One of the details of developer-friendly updates that will be unveiled in early June is NFC support for Apple. App developers will finally have the option to read NFC tags based on ISO 7816 (usually ID and access cards), FeliCa (Japan’s tap based system) and MiFare (a popular mass transit format). This means you use your iPhone to enter your office or hop aboard a bus in many cities. There is also the rumoured Tile-like tracking tag although there’s nothing strictly linked to trackers in the leak.
It wouldn’t be the only developer-focused addition as Siri would support a host of new intents for third-party apps such as media controls (for third-party services on the HomePod), search, voice calling and travel information. There’s also talk of a brand new framework for augmented reality, including an app that allows creating AR experiences visually instead of through raw code. Developers could make better use of the Taptic Engine in newer Apple devices, and Marzipan (Apple’s iOS-to-Mac app framework) would let developers use Mac-specific features like the menu bar and multiple windows.
There are still plenty of unknowns about Apple’s intentions for iOS and macOS at WWDC, including the possibility of major interface overhauls. Hardware news, if any, is a mystery as well. If the sources are on the mark, though, there will be some genuinely functional improvements that might not be flashy, but could have a far-reaching impact on how you use your devices.
