We’re a month away from Apple’s WWDC 2023 event on Monday, June 5. There we expect to see, among other things, iOS 17, as well as the company’s AR/VR headset.
iOS 17
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, it will have some of the “most desired features” that iPhone users have come to expect.
- Exclusive diary app to track and record daily activities and thoughts.
- Updated Control Center interface.
- More functionality for Dynamic Island.
- More interactive widgets.
- Search improvements.
- Health app on iPad.
- The Health app will include a new mood tracking feature, asking users about their day and tracking results over time.
- Health features to track vision changes.
- Small lock screen updates like font size adjustments and option to share lock screen layouts.
- Apple Music Lock Screen interface for possible lyrics support.
- Manual customization options for app library folders.
- Wallet application more optimized and intuitive.
- Find my improvements.
- Support for sideloading applications in Europe.
OS 10 clock
This could be one of the biggest watchOS updates we’ve had in years, with Gurman describing it as “quite extensive.”
- A new widget system will make it easier to access essential information on Apple Watch without having to open an app. Widgets will be scrollable and allow access to activity tracking, weather, calendar appointments and more.
- Buttons like the Digital Crown could be more customizable, and users can choose to open the widget interface with a tap instead of the home screen.
- Apple could revise the Apple Watch home screen in some way, offering a more intuitive layout than the app grid.
AR/VR Headset
The “Reality One” or “Reality Pro,” as the device is likely to be called, will be the company’s first category of new products since the launch of the Apple Watch in 2015. It will be Apple’s second wearable, and rumors suggest that It will be packed with innovative features.
- The headset will use Sony’s dual 4K micro-OLED displays for overall 8K resolution and display quality that exceeds display quality available on competing products.
- Dozens of cameras will be included for everything from mapping the environment around the user to tracking facial expressions, gestures, and footwork.
- Iris scanning will be used for authentication.
- Facial expression tracking will be available to transmit the user’s facial expression to a virtual avatar in chats and calls.
- Augmented reality and virtual reality capabilities will be available, and users will be able to switch between them using a knob similar to the Digital Crown. AR will use cameras to map the world around you, overlaying virtual objects on the real world, whereas VR is completely virtual and excludes the world.
- It will be controlled by gestures detected by the cameras.
- Mac-level M2 chips will be included to handle all processing needs. Rumors suggest that Apple will use a high-end main processor complemented by another low-end processor that manages the device’s sensors.
- There will be no built-in battery, with the battery attached to the phone via a cable and worn in a bag around the waist. Battery life will be around two hours.
- Rumors suggest we can expect a thin and light design, lighter than competing headphones because it doesn’t include a battery.
- Air typing support will be available so users can handle text input without a physical keyboard, but it will also support text input via the iPhone.
- xrOS, the operating system it runs on, will include Apple-designed apps optimized for virtual reality, with a particular focus on gaming, video conferencing, fitness and media consumption. Apple will work with game companies and third-party app developers for a better experience.
- The headset will be able to run apps designed for the iPad in a 3D environment and will also allow viewing of content such as Netflix and YouTube. Wearers of glasses can order the headset with prescription lenses.
15-inch MacBook Air
- Screen size about 15.5 inches.
- Design and feature set similar to the current M2 MacBook Air.
- M2 chips inside, and Apple is likely to offer 8-core and 10-core GPU variants.
macOS 14 and tvOS 17
So far we haven’t heard much about the macOS 14 update and we don’t know what to expect in terms of features.
As for tvOS 17, the updates to tvOS are so small that we don’t expect much more than minor tweaks and new screen savers.
But
We look forward to the Mac Pro and new USB-C AirPods models, but