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Microsoft reportedly has shown off a dual-screen version of a Surface device, in what sounds like a smaller version of the ”Twin Rivers” concept Intel showed off at Computex in late May.

According to The Verge, Microsoft’s devices group held an all-hands meeting last week, where a “sizzle reel” of the new devices was shown. The site reported that it’s internally code-named “Centaurus.” It’s not clear whether it’s designed to be a foldable, pocketable tablet, or something a bit larger.

Microsoft has previously experimented with more portable versions of Surface hardware, most notably the 2018 Surface Go. Microsoft retail employees have previously told PCWorld that the Go hasn’t sold as many units as Microsoft had hoped for, given that the Go was powered by a Pentium processor and ran Windows 10 S, as opposed to the Intel Core/Windows 10 combination that other Surfaces are based upon. Microsoft has priced the Surface Go at $399, though, a marked discount from other Surface devices.

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The Surface Go comes bundled with a smaller version of Microsoft’s Type Cover. Microsoft’s Centaurus, however, is expected to follow the recent trend of dual-display devices. We’ve seen other designs adopt that approach, most recently the Intel “Twin Rivers” concept that the company showed off at Computex.

Notably, Twin Rivers looked remarkably like a Surface, not the least because it was bound in a fuzzy fabric reminiscent of the Alcantara fabric used by Surface devices. Though Intel’s display device was configured like a comic book, the device also allowed one of the screens to act as a soft keyboard.

According to The Verge, “Centaurus” isn’t a given, and is possibly six months away from launch. It’s also unclear whether it would ship a standard version of Windows 10, or the “Lite” version that Microsoft is reportedly developing. 

What we’re thinking about: Other key questions remain. An important one is the size: a smaller, pocketable device implies that Centaurus would be designed more for content consumption, while larger Surface Pros and Surface Books have traditionally been used for content creation. Microsoft’s Surface line also boasts one of the best keyboards in the industry, and it’s unclear whether Microsoft wants to abandon that legacy in favor of typing on glass. Apple tried that with the iPad, then later gave up by announcing dedicated iPad keyboards. Regardless, it sounds like Microsoft has some time to work out the details.

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Today at WWDC 2019 Apple CEO Tim Cook pulled the curtain back on the company’s next smart TV platform: tvOS 13. 

On stage, Cook highlighted the big differences for the platform – namely, that it will finally offer multi-user support with personalized recommendations and be compatible with both the Xbox One and PS4 DualShock 4 controller for Apple Arcade play. 

Here’s everything we know about Apple’s next TV smart platform.

tvOS 13 release date

Disappointingly, the one thing Cook didn’t share on-stage at WWDC was Apple tvOS 13’s release date. 

We know from previous years that the beta usually goes out in the summer months (June through August) and we should have global availability on Apple TV and Apple TV 4K sometime in September or October – around the time Apple could launch its Apple TV Plus streaming service.

Despite not sharing the official launch date, however, Cook did share some really interesting news and features for the new smart platform that you’ll find below.

tvOS 13 news and features

New home screen and multi-user support

The most important update coming to tvOS 13 is the new home screen that will offer better recommendations for everyone in the family. For this to work, each user in the home will need their own profile, including your kids, but when it’s setup you’ll see TV show, movie and music recommendations catered for you.

What’s unclear at this point is if those profiles will need to be tied to an Apple account or if there will be one master account that has the payment info for everyone – attaching a credit card to a kid’s account sounds like a potentially awful idea, but it seems likely that Apple will adopt Parental Controls for these accounts.

So how will you switch between accounts? Apparently, you’ll be using Control Center.

Shown briefly on-stage during the keynote, Control Center on tvOS will be the brains behind the operation – allowing you to switch accounts, access settings and sync devices. That last bit is important because…

Apple tvOS will support Xbox One and PS4 controllers 

It was apparent that Apple Arcade would require controllers ever since it was announced last year – how else could you play 3D platformers like Oceanhorn 2? 

Now we know exactly which controllers we’ll be using: the Xbox One and PS4 DualShock 4 gamepads.

Apple announced that Microsoft and Sony’s first-party controllers would be compatible with tvOS in the next update, whenever it arrives.

