Apple WWDC 2022 highlights: Apple iOS 16 is here and the company also showcased its new MacBook Air (Image Source: Apple) Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference 2022 (WWDC)’s opening keynote is now over. The WWDC conference will continue till June 10. Apple has showcased iOS 16, which is getting a revamped Lock Screen with new features, improved dictation and updates for the Messages app. It also revealed watchOS 9 which comes with new activity features, improvements to workout and ability to track medications as well. There was also macOS Ventura, which comes with better multi-tasking. The new iPadOS 16 also comes with improved multi-tasking thanks to the Stage Manager feature also seen on macOS 13.
But most importantly, Apple confirmed its M2 processor and two new laptops: the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M2 is next-gen of Apple’s silicon with a 5 nanometer design. The M2 chipset can handle a maximum of 24GB of unified memory. The 2022 MacBook Air will run the M2 chipset and comes with a new design. Apple has also showcased a new MacBook Pro (13-inch) with the new M2 processor. The new Macs will come to India by next month. The MacBook Air with M2 starts at Rs 1,19,900.
Apple says the new MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro will be available in select Apple Authorised Resellers, next month. There's no fixed date. Apple's MacBook Air with M2 starts at Rs 119,900 and Rs 109,900 for education. The 512GB storage option for the MacBook Air will cost Rs 1,49,900.The 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 starts at Rs 129,900 and Rs 119,900 for education. The 512GB MacBook Pro costs Rs 1,49,900 as well. The 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter will be available for Rs 5,800.
We're back to Tim Cook. All of the key annoucements are over. The developer betas will be available later today. Public betas for the new software will role out later.
Apple iPadOS 16 will allow users to rely on virtual memory swap. This will let users rely on iPad storage as extra RAM for apps that need it. Stage Manager is also coming to the iPadOS 16.
Apple is rolling out a lot of features for iPadOS 16. Apple is bringing customisable toolbars, the ability to change extensions in the Files folder, Navigation buttons in Files app, etc. There's also the option to find and merge contacts, the ability to create lists in contacts, the undo/redo option across the system.
Apple's iPadOS 16. The weather app is coming to iPad. Apple is also announcing WeatherKit to allow developers to built weather into their apps. Collaborate is an interesting feature. Users will be able to share a document, spreadsheet with a select group who can then automatically collaborate on the same. Apple says Collaborate will come to iOS 16 and macOS as well.
Apple is extending the Continuity feature to FaceTime. This will let users join a call from the device that same right. Apple is also bringing Continuity Camera to let users rely on their iPhone camera as a web camera for their Mac. No plugging in required.
Apple is extending the Continuity feature to FaceTime. This will let users join a call from the device that same right. Apple is also bringing Continuity Camera to let users rely on their iPhone camera as a web camera for their Mac. No plugging in required.
This will let users shared a set of tabs with their friends. This could be useful if you are planning a trip together or doing research on any topics, etc. Apple is also showcasing PassKeys which will replace Passwords. These are cryptographic keys created for a website. Apple says these cannot be phished or leaked. Users can create these with Touch ID. PassKeys will be available on Macs, iPhone and iPads. They will work seamlessly across platforms and websites, according to Apple.
Mail app will now let you undo any sent email. Users will also be able to schedule an email as well. Apple is overhauling search on the mail as well to make it more comprehensive.
Yes, the new version of macOS is called macOS Ventura. There's a new Stage Manager feature letting users focus on the app they are using without distractions. All other windows gets arranged to the side when you turn on Stage Manager. Looks a lot more manageable. Anyone who has had 500 apps open at one go will obviously appreciate this Stage Manager feature.
Apple MacBook Air with M2 starts at $1099, while the MacBook Pro with M2 starts at $1299. The older M1 MacBook Air will remain in the market at $999. The new laptops will ship next month, though Apple did not specify a date.
Apple is also introducing a 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 processor.
The new Apple MacBook Air is here and it comes with MagSafe charging. And yes, the display has a notch. This one has a 13.6-inch display, with a liquid retina display. The display supports 1 billion colours, which means this is a 10-bit display. Apple is also adding a 1080p camera to the MacBook Air (finally). The speakers and mics are integrated between the display and keyboard. It has a four speaker sound system. Apple MacBook Air does come with Spatial audio. Touch ID is still there on the MacBook Air.
And yes, Apple MacBook Air gets a silent fanless design. It comes with an all-day battery life and 18 hour video playback. Users can charge two devices at once. Apple is also bringing 67W fast charging to the MacBook Air.
