Top WWDC22 Wishes To Note

Coming soon is Apple’s WWDC22, showcasing its latest software magic. New impressive features arriving across Apple’s devices over the coming months will be highlighted. If lucky, a dazzling new device may be revealed too. But even if amazing hardware — AR/VR mixed reality headset — is announced, forget that. I want “one more thing” to be…Word Count. In Apple Notes. Well, okay, I’d like a bit more than that.

"Apple Keynote
June 6, 10 a.m. PDT
WWDC22 launches with a first look at groundbreaking updates coming to Apple platforms later this year. The keynote address will be available via apple.com, the Apple Developer app, the Apple TV app, and YouTube, with on-demand playback available after the conclusion of the stream."

-Apple Newsroom

Hardware

Apple’s now available hardware is already great, so is its software. But of course, innovation continues. Sure, a new gadget would excite many. One I wish for is a simple mini bluetooth speaker. Seriously, just make the HomePod mini wireless and flatter, like a JBL GO. Call it the HomePod Go, or better yet the GoPod! Another way to imagine it, enlarge and unify AirPods in a pocketable speaker that has some bass. It would seamlessly connect to your iPhone, Apple Watch, or Mac. And it would feature Siri.

Software

Outside of hardware, though, I’m hoping for added features to on of my most used apps: Notes. It has grown over the years from simple to more capable without becoming complex. I think there’s room for Apple to expand it further without being complicated.

My Apple Notes wishlist:

1. Word count
2. Internal links
3. Lockable folders
4. Notes on Apple Watch

Word Count

This feature is simple, and likely most wished for, yet why is it absent from Notes? It’s in Apple’s document app, Pages, but I draft blog posts in Notes. As a blogger, I like to know how many words I’ve written. Even my blog platform — WordPress — has word count in its text editor online. But it’d be convenient and more helpful to see my word count in Apple Notes while drafting. And to keep the interface simple, word count could be off by default and turned on via a command in the View menu, like in Pages. Or it could be shown in an info panel, like in Simplenote.

In any case, count on Apple to make it work.

Internal Links

As just mentioned, Simplenote not only has word count, it also has internal links. This allows a note to link to other notes for cross-referencing. It’s another handy feature I’d like to see Apple add to its own Notes app.

Seems like it’d be simple to do.

Lockable Folders

I’m very glad Apple Notes has lockable notes for added security; it makes journaling within the app safer. In addition, it’d be great and convenient if a lock could apply at the folder level, not just the note level. So all notes within a locked folder would automatically be locked.

Apple should unlock this extra feature.

Apple Watch Notes

How is the Notes app not already on Apple Watch? This should be rectified and is something I’ve noted before. It would be great to simply view notes on the watch for reference. But I’m sure Apple could allow note creation too, especially since last year it added a keyboard to the watch.

This would be a noteworthy addition to watch Apple.

Wishware

I’m sure many new hardware and software advancements can be wished for. And though I like to look forward to “more” and “better” in anticipation of WWDC each year, I also like to note the cool computing tech we have now. If tomorrow’s Apple didn’t make anything new, though it’d be a bummer, I’d still be happy and grateful for today’s tech wizardry at my fingertips. The stuff we enjoy and rely on now is quite a marvel. Yet innovation will continue.

That said, what I want far more than an AR/VR headset or self-driving car is simply: word count, plus the above extras, in Notes. Also, please: the iPhone Calculator app on iPad, and the iPhone Weather app on iPad and Mac. Seriously.

What new hardware or software do you wish for? What new features would you like to see?