There are still a few question marks here – like what functionality, if any, will the DualShock 4’s touchpad have on the Apple TV – but it’s the first time Apple has ever announced compatibility with Sony and Microsoft’s gaming hardware on-stage at a WWDC, so that’s big news in and of itself.

Apple Music lyrics and a new screensaver 

We knew Apple Music would play a key role at WWDC this year… just not on Apple TV. That said, however, we’re happy it made an appearance.

New on tvOS 13 will be the ability to see lyrics on Apple Music in time with the song – a minor feature, but one that’s nice to see all the same. To go alongside the new lyrics, you’ll also see personalized song recommendations on the new home screen based on your listening habits to help you find that next hit.

The last new feature Cook mentioned was a new screen saver that Apple shot in 4K HDR. It’s of a coral reef and it should turn a few heads when it arrives on tvOS 13.

• Catch all the announcements from the event in our WWDC 2019 news hub

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Apple had an unimaginably star-studded launch event for its Apple TV Plus Plus service, in which it not only revealed the details of its subscription and Apple TV Channels plans, but also pulled back the curtain on its original content plans.

From Steven Spielberg anthology stories to Oprah Winfrey’s next show, to dramas set everywhere from TV studios to a post-apocalyptic future, here’s what’s coming to Apple TV Plus.

• Apple Arcade: everything you need to know about the Mac and mobile games service
• Apple News Plus: papers, magazines and more all in one place
• Apple Card: an Apple branded credit card is headed your way

Apple TV Plus exclusive shows

Headlining the service will be Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories. It’s resurrecting the serialised stories of the magazine of the same name, re-imagined by Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, production house. First published in 1926, this will be classic story-telling in the Spielberg vein.

The biggest cheer of the event came for the unveiling of a new Oprah Winfrey led TV show. The first documentary will look into “scourge and toll of sexual harassment in the workplace”, while the second is set to be a multi part series focussing on mental health issues across the globe. This was in addition to a new book club that the TV legend will be running with Apple’s support.

Also on the way is ‘The Morning Show’ a ‘behind the curtain’ show looking at TV production as a workplace, with Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line), Jennifer Aniston (Friends) and Steve Carell (The Office). Seen through the eyes of two ambitious female leads, with Steve Carell in a supporting role, it’ll reveal the tensions of a high-stakes morning TV show. The onstage banter made it appear as if it will be at least partially humorous, if not an out-and-out comedy. It’s the first time Jennifer Aniston has been part of a TV show for quite some time.

‘See’ will put Alfre Woodard (12 Years a Slave) and Jason Momoa (Aquaman) in a thriller about a post-apocalyptic world in which everyone has been struck blind for many centuries, to the point where many question if sight ever existed. A quick clip made it appear a bit like Birdbox, but with future cavemen. Kinda.

Kumail Nanjiani of Silicon Valley fame will lead ‘Little America’ an anthology series featuring the true adapted stories of immigrants coming to the United States for the first time. It sounds a bit crazy, with one true story focussing on a 12 year old kid left to run a motel when his parents are deported. Syrian, Iranian, Algerian stories are just a few of the cultures and nations represented.

JJ Abrams (director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens) took to the stage with singer-songwriter and actress Sara Bareilles to introduce Little Voice, focussing on the trials and tribulations of a rising star. It’s not clear at this moment if it’s an adaptation of the stage production of the same name.

Sesame Street’s Big Bird even took to the stage to reveal that a new pre-school show called Helpsters will feature on Apple TV Plus. Expect Sesame Street-like puppetry, with an educational focus.

A space-faring WWDC 2019 update

Jump forward to WWDC 2019 in June, and Apple was ready to show off another new show, For All Mankind. It’s new alternative history series from Battlestar Galactica’s  Ron Moore, reimagining the space race of the 1960s and 1970s, from a position that sees the Soviet Union putting man on the moon first. Find its first trailer below:

Will this be enough to dethrone Netflix – the only big name streaming service that appears to have been left in the cold by Apple? There are certainly huge names involved. Sesame Street aside, it’s lacking established franchises to bring existing fans into the fold. There’s also so far no talk of feature length movies – everything revealed so far appears to be serialised content.

