Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference, better known as WWDC, will take place on June 7 with a keynote set for 3am AEST. The event is meant for developers, but the rest of the world will be tuning in as Apple reveals the latest on iOS, macOS, and iPadOS and potentially debuts new hardware.
As it has for the past few years, Apple will hold WWDC as a virtual, online event, free for all developers to stream from June 7 to June 11 from the comfort of their homes. The keynote — the focal point for Apple fans — will be broadcast online for everyone to watch, and this year, a few lucky devs will be in attendance. With the big day approaching, let’s look at everything Apple is expected to announce at its next WWDC event.
How to watch the WWDC 2022 keynote
First, a date and a time for your calendars. Apple’s keynote will take place on June 7 at 3am AEST. It will likely be streamed on Apple’s website and the official Apple YouTube channel. You can keep Apple’s Event page bookmarked, as it is typically updated with additional information and a link to add the event to your calendars.
What to expect at WWDC 2022
If there is one thing we know for almost certain, it’s that Apple will reveal updates to iOS 16. The company will reportedly showcase new Health app features and debut updates to iPhone notifications, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Just don’t expect a full UI redesign.
Gurman says “there should be major changes across the system” and “new ways of interacting” with iOS. He also said there would be updates to Apple apps, though none were specifically mentioned. Other leakers claim iOS will add a crash detection system and a larger widget interface. For iPad owners, iPadOS is said to be getting more multitasking features and could even gain a “pro” mode.
Other event highlights will likely include watchOS 9, macOS 13, and tvOS 16 — updates to the operating systems powering the Apple Watch, Macs, and Apple TV, respectively. While changes coming to macOS 13 remain a mystery, watchOS could lay the foundations for an upcoming body temperature tracking feature.
There are also rumblings of Apple revealing rOS, or RealityOS, the software set to be the foundation of Apple’s upcoming virtual and augmented reality efforts. Apple will need to get its AR/VR platform in the hands of developers long before hardware arrives, so that apps are waiting in the wings once the first headsets hit the market. Could WWDC 2022 be the moment we see Apple make its foray into this emerging space? Possibly. Even if it doesn’t, we should hear some references to a mixed reality headset in iOS 16.
Even more exciting is the new hardware potentially debuting at WWDC. If we do get new products, they will likely be in the Mac family. While new hardware hasn’t been announced at the past two events, WWDC 2020 gave us Apple’s intentions of transitioning from Intel to its own M1 processors. Before that, Apple announced the new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR, and in 2017, it revealed the iMac Pro, alongside refreshes of the iMac, MacBook, and MacBook Pro.
There is a chance, a rather significant one even, that WWDC 2022 is a software-only event. If we do get new hardware, it will likely come in the form of a new MacBook Air or base MacBook Pro 13. We’re also anticipating (at some point this year) an updated iMac and a Mac mini running on an M2 chip. Those who skipped the Studio Display to save up for an even pricier monitor may get a chance to spend big on the rumoured Pro Display XDR refresh with a 7K resolution.
Apple has done a good job of keeping things under wraps in the buildup to WWDC, which makes this event worth tuning into. You never know, there could always be an unexpected “One more thing.”