June 5, 2022 8:50 P.M.
Photo curtesy of Apple Inc.
Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference is coming up tomorrow, in a few hours, and there are a lot of rumors about what to expect. In this blog post I'm going to give you the latest news and rumors about WWDC 2022 so that you can be prepared for what's coming.
I love following the latest Apple news. The Worldwide Developer Conference is always one of the most anticipated events of the year and this year is no exception. There are a lot of rumors swirling around about what will be announced at WWDC 2022, so in this blog post I'm going to break it all down for you and tell you what to expect.
Apple WWDC 2022 is just around the corner, and I don’t know about you but I’m excited for what's in store. The annual event is always a big one for Apple fans, as it's usually when the company reveals its latest operating system updates and new hardware. This year WWDC is taking place from June 6 -10, and while we don't know much about what's in store just yet, there have been some rumors and leaks floating around. Here's everything we know so far about WWDC 2022.
One of the biggest rumors surrounding WWDC this year is that Apple will finally be announcing its long-awaited AR headset, maybe! Mark Gurman of Bloomberg today states that it’s not likely for Apple to debut its next big thing - which is the headset. With that said, Gurman goes further to say that although it’s not likely the headset will be introduced, there will be hints here and there during the week of WWDC. In my opinion, there are just too many leaks and rumors for there not to be a physical headset. The device has said to have been in development for years now, and it's said to be a direct competitor to Microsoft's HoloLens and Magic Leap. Apple is also rumored to be working on AR glasses, but those are said to be further out and definitely not be ready in time for WWDC.
What’s interesting about the potential unveiling of the headset, is the unveiling of the reality operating system, rOS, which we should see at WWDC. Gurman also reported last week that an individual by the name of Parker Ortolani discovered one of Apple’s trademark fillings. What’s interesting is that the realityOS trademark is not registered to Apple, but a phantom company named Realityo Systems LLC. Gurman reports that Apple does this often to hide what they’re working on. Based on this bit of news and the fact that WWDC is a developers conference, Gurman is convinced we’ll see a plethora of headset clues via the mentioning of new software features and the device should be available next year. Why a year? Well, this will give Apple and developers time to work on the software that will run on the new headset.
According to Gurman, there are so many VR - AR API’s and apps planned to present to third party developers. Apple’s own updates to their software and apps will prove even further that a headset is coming soon. I won’t go into all the new software features Gurman specifically discussed when it comes to what is in store as it relates to AR & VR but it sounds exciting. Here’s the link to Gurman’s newsletter so you can check it out,
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-06-05/apple-reality-headset-details-wwdc-to-bring-ios-16-ipados-16-watchos-9-macos-l41cwir8?cmpid=BBD060522_POWERON&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=220605&utm_campaign=poweron
In terms of software, we can certainly expect to see previews of iOS, iPad OS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. Gurman goes further to explain that although not predicted, we will see wide range of new features:
* Widgets on the new iOS 16 Lock Screen
* New watch faces and a low-power mode in WatchOS
* New pro features for iPadOS - this one is very interesting… rumors suggest windows!
The stand alone notable Apple apps will get upgrades as well, according to Gurman. Native apps like system preferences for the Mac, fitness for Apple Watch, Messages and Health for the iPhone. We don't know much about what these updates will bring just yet, but WWDC is always a good place to get a first look at what's new in Apple's various operating systems.
Going back to hardware, Gurman suggest that we could see a new MacBook Air. Availability and release dates are up in the air due to China Covid lockdowns which affect factory shutdowns. Gurman states that the new air will be a huge change from the previous model:
- A new design
- New colors but not the colors rumored and rendered that are all over the internet - Dark Blue, Champagne gold color along with space gray and silver. Ming - Chi Quo agrees with Gurman on the colors as well!
- 13-in display, USB-C ports, MagSafe, TouchID and don’t forget about the new notch!
Gurman reports that we could maybe see a new 13in MacBook Pro but it depends on the China Covid Lockdown situation.
What about the M2 Chip? If Apple decides to unveil the MacBook Air or the Pro, will these machines have the new M2 Chip? And what about a new Mac Mini? Render artist, Ian Zelbo, discovered an M2 Mac Mini listing on the B&H website? Did B&H leak this info accidentally? And what about the Mac Pro? Apple’s last machine that is currently still running on Intel chips. Will this device and maybe a new Pro Display XDR share the stage with a new unveiling and release dates? There are so many questions that are still unanswered. Well, there’s good news. We won’t have to wait much longer, only a couple of hours.
The company has been transitioning its Mac lineup to its own custom chipsets over the past two years, and WWDC would be the perfect place to show the capabilities of the new M2 chip.
Of course, WWDC is also a great opportunity for Apple to show off its latest services and updates. We're expecting to hear more about Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade, as well as any new features coming to Siri, iMessage, and iCloud.
WWDC is always an exciting event for Apple fans, and this year's WWDC is shaping up to be no different. WWDC last year was boring with no new hardware and minor software updates, tomorrow will be different. I can't wait to see what Apple has in store for us.
Stay tuned and thank you for reading.