And, of course, though a fall release date has been announced, there’s no pricing yet. Will customers be prepared to sign up to yet another service?

But what Apple has achieved is bringing in some absolutely gigantic industry talent to the table. If the quality of shows produced can match the names on the call sheet, we’re in for some fun sessions in front of the ‘ol gogglebox.

• Apple TV Plus: everything you need to know about the Apple streaming service
• Disney Plus: the other rival streaming service launching this year

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Apple has announced that its new watchOS 6 will come with Cycle Tracking, enabling users who menstruate to keep an eye on their monthly cycle. 

The feature will allow users to log key aspects of their periods and fertility, even sending users notifications when their period is about to start, giving them a heads up to stock up on sanitary supplies (and painkillers). 

As well as logging users’ menstrual cycles, Cycle Tracking will also give fertility window predictions, which is helpful for those who are trying to conceive – or not to conceive, as the case may be.

The feature will also be available in the iOS health app, so you don’t necessarily need to have an Apple Watch to access it. 

The rise of cycle trackers

Fertility and period-tracking technology has been around for a while now, and is largely seen as a positive step forward, arming women and people who menstruate around the world with more knowledge about their bodies. 

However, this kind of technology doesn’t come without issues; for example, popular fertility tracking app Natural Cycles, which is claimed to be able to plan and prevent pregnancy, has come under fire for allegedly leading to a number of unplanned pregnancies.

In an interview with TechRadar, Leslie Heyer, CEO of Cycle Technologies and creator of the Dot app told us that she had concerns that “there are a number of fertility technologies that are making misleading and/or bold claims without having significant evidence to support these claims”.

“This has the potential to undermine the whole industry, and does a real disservice to end users,” she explained.

Furthermore, some users may be worried about storing sensitive data in the cloud; after all, we all know that it’s not impervious to hackers. 

During the WWDC keynote, presenter Dr. Sumbul Desai said that “all health data is stored securely and you can control you data, choosing what (if anything) is shared with other apps”.

Whether Cycle Tracking will prove useful to its users remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt that a large company like Apple shining a spotlight on menstruation, and fertility, could go a long way towards breaking the stigma surrounding women’s health, while helping users to gain a more informed knowledge of their bodies.

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iOS 13 has been confirmed by Apple and we should be getting the beta update right away, with Dark Mode confirmed for the next iPhone and iPad update.

We’re updating this page in real-time, as Apple continues to announce new iOS 13 features and actually tells us the release date (that usually comes at the end).

App launch speed is up to twice as fast on iOS 13, but the biggest news is Dark mode. Swipe texting is also coming to iOS 13, according to Apple.

Here’s iOS 13 Dark Mode:

iOS 13 Dark Mode confirmed

New iOS 13 apps

Apple has redesigned Reminders from the ground up. Just type what you want and Reminders will know when and where to notify you. Smart lists help you keep track of your most important items.

iOS 13 Maps looks better, even if everyone likes to hate on it. Will it ever be better than Google Maps? No, probably not. But for people who want Apple’s pre-loaded maps app on iOS 13, it’ll be much better.

Developing…

Today, the iOS 13 release date starts with a beta

• Today, Monday, June 3: iOS 13 beta 1 and first look at WWDC 2019
• Around June 25: iOS 13 public beta may launch for adventurous testers
• Early September 2019: iOS 13 Golden Master (final dev beta)
• Mid-September 2019: iOS 13 likely to launch with new 2019 iPhones

We have mapped out an iOS 13 beta timeline, from beta 1 to the final version of the software, and it all begins with a first look at the update today, Monday, June 3. We had this date pinned down months ago, long before we got our WWDC invite.

We went as far as to make a graphic for the iOS 13 release schedule:

1. iOS 13 developer beta: The first iOS 13 beta will likely arrive at the WWDC keynote today, but it’s going to be restricted to paid Apple developers at first. You should probably wait for the public beta, which is always more stable, or upgrade to the beta on a non-primary device.

2. iOS 13 public beta: This is Apple’s way of testing features on a larger scale, and that may happen toward the end of June – last year the iOS public beta release date was June 25. It’s typically a more refined version of the iOS developer beta, although it can still be rough and never includes all of the features implemented in the final version of the software.

