WWDC21 Thursday Recap

Highlight

The core highlights of the fourth day of WWDC21 include document data extraction of the Vision framework, spatial interaction design principles, privacy-preserving advertising attribution technology, and the Apple Design Awards ceremony.

Core Content

Thursday is the “Review Day” of WWDC21. This 1-minute quick review video summarizes the most noteworthy sessions of the day.

Document Data Extraction: The Vision framework adds document segmentation detection and multi-language OCR capabilities, allowing developers to easily extract structured information from images. The barcode detection upgrade supports new formats such as Codabar, GS1Databar, and MicroQR.

Spatial interaction design: Devices equipped with U1 chips achieve centimeter-level spatial perception through ultra-wideband technology. Apple has summarized three design principles—consider distance and capability, provide continuous feedback, and embrace physical movement—to guide developers in creating intuitive interactions between devices.

Privacy-preserving Ad Attribution: Private Click Measurement and SKAdNetwork make ad attribution no longer dependent on user tracking. All calculations are done on-device and reporting is subject to random delays.

Apple Design Awards: Six design dimensions will be restored in 2021, and one app and one game will be selected for each dimension, demonstrating Apple’s latest definition of good design.

Detailed Content

Vision framework’s document processing capabilities

(00:08) The review video first mentions the document data extraction capabilities of the Vision framework.

This year’s upgrades include:

Barcode Detection Revision 2: Added support for Codabar, GS1Databar, MicroPDF, MicroQR
Multi-language OCR: Fast mode supports Latin character system, Accurate mode supports Chinese, Japanese, etc.
Document segmentation detection:VNDocumentSegmentationRequestReturns a pixel-level document mask

Developers can build scanning applications based on these capabilities to automatically extract structured data from paper forms, receipts, and business cards.

Spatial interaction design principles

(00:16) The video mentions “design for spatial interaction”.

This session explains how to use the ultra-wideband (UWB) technology of the U1 chip to create intuitive interactions between devices. At its core are three principles:

Consider distance and capabilities—provide downgrade experiences for different device tiers
Provide continuous feedback – letting the user know what the system is sensing
Embrace physical movements—use natural movements instead of screen operations

AirTag’s precise search, HomePod mini’s relay playback, and iPhone’s directional AirDrop are all designed based on these principles.

Privacy Protection Online Advertising

(00:35) The video emphasizes “protecting people’s privacy online”.

Apple’s solution is two technologies:

Private Click Measurement (PCM): Web ad attribution, the browser records clicks and conversions on the device, and sends aggregated reports 24-48 hours later
SKAdNetwork: App install attribution, ad network receives aggregated report with Campaign ID and conversion value

Both move attribution calculations from servers to devices, protecting privacy with information entropy limits and data delays.

Apple Design Awards

(00:44) video congratulating the winners.

The 2021 Apple Design Awards resumes category selection, with one app and one game selected in each of the six categories:

Inclusive: Voice Dream Reader, HoloVista
Pleasure and fun: Pok Pok, Little Orpheus
Interaction: CARROT Weather, Bird Alone
Social impact: Be My Eyes, Alba: a Wildlife Adventure -Visuals and Graphics: Loóna, Genshin Impact
Innovation: NaadSadhana, League of Legends: Wild Rift

These award-winning works reflect Apple’s latest values of “good design.”

Core Takeaways

New opportunities for document scanning applications: Vision’s document segmentation and multi-language OCR make forms digitization, business card recognition, receipt management and other scenarios easier
Spatial interaction isn’t just for games: Any scenario that requires connecting devices in a physical space—collaborative whiteboarding, multiplayer games, device handoffs—can take advantage of U1’s capabilities
Privacy protection is the future of advertising: PCM and SKAdNetwork provide an attribution solution that does not require tracking users, and advertisers should adapt to these new APIs
Design Awards are design trends: Winning entries demonstrate the values Apple values—inclusivity, social impact, innovation—that should be priorities in app design
Ends on Thursday, don’t miss the last day: Video reminder “Tomorrow will be the last day”, WWDC 2021 lasts five days, the last day features Platform State of the Union and labs

Extract document data using Vision — Document data extraction and barcode detection
Design for spatial interaction — Principles of spatial interaction design
Meet privacy-preserving ad attribution — Privacy-preserving ad attribution
WWDC21 Apple Design Awards — 2021 Design Award Winners