WWDC 2021 Wishlist

I thought I would focus some of my attention on what I hope comes out of this year’s WWDC. I’m actually not particularly hopeful to get anything big/revolutionary this year due to the following issues:

• iPad OS is unable to deliver any real payoff from hardward advancements over the past couple of years (pointer support is great, but with mediocre multitasking, work is still difficult).
• iOS has become a mature platform where evolution occurs in small steps.
• iPadOS & watchOS have little actual competition.

Despite that here’s some features I would like to see hit each of the platforms:

• iOS (iPhone specific or should exist in both iOS & iPadOS)
  • Smart playlist support in Music
  • Support for 3rd party Control Center components
  • Support changing additional default apps (calendar, maps, contacts, etc.)
  • 3rd Party U1 support
  • Support for Photo keywords
  • Smart album support for Photos
  • HomeKit improvements (not sure what exectly, but the app could use a complete overhaul and I’m curious to see where matter takes things)
  • Family AirTags where we can all track the item
  • Loanable AirTags where tracking can be delegated to another users
  • In Fitness, better exercise metrics (This is just one example. When I run, I tend to run 3+ miles. Let me compare pace for recent runs at the mile markers)
• iPad OS
  • Widgets placeable anywhere on the home screen
  • App Library functionality
  • Proper external monitor support (full resolution and screen utilization)
  • Multitasking improvement (easier manipulation of “windows” and app pairs)
  • Terminal app for local, native shell
  • Virtualization (run Linux VMs or containers to be able to do real work on the iPad)
  • Xcode, Final Cut Pro, Logic in some form for iPad
• macOS
  • Above all, fix bugs and make macOS more functional in predictable ways.
  • Make notifications functional (no hidden controls at minimum)
  • Support for 3rd party Control Center components
  • Make the Music app functional (reduce hangs, AirPlay issues, performant behavior). It doesn’t seem to function anywhere near as well as the iOS Music app
  • Family photo libraries where photos can be seen by all family members
  • Shortcuts (personally, I prefer traditional coding, but given that AppleScript isn’t great at this point, Shortcuts would be the best option)
  • Official Python support for Mac scripting (never going to happen, but I’d love it)
• watchOS
  • Ability to mute/unmute under specific conditions (i.e. normal condition is muted, but unmute during exercise or when using AirPods)
  • More exercise types in Apple Fitness+
  • Allow the Watch to view info for recent workouts (last week maybe?)
  • New health tracking like blood glucose, which might not help me much, but will surely aid some groups
• tvOS
  • TV app (on all platforms) should make it easier to see what version of content I own (4k, HD, SD) and what is available for that content and then allow for paid upgrades
  • For the movies store, if a new version of a title comes out (often just new cover art, no content change), don’t hide that it is already owned in the store
  • For Complete series, show episodes across all seasons as they were originally shown rather than shoving them all into one season
  • Searchable Purchased content!
  • Media library functionality where the user can override artwork, genre, etc. to customize the display of their content to their liking

Review: Army of the Dead

Netflix footed the bill and Zack Snyder ran with the opportunity to make another zombie film (previously, he directed Dawn of the Dead in 2004). Combining the zombie and heist genres is a fun choice, but the film never really achieves extreme heights of success in either side of its lineage.

This film is a gleeful, turn-off-your-brain ride that races toward excess, exceeding that which is usually found in the realm of zombie films. Year ago, I watched a movie with friends solely based on the fact that it contained a zombie vs. shark fight (1979 Zombi 2). Honestly, I barely remember the actual film, but the ridiculousness stands out in my mind. Well, there’s multiple types of zombies as has become somewhat the norm in the genre, but this film adds a zombie tiger and a zombie horse. The horse is rather uninteresting, but the tiger, Valentine, is well done and fun. There are so many attempts here to subvert/extend the zombie genre, that I don’t want to go much further, but just trust me when I say to “turn off you brain” before clicking play. That isn’t to say it’s bad. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, but it is a wild ride that sometimes doesn’t make huge amounts of sense.