3. iOS 13 golden master: This will be the final version of the iOS 13 software one week early, meant for developers and public beta testers. At this point it’s very stable and gives app makers seven days to adapt to the final software.

4. The official iOS 13 release date: We’ll get the new iOS 13 software in its final, stable form about one week after the next iPhone launch event, what we’re calling iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Max and iPhone 11 XR at the moment. The date? Probably mid-September (last year it was September 17).

iOS 13 compatibility list

• iOS 13 may shed support the oldest still-supported devices: iPhone 5S, iPad Air and iPad mini 2
• Compatibility would then go as far back as iPhone 6, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPad Air 2
• The A8 chipset, in the newly launched iPad Touch 7th gen, might be the base line for most devices (iPad mini 3 excluded)
• One rumor says iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPad Air 2, and even the iPhone SE will be axed from the iOS 13 compatibility list, but we think that’s a stretch

Apple just served us a strong hint of which devices with be iOS 13 compatible and which will not when it launched a new iPod Touch 7th generation last week.

The working theory has been that the iOS 13 compatibility list will shed the iPhone 5S, iPad Air and iPad mini 2, the oldest devices that are compatible with the last iOS update. If true, iOS 13 would still work with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPad Air 2. 

All of these devices have an A8 chipset (A8X for the iPad Air 2) so the base line would be an A8 chipset or newer to upgrade to iOS 13. This happens to be the chip in the HomePod and Apple TV 4th generation, so it brings everything into line very neatly. 

Okay, there’s one outlier we hope stays up-to-date: the iPad mini 3, which has an older A7 chipset (the iPad mini 2 was updated with iOS 12, after all). Of course, it’s in Apple’s best interest that you upgrade your hardware, like the iPad mini 4. Hangers-ons don’t help the company’s bottom line, so nothing is truly safe.

There’s a rumor that iOS 13 compatibility list cuts will go even further, axing support for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPad Air 2, and even the iPhone SE. The benefit? Cutting the SE would leave Apple and third-party app developers with fewer screen sizes to deal with when programming for iOS – although the smaller iPod 7th gen dismisses that theory.

One thing’s for sure: whatever happens, don’t expect Apple to make an official announcement at WWDC 2019 if the iPhone 5S isn’t compatible with iOS 13. The iOS 13 compatible phones will just show up on a slide, or they won’t. Also, remember that not every iOS 13 feature will come to all devices on that list. Some new ideas may require the TrueDepth camera, a rear dual-lens system, or 3D Touch.

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Apple has just confirmed watchOS 6 is the next version of the company’s wearable software that will likely be coming to your Apple Watch by the end of 2019.

The biggest upgrade so far is the App Store is coming to your Apple Watch. You’ll be able to cycle through apps to download on your wrist without having to put them onto your iPhone.

Below we’ll talk you through all of the other main features Apple has introduced on stage at WWDC 2019…

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next version of Apple’s smartwatch operating system
• When is it out? It’s now official, likely coming in September
• What will it cost? Nothing!

watchOS 6 release date and compatibility

As expected, watchOS 6 was just unveiled at WWDC 2019 and we’ll likely hear whether it has a beta available in the next few hours of the conference. It’s unlikely to officially launch until September this year, when it’ll probably rollout to your devices. 

It will be free to download and should be compatible with the Apple Watch 4, Apple Watch 3 and inevitable Apple Watch 5 (which will probably land alongside the finished watchOS 6 software).

It’s likely also to land on the Apple Watch 2, but probably won’t be compatible with the Apple Watch Series 1 (the updated version of the original Apple Watch), since the original Apple Watch isn’t compatible with watchOS 5, so the Series 1 device will be next in line for the chopping block.

None of this is certain yet, but we’re likely to hear more about it at the end of the show so check back in the next couple of hours for the latest news.

watchOS 6 App Store

The biggest upgrade coming to your Apple Watch

That should allow you to have extra space on your iPhone by limiting the features you want on your Apple Watch to just your wearable.

You’ll be able to search the App Store through your voice, using scribble or via Siri. It’ll show you a variety of details for each potential app such as screenshots on the watch’s display, and you’ll be able to install them there and then.

