Apple's 2019 WWDC: iTunes, iOS 13 updates announced at developers conference keynote

Apple held its opening keynote for the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Jose, California, on Monday. The iPhone maker showed off new versions of iOS, MacOS, WatchOS and unveiled a new Mac Pro, among other highlights.

Apple also announced it's doing away with iTunes, the music-media library that has been a key element of the company since 2001.

• EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Tim Cook says Apple is "moving privacy protections forward"

Here are highlights from Monday's presentation:

Apple confirms iTunes is being changed to three apps

In perhaps the most highly anticipated announcement of the day, Apple announced that it is replacing iTunes with three separate apps on its new MacOS Catalina operating system. Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering, paid an homage to the 18 year-old iTunes, saying it has brought customers music, podcasts, video, and that it handled synching, making possible iPod and iPhones -- but it's time for changes to be made.

"Customers love iTunes and everything it can do," he said. "But if there's one thing we hear over and over, it's 'Can iTunes do even more?'"

Federighi said Apple's new iTunes is not one app but three: Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Apple TV. He said Apple Music in Catalina "is the most powerful music app we've ever made."

Tim Cook unveils new Mac Pro computer

The new Mac Pro was unveiled by Apple CEO Tim Cook. "It is the most powerful Mac we've ever created!" he declared.

"It has a truly gorgeous design and remarkable performance to match," Cook said during the presentation.

John Turnus, Apple VP of hardware engineering, discussed the computer's new stainless steel frame and the fact that it can run fully unconstrained without being turned off. Other features of the new Mac Pro include 1.5 terabytes of system memory, the "world's most powerful graphics card," and 1.4 kW power supply. Turnus added the new Mac Pro has three cooling fans and the monitor display will feature 120 million pixels.

Apple is calling the new Mac Pro the "most configurable, most expandable, and most powerful computer we've ever made."

Turnus said the new computer will be released this fall at a price of $5,999.

iOS 13 showcases new photo options

Apple's announcement of a new iOS 13 operating system will bring a range of new features to iPhone and iPad users, including brand new capabilities for editing, presentation and organization of photos.

CNET reports these will include the ability to adjust the intensity of portrait lighting with a slider, multiple dynamic adjustments in presentation, and the ability to rotate videos right in the Photos app. Users will be able to tweak the intensity of the lighting in Portrait mode and play with new editing enhancements that will be available for videos.

Apple updates iPhone Memoji

Apple announced updates to its popular iPhone Memoji, the ability to create virtual cartoon characters of users' faces. Apple's new Memoji feature enhances he app to make the virtual avatar look even more lifelike, offering more choices for skin color, facial hair, makeup and accessories. Memoji Stickers will also be available.

New iPad operating system

Apple introduced a new operating system for the iPad which will be called iPadOS.

iPadOS will feature a tighter grid of icons, and more tools for disposal on the home screen. Users can now pin widgets right on home screen, allowing more information at a glance.

iPadOS will feature slide-over, which allows users to move between apps in simple finger swipes, bringing aspects of one window into another through finger drops. There is also multi-window viewing capability of apps on the iPad via split-view.

Thumb drives and SD cards can now be connected to iPads, as well.

Apple also announced SideCar for iPads, which lets users configure their iPad as a second screen or as an external monitor for your Mac. According to CNET, the iPad will be able to connect to the Mac both wirelessly and wired, and Sidecar offers Apple Pencil support.

iOS 13: New Apple Maps and privacy protections

iOS 13 will feature an expanded and more detailed Apple Maps. With a targeted release date of late 2019, the new Apple Maps will include new favorites, collections, and look around features, according to Meg Frost, Apple's director of product design.

Frost said Apple Maps developers have been "driving and flying all across the U.S., collecting land and arial data to add to Apple Maps."

Apple said it is also building more protections for Apple Map users. "At Apple, we believe privacy is a fundamental human right and we engineer it into everything we do," Craig Federighi said.

iOS 13 will also feature updates to Siri's voice, which will now be smoother sounding, more human-like and entirely generated by software.

Apple also announced a secure "Sign in with Apple" feature for other apps.

Apple announces new iOS 13

Apple announced its next big release of the iOS 13 operating system for the iPhone. Chief engineer Craig Federighi presented the highlights Monday at WWDC 2019.

"It's a huge release packed with lots of capabilities," Federighi said.

Among the features of iOS 13 are unlocking Face ID 30% faster; app downloads are now 50% smaller in terms of memory, and updates are 60% smaller. The app launch speed is twice as fast and Apple Photos will be cleaner and more intuitive.

Then there is iOS "Dark Mode," which allows users to browse their phone with the background of darkened wallpaper, contrasted to the common lighter mode seen on previous incarnations of iPhone. Now with "Dark Mode," messages, the keyboard, notes and photos will have a dark background option for users, Federighi said.

There will also be new features for organizing your photos and viewing yearly or monthly highlights.

WWDC kicks off with new trailer for Cold War series

Apple announced a new show Apple TV Plus "For All Mankind," an alternative history series about what the world would be like if the Soviets landed on the moon first.

Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced a surprise teaser trailer for the show during the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Jose on Monday. Ron Moore, who previously worked on the Battlestar Galactica reboot and Star Trek, is producing he show.

iTunes rumors preceded WWDC

The Apple rumor mill leading up to Monday's event focused on a report that Apple is planning to replace its familiar iTunes.

Over the weekend, it was discovered that all iTunes social media posts for Instagram and Facebook were abruptly deleted. This comes after Bloomberg reported on Friday that iTunes would be replaced by a trio of new apps for the Mac: Music, TV and Podcasts.

Watch CNET's livestream simulcast

Our partner site CNET featured a livestream before, during and after the keynote hosted by senior editor Iyaz Akhtar, editor-at-large Jeff Bakalar and senior editor Claire Reilly.

CNET also had a small army of reporters on hand at the event in San Jose. Senior editor Scott Stein, editor-at-large Ian Sherr and section editor Dan Ackerman were live-blogging each moment. See CNET's WWDC 2019 liveblog.