Apple WWDC 2021: iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey and India-specific announcements

• Apple announced iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey on the first day of WWDC 2021.
• WWDC is Apple’s annual developer conference.
• Apart from new operating system updates, Apple also announced some India-specific feature updates.
• Check out the full list of Apple WWDC 2021 announcements.

The Apple WWDC 2021 event is underway, and on the first day, the Cupertino-giant has announced some useful India-specific features alongside updates to its operating systems.

On the first day of WWDC 2021, Apple announced iOS 15, iPadOS15, WatchOS 8 and macOS Monterey, apart from several privacy-oriented features. In addition to this, Apple has also announced improvements to Siri, Messages, and FaceTime.

Here’s a quick rundown of everything Apple announced during the WWDC 2021 opening:

India-specific announcements at WWDC 2021

Apple unveiled some India-centric additions to iOS 15, it has added more localisation options to gear up its apps for the Indian users.

For instance, the Messages app has been updated to let you enable or disable notifications for unknown senders, or transactions and promotions. This should make it easier to tackle the spam problem.

Siri is now smarter at detecting and understanding mixed English and Indic languages. You can now ask Siri to call your friend or play your favourite song using a mix of English and nine Indian languages – Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Malayalam, and Punjabi.

Apple has added four new bilingual dictionaries as well. This includes Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, and Gujarati, with the other language being English.

iOS 15 brings new features to FaceTime, redesigned notifications, Maps update and more

iOS 15 was at the centre stage of announcements, bringing several new improvements and enhancements to iPhones.

FaceTime has received a major update which will also flow to iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey. The new update includes a new portrait mode that blurs the background. Spatial audio is another addition that separates the user’s voice from background noise – an important addition at a time when video conferencing and remote work is becoming increasingly common.


Another useful addition to FaceTime is SharePlay, which allows you to watch TV shows, movies and share your screen with other people. So, you can now stream shows and movies with your friends, and also have a video call at the same time.

Apple’s got you covered if lockdowns are preventing you from being with your loved ones.

Other iOS 15 features include redesigned notifications to make them more glanceable. The built-in Apple Maps and Weather apps have undergone a major overhaul.

iPadOS 15 brings multitasking improvements

iPadOS offers an impressive tablet experience by far, and it’s getting better. The new iPadOS 15 update brings multitasking improvements like a new control that appears on top of apps to trigger a split-screen view quickly.


The update also includes a new feature called Shelf. You can minimize all your windows, apart from viewing and managing them in the Shelf.

Additionally, users can now place widgets among app icons. A new App Library shortcut has been added in the dock, allowing you to easily access all your applications, no matter where you are on your iPad.

macOS Monterey with Shortcuts automation app, universal control and more

macOS Monterey brings the Shortcuts automation app to Macs. You can use this app to create new shortcuts, apart from viewing and managing existing ones.

The new Universal Control feature allows you to quickly switch between a Mac and iPad. You can use your existing mouse and trackpad, drag and drop content seamlessly between both devices. This feature works with two Macs as well.

Other WWDC 2021 announcements

Apple also announced WatchOS 8 with watch face enhancements and updated Breathe and Photos apps. Other than this, the company announced updated App Store guidelines, temporary unlimited iCloud storage space when setting up new devices, privacy enhancements with iCloud+ and more.

SEE ALSO:

Apple just unveiled its iOS 15 software update. Here are the biggest changes coming to your iPhone.

Apple is finding more ways to keep you glued to the iPhone with iOS 15

Apple is rolling out Siri to some non-Apple devices - but you might need a HomePod to use the digital assistant