Apple has launched a new app with an infinite canvas for the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS 16.2 and macOS 13.1.
The app, called Freeform, is a virtual whiteboard you can use with friends for creative brainstorming and real-time collaboration.
It was initially revealed during the company’s WWDC keynote earlier this year, showing off the ability to add photos, files, drawings, links, notes, and more to a virtual canvas, either by yourself or with others. Freeform also integrates with other Apple apps — the app has buttons that let you launch a discussion on what you’re working on with other collaborators via iMessage or FaceTime.
“Freeform opens up endless possibilities for iPhone, iPad and Mac users to visually collaborate,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.
“With an infinite canvas, support for uploading a wide range of files, iCloud integration, and collaboration capabilities, Freeform creates a shared space for brainstorming that users can take anywhere.”
The app’s boards are synced across iPhone, iPad and Mac, and users can invite others via a link or email, and even export a board as a PDF or take a screenshot.
There are a variety of brush strokes and colour options for sketching, drawing, writing, and note-taking.
You can move images to the back layer so handwritten text would appear over top of them and add descriptive text to elements that VoiceOver reads out loud.
With Quick Look, you can preview content with a double tap without ever leaving the board, and multiple video files can play at the same time to create a dynamic view. Content like images and PDFs can be locked into place on a board, and collaborators can then annotate on top of or around the object.