It should mean you’re able to download and install apps directly onto your wrist on devices like the LTE version of the Apple Watch 4 without having to have your iPhone with you.

New apps for watchOS include Apple Books (that’s for audiobooks you have in your catalog), Calculator and Voice Memos.

The calculator is something people have wanted on Apple Watch for some time, and one of its unique features will include a way to work out how to split bills or how much tip you should pay.

The update is confirmed to bring new watch faces to your Apple Watch too. A new complication for watch faces also allows you to monitor how loud it is in a room, so you’ll be able to keep an eye on your surroundings to see if they may be damaging to your hearing.

In terms of new health features, there’s something called Activity Trends. It’s a way to show you your previous fitness data and give you a picture of how your last 90 days compares to the previous year. 

If your activity begins to fall down, the watch will be able to give you advice on what to do too.

Cycle Tracking will allow women to track their menstrual cycle on their watch, and the same functionality is coming to the Health app on iPhone to allow for the same thing too. 

It’s a big feature on products from the likes of Fitbit and Garmin, so will likely be handy for women around the world.

Developing…

What we want to see

While we fill this article out with the latest features coming to watchOS 6, you can see our wish list of our most wanted watchOS 6 features below…

1. Third-party watch faces

We’ve been wishing for this since the first generation of watchOS and it still hasn’t arrived, but it still seems like a possibility, so hopefully third-party watch faces will land on watchOS 6.

Apple’s creations are great but they’re very limited in number, especially compared to the huge selection on Wear OS, which exists thanks to third-party creators.

2. Sleep tracking

The Apple Watch range is capable of tracking sleep, but it requires a third-party app to do it, which seems weird given how much focus Apple has put on health and fitness with its wearables.

The hardware can already monitor your heart rate and your movement, which are key to sleep tracking, so all Apple needs to do is bake the software functionality in to watchOS 6. Hopefully it will.

3. Display the iPhone battery level

Another feature that we’d like to see Apple offer is the ability to see your iPhone’s battery level on the Apple Watch. That way if your iPhone is in your pocket or plugged in at the other end of your house, you don’t need to find it to check how much life it has.

There are third-party complications for this, but we’d like to see it added as a standard feature by Apple.

4. More apps

This isn’t necessarily something that a new generation of watchOS could solve, but we’d really love there to be more apps available for the platform.

While it’s hardly app-starved, there are far fewer apps available for watchOS than iOS. That makes a certain amount of sense, since the smaller form factor means there’s less that you can comfortably do on an Apple Watch than an iPhone, but it’s still a versatile bit of kit, so we want to see more apps take advantage of it.

5. An always-on screen

One of the more surprising features that you won’t find on the Apple Watch is an always-on display, meaning that the screen turns itself off when idle and then you can’t see the time or anything else until it turns back on again.

That’s less convenient than an always-on screen and also isn’t a look everyone will want, as it leaves the device looking less like a watch when you can’t see the time.

Always-on screens do drain battery faster, but on other wearables they’re usually optional and less flashy than the main display, so the drain isn’t huge.

6. Additional exercise options

Apple has been gradually improving the health and fitness skills of watchOS and the Apple Watch hardware over the years, but there’s still room for improvement.

We want to see it go both wider and deeper. Wider with ever more activities available for tracking, and deeper with more metrics and more feedback, so the Apple Watch can be both a tracker and a coach.

7. Android support

This isn’t going to happen, but nor are we going to stop wanting it. The Apple Watch 4 is one of the best smartwatches available but needing an iPhone to use it is severely limiting.

Wear OS and other smartwatch platforms work with both iOS and Android, making them available to everyone and far more viable for anyone who isn’t loyal to a specific smartphone OS. We want Apple to follow suit and open up its wearables to all.

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Apple has confirmed that PlayStation 4 and Xbox One controller support is coming to Apple TV as part of the new tvOS update.

The news was revealed during WWDC 2019 and means both console’s controllers will be compatible with Apple Arcade – a new mobile and Mac gaming subscription service that brings the best of the App Store to gamers for a monthly fee.

Tim Cook introduced controller supporting saying, “Apple Arcade is also going to look amazing on the Apple TV 4K this Fall”.

[This is a breaking news story. We will update this story as it develops.]

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