Apple has confirmed that a new MacBook Air with the M2 processor is coming.
The M2 processor is now official. This is next-gen of Apple's silicon with 5nm design and 25 billion transistors. This is a 10-core GPU and remains an 8-core CPU. M2 can handle 24GB of unified memory, reveals Apple with faster performance and efficiency cores. Apple says M2 is more power efficient compared to PC chips and the older M1. The M2 also comes with a dedicated Neural engine, and it will support 8K video as well.
Now you can log medications on the Apple Watch with watchOS 9. This can be also managed in the Health app on your iPhone as well. This is a pretty useful feature, if you are one of those who keeps forgetting to take your meds.
Apple is improving A-Fib tracking. A-Fib history will track how long you are in this using the Apple Watch. Apple say it is still awaiting FDA clearance for this history feature.
Apple is also adding a new feature where it will automatically detect workouts by triathletes and when they finish one leg and move on to the next.
Apple is adding three new running form metrics. It says it is not easy to detect some of these, especially based on wrist movement alone. Stride length, and ground contact time are the metrics which Apple will be adding to your running workouts. Apple is also adding heart-rate zones as well. There's also a new custom workout which users can add to their running workouts.
Four new watch faces are coming to watchOS. The astronomy one is getting revamped, there is a new lunar watchface, 'playtime' has whimsical numbers, and there's metropolitan, which frankly looks the coolest. Users will now be able to pin active apps. Podcast app on watchOS 9 will support the ability to search for new podcasts.
Apple's CarPlay is getting a complete revamp. It will offer deep integration with the car's hardware and let you see other details about the car and information at a glance. It will power the entire instrument cluster. The iPhone will communicate with the car's system so users can see the fuel information, etc from CarPlay itself. Of course, the wait for a car that supports the next gen of CarPlay will be long one. Vehicles that support this will only be announced next year. Given the supply chain crisis and that most cars now have a waiting period of at least four months, I don't expect to actually experience this anytime soon.
Apple is talking about its new protocol for smart home devices called 'Matter'. The My Home app has also been redesigned and it will be easier to control one's Smart home as well.
Apple's iOS 16 is bringing a new feature called 'Safety Check'. This is aimed at helping women who might be in an abusive relationship and might want to revoke any shared access with their partner. It stops location sharing, resets privacy settings and protects their messages as well. There's no doubt that disabling the location sharing feature will be particularly important for women who are trying to escape from such relationships.
Apple will make it easier for parents to manage and control accounts for their kids. It will also make it easier to setup a new device such as an iPad for a child. Apple is also introducing a better way to share photos with family members. The iCloud Shared Photo Library will be a dedicated library, where five family members can all share their photos. In fact, Apple will let you share these photos straight after you take with a dedicated button in the camera.
Apple is bringing its redesigned Apple Maps to more countries (India is not on the list). Some of the other features are coming to more cities in the US. Apple is bringing Multistop routing. Users will also be able to ask Siri to add more stops during a route.
Apple Pay later will let users split a payment and pay for a product over time. Apple's says there no extra interest for this. It will be available whereever Apple Pay is already working. And no, Apple Pay is not coming to India for now.
Apple's Live Text feature is doing some serious catch up with Google Lens. Apple is adding the ability to automatically convert currency when using the Live Text feature in the camera. Further, users will be able to automatically translate when using Live Text to scan. Live Text scanning is also coming to the Translate app on iOS.
Dictation on iOS 16 is getting some serious improvement. For one, when a user starts dictating, the keyboard stays open, so one can switch between using voice and touch to enter text. This will definitely be convenient, especially for the times when dictation does not quite get what you are saying. Users will be able to select text using touch and replace it by just speaking. Dictation will also automatically add punctation and let users choose an emoji automatically.
SharePlay is also coming to Messages as well. Last year it was announced for FaceTime. Now users will be able to watch shared content on Messages as well.
Apple will let users undo sent Messages. Users will also be able to edit out messages after they have sent them.
Lock screen will also get a new 'Live screen' activity feature. So if you are getting constant updates from an app, say about a match, the lock screen will also showcase those. Widgets will also be coming to the lock screen on iOS 16. There's also a new 'Focus' filter where users can filter out notifications from apps they might not need always.
Apple's WWDC keynote is starting with iOS 16. And yes, as predicted, the lock screen is getting a major revamp. Users will be able to customise the Lock screen from colour filter to the font for the time to the picture, all with a long press. Any element of the lock screen will be customisable. Users will be able to add widgets as well to lock screen. This is giving off very Android 13 vibes, especially the ability to customise fonts, colour themes, which is something Google is also offer. Lock screen in iOS 16 will also come with some suggested photos. Users can create custom Lock Screens and switch between them.
