whats new in networking?

At WWDC 2024, Apple introduced several new features and updates related to networking, particularly focusing on privacy and device management. Here are the key highlights:

1. Private Wi-Fi Controls:

   • Mac Address Rotation: iOS devices will continue to use random per-network MAC addresses, and now macOS will also support this feature. When the "Rotate Wi-Fi Address" setting is enabled for a network, the MAC address will change approximately every two weeks. For public networks, this setting will default to a static rotating address (What’s new in privacy).

2. Local Network Access Control:

   • macOS Sequoia: Introduces control over local network access. When an app attempts to access data from the local network, a prompt is shown to the user. Developers must ensure that their apps request access in a contextual moment and include a clear, descriptive usage string in their info plist (What’s new in privacy).

3. Bluetooth Access:

   • Updated Bluetooth Prompt: iOS 18 introduces an updated Bluetooth prompt that shows a map indicating the current location of the device and a sample of associated devices. This helps users make an informed choice about granting Bluetooth access (What’s new in privacy).

4. Device Management Enhancements:

   • Disk Management Configuration: IT admins can now manage external and network storage, choosing whether to allow or disallow external or network storage altogether, or limit mounting to read-only volumes (What’s new in device management).
   • Network Slicing and Per-App VPN: iOS and iPadOS 18 support multiple private cellular network payloads, enabling configuration for up to five private 5G or LTE networks. This allows traffic from managed apps to be routed to the specified 5G network slice while still benefiting from VPN (What’s new in device management).

These updates aim to enhance user privacy and provide more control over network-related functionalities on Apple devices. For more detailed information, you can refer to the sessions "What’s new in privacy" and "What’s new in device management" from WWDC 2024.