My first feeling about the keynote is genuine happiness. I'm happy that they are going to focus on the performance of the operating system. I'm happy that they are supporting all the devices that were working with iOS 11. I'm also happy that they are NOT introducing a lot of extraneous1 features that people may never use.
Focus on performance
I'm tired of people having problems with Apple devices. I'm the family tech support and I do not like the feeling of having someone's device not work. This is compounded when I'm usually the one who recommends them.
I'm hoping that this will allow me to not have to answer as many questions and make the current devices last longer. I can't afford to buy anything new at this point.
Shortcuts
I am already on board the automation train. I've got the workflow and launch center pro applications on my phone. I feel that this should allow me and everyone else a better way of getting rid of repetitive tasks.
Bring developers back to the Mac App Store
I'll believe it when I see it, but it definitely gives me the warm fuzzies to have developers feel more at ease on the platforms that I love.
Apple Watch
I think this is the best presentation that I've seen with Kevin Lynch. I would like an Apple watch, but I have trouble thinking about how I'd incorporate it into my life. When I saw those demos along with everything else associated with iOS 12, I found myself dreaming about owning one again2.
Conclusion
All in all, I'm happy with the keynote and actually a little sad that people weren't. It really feels like Apple is sitting down and letting their products mature a little more as they move forward.