Apple's WWDC keynote has begun. Apple CEO Tim Cook on stage. WWDC is designed to support the developer community better, he says. He's talking about how Apple is hosting Tech Talks for developers to help them better understand its products. Apple has also launched a developer academy for women in Saudi Arabia as well. 'We expect millions of developers to join us this year as well,' he says. Apple has over 34 million app developers. All of the sessions at WWDC will be available to developers for free.
Apple's livestream is now live on the official website and on the Apple TV app. It is just music at the moment, but we expect the opening video will be up in a few minutes.
It is hard to point out exactly when Apple Glasses will arrive due to conflicting reports. Many say Apple will first reveal a mixed-reality headset way before the AR glasses. This could be as early as 2022. Meanwhile, references to an AR headset were first found in iOS 13 -- supposedly codenamed Garta.
Apple's WWDC 2022 starts in another hour or so. Let's take a quick recap on the top announcements that are expected. There's iOS 16, which will likely come with some incremental upgrades. The lock screen is expected to get a major revamp, though. Apple's macOS 13 could get a new redesigned Settings app, but not much else is known. watchOS 9 is likely to have a new low-power mode along with fitness updates. Of course, Apple will talk about new features aimed at AR and VR and how developers can leverage these. And most importantly, there could be hardware announcements at WWDC. The expectation is that it will be a new redesigned MacBook Air.
Apple will kick off its WWDC 2022 event in one hour. Catch the event live at 10:30pm IST on the live stream link embedded above.
Apple's WWDC keynote will open soon at 10.30 pm, which is pretty soon. As always, Apple has a livestream on its official website, and you can also watch the event on YouTube.
Developers assemble tweets Tim Cook with just over three hours to go for the Apple WWDC keynote event.
And the Apple online store is down. This typically happens when there is new hardware coming. Looks like the MacBook Air is indeed going to make an appearance. Apple could surprise us with some more hardware as well. A new Mac Pro? New MacBook Pro? The only sad bit. The MacBook Air might not come in colourful options.
Now, there's a lot of hype around a MacBook Air. Apple typically does not release hardware at WWDC, though there have been several exceptions in the past such as in 1984, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2017, and 2020. The 2020 keynote saw the Apple silicon being announced. Read more about previous WWDC keynotes here. But this time there's talk of the MacBook Air making an appearance at WWDC. The expectation is that it will run the M2 processor, though other reports say it will stick to the M1. But one thing to keep in mind is that even if the MacBook Air does make an appearance, it might not starting shipping immediately. The reason: yes, Covid-19 and the supply chain crisis strikes again. Apple has experienced delays in production like most other companies, which would explain shipping delays for the new MacBook Air. Of course, all of this depends on whether the laptop actually makes an appearance tonight. What do you think? Will Apple reveal the new MacBook Air or will it stick to software?
Apple WWDC is being streamed live this year as well. Apple users can stream it from the website on Safari on any compatible iPhone, iPad, MacBook, iMac or Apple TV. It is also available on the Apple TV+ app. For those who don't have an Apple device, there's always YouTube, which should work on any device.
iPadOS is expected to get a major UI change at WWDC 2022. Multitasking on the iPad isn't at par with what you get on a real computer and this contradicts Apple's claims that the iPad is a legit replacement for the Mac. Beefed-up hardware won't solve the iPad's real problem and Apple knows it well. Apple needs to focus on software that can make the high-end iPad Pro as good as the MacBook Air.
When Apple announces new products, be it software or hardware, the world does take note. After all, these software upgrades are also an indicator of what is next in the product pipeline. So what are analysts expecting from WWDC 2022. According to Andrew Cornwall, Senior Analyst for mobile technologies at Forrester Research, Apple could bring new privacy-focused features to iOS 16. We're guessing companies like Meta won't be too happy about that, but Apple has always focused on how user privacy is critical to them. Analysts also expect iPadOS to bring the tablet closer to macOS. Read more on what analysts have to say here.
WatchOS 9 is expected to come with a new low power mode, which will support some more features and functionality. Currently if you put your Apple Watch in a low-power mode, you can only see the time. But the new OS could support some more features. Apple will also make changes to fitness features on watchOS 9. The Health is expected to see an upgrade as well, just like on iOS 16. While visually, watchOS 9 might be similar to the previous version, subtle upgrades are expected.
