience with various clock face designs.
- Support widgets and show quick information for users to track, such as weather, music...
In general, the new Apple CarPlay will completely replace the control systems in other manufacturers' cars. Apple will undoubtedly collaborate closely with car manufacturers to integrate Next-Gen CarPlay into their vehicles, and hopefully, we'll soon see some specific products this year.
Apple Music Classical
Also promised by Apple to debut in 2022, but still unseen at present. This is a business deal where Apple acquired the classical music streaming service Primephonic in 2021. After the acquisition, Apple removed Primephonic from the App Store, yet the so-called Apple Music Classical is still nowhere to be found.
There's also information suggesting that Apple will launch a dedicated app for classical music, resembling Primephonic's interface and incorporating many new features. Rumors anticipate the release of this app in 2022, but it's still missing in action.
Web Notifications
In essence, iPhone/iPad devices will now receive notifications from websites through Safari, marking the first time in Apple's history to allow this. Introduced at WWDC, while website notifications have been part of macOS for ages, this is a debut for iOS/iPadOS devices.
Apple states that this feature will be rolled out this year, but the specific timing and which update remain unclear.
iMessage Contact Key Verification (iCKV)
This feature focuses on privacy and security, catering to those who frequently face threats in the digital realm, such as journalists, reporters, or human rights activists. iCKV will notify users when someone chatting with them via iMessage logs into their account on an unrecognized, unauthenticated device, preventing the inadvertent sharing of sensitive information or hackers taking control of the devices of vulnerable individuals to steal information. A subtle warning for those engaged in conversations.
New Apple HomeKit Architecture
Apple previously released an update for the Apple Home app in iOS 16.2, introducing changes in the underlying architecture that Apple claimed would enhance performance with smarthome devices in the Apple HomeKit ecosystem. However, negative user feedback prompted Apple to retract that update with no announced return date.
Apple is actively addressing the issues, and during the waiting period, users will temporarily stick with the older version.
Source: 9to5Mac.
