The iOS App Store is being overhauled

Apple has announced that its popular iOS App Store will get a significant redesign later this year.

The change will arrive alongside iOS 11, and will bring the game store more in line with the likes of iTunes and Apple News.

Among the improvements include the ability for users to watch livestreamed Let’s Play game videos directly from a title’s App Store listing page, along with assorted other video content supplied by editors, developers and creators.

In-app purchases will also be added to store pages, meaning gamers will no longer have to navigate a title’s in-game menus to purchase additional content.

These were just some of the many announcements made at WWDC last night.

Apple also revealed its new HomePod speaker system, which is designed to rival the likes of Sonos and Amazon Echo. It mimics the features of both systems, touting a Sonos-like spacial awareness system to better deliver music around the home, but also voice-controlled features, such as Smart Home. It will arrive in the US and UK in December priced at $349.

Perhaps of more interest to gamers is the new iMac Pro. It boasts a 5K display, a Xeon CPU with up to 18 cores, a 4TB SSD and up to 128GB of RAM. Prices will start – yes, start – at $4,999. Blimey.

iOS 11 itself offers a number of changes, such as an upgraded voice for Siri and better speech translation features. iMessages will soon be synchronised via Apple’s iCloud, and will also be receiving epayment support. Additional safety features are also being added for use when users are driving.

For iPad users, iOS 11 will introduce improved multitasking. It’s more desktop-like, and includes things such as dragging pictures from one app to another. There’s also a new 10.5 inch iPad Pro which starts at $649 for the 64GB model. Shipping starts next week.