The Mac Pro, Apple's workstation-class desktop computer, is due for an update. Apple has already confirmed it is working on a new Mac Pro computer, but it remains to be seen if the high-end Mac computer makes its debut at this year's WWDC. But one thing is clear: we are almost certain a new Mac Pro will come out this year. There is little information about the new Mac, but insiders say the upcoming Mac Pro desktop tower will use a new chip called M1 Extreme. Even if Apple announces a new Mac Pro with the ARM-based processor, it will still support the existing Intel-based Mac Pro for a few more years. After all, the purpose of an expandable, upgradable Mac Pro is to have a longer shelf life than other Macs available on the market.
First, Apple is unlikely to showcase the AR/VR headset. Again it could surprise everyone by glimpse of this, but at the moment the headset reveal is unlikely. Instead what is expected are updates to key software which will ensure that developers can make AR/VR apps and content more easily.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is preparing some VR versions of its key apps, including FaceTime, Fitness+ workouts, etc. Even some Apple TV+ shows could get the VR treatment. We might not see these VR versions at WWDC, but some of the other announcements could indicate that this is coming. He also expects Apple to talk more about updates to Metal, Reality Composer, Final Cut Pro, etc with focus on VR/AR elements. Metal is Apple’s API for helping developers create 3D pro applications and games. Gurman also writes about how Apple is working on a new version of SwiftUI, its coding language. This version will supposedly help build AR and VR apps.
Finally, he also notes that the “company is working on a new development environment for the Mac to let developers simulate the headset and their in-development apps” before they get access to the actual AR headset. So clearly there's still a lot of work that will continue on the AR/VR headset before Apple starts talking about this. Apple knows that apps and content will be critical to the success of this AR headset and this explains why developers will have early access in order to ensure that they can test their apps.
While leaks indicate that Apple's iOS 16 will only get incremental upgrades with the user interface and visual look remaining the same as iOS 15, it is iPadOS that could come with some new features. According to Bloomberg, this year Apple intends to make the iPad work more like a laptop and some of the software changes will be focused around this.
For example, Apple intends to improve multi-tasking on iPadOS, and will add an option to let users switch between multiple apps at once, resize app windows and make it easier to switch between tasks. Apple has already introduced features in the past, which offer more seamless interactions between Macs and iPads. There's Continuity, which lets users access documents, drawings from their iPad or iPhone on their Mac. For instance, Continuity lets users sign documents on the iPad or iPhone and see the updates live on their Mac. But clearly, Apple intends to make the iPad just as useful as the Mac with iPadOS 16, which is expected to bring more of such features.
Apple will only reveal upcoming features of iOS 16 today. The final stable build will only roll out much later, likely in September after the new iPhone 14 series has been revealed. After the keynote, Apple will make the developer beta build available as has been the case in the past years. This build of iOS 16 can only be accessed if you have a developer account. It is also more unstable build with a lot of bugs, other issues and not recommended for regular users.
Apple also makes a public beta available for iOS 16. This one is usually released a month or so after WWDC, so expect this around July. This beta can be accessed by regular users. Again, it is not recommended that you install this on your primary device because typically such early versions of the software come with their fair shares of issues. However, for those who want the latest software and wish to test it out, this is a good way of getting early access.
Yes, Apple WWDC is all about software. However, leaks indicate that a new MacBook Air could be revealed at the event. The last time that Apple updated the MacBook Air was in 2020 when it launched the new versions powered by its own silicion, the M1 processors. So, the MacBook Air is due for an upgrade. Leaks have talked about how Apple will introduce the MacBook Air in more colourful options, similar to the M1-powered iMacs.
But the big question is whether it will get the M2 processor. According to Bloomberg, M2-powered Macs are already in testing and Apple employees have been using them. This is a sure sign that the product is coming. But will it be made official tonight is not clear. The supply chain crisis, worsened by the Covid-19 lockdowns in China, has likely made it worse. Reports indicate the upgraded MacBook Air might come with a long waiting time as well. Still, Apple launching a new MacBook Air would be pretty exciting. It is one of the most powerful and popular laptops in the segment.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has posted a tweet ahead of the WWDC keynote. He praised the student app developers who are attending WWDC. Each year Apple invites student app developers to event as well. Cook wrote on his Twitter account, "The talented student developers I met today are going places! They let their passion for coding and creative problem-solving shine through in areas as diverse as gardening, gaming, quantum physics, and more. Never stop innovating! #WWDC22" Check out his tweet below