Apple’s WWDC 2011 keynote is going down right now, and first up is a demo of how the next version of OS X, Lion, will bring more fluid, touchscreen-style controls to your desktop.
Apple’s Craig Federighi demonstrated how mission control integrates with more advanced pinch to zoom gestures. You can now intelligently and fluidly zoom with two fingers in Safari and other apps, and in Apple’s browser, even swipe page by page through your internet history.
OS X Lion’s full screen mode meanwhile will be a blessing to casual users and a curse to heavy Photoshoppers and editors: with a flick you can move to a fullscreen mode for supported apps, which sure looks glossy and iOS like. You can then switch between these and the new mission control launcher with gestures.
Apple’s Phil Schiller meanwhile revealed several other new features, including Resume save state of applications, auto-save and revisions built into the operating system, and easy duplication of documents. AirDrop, which has previously been announced, was also shown, letting you transfer files over a Wi-Fi network with other users – no need for scurrying around with a USB key.
An overhauled Mail app in OS X Lion meanwhile will offer more thorough search, by people, date and subject, and offering auto-fill suggestions as you type.
Schiller also confirmed that OS X Lion will be a Mac App Store only download.
Stay tuned, we’ll be brining you plenty more live coverage as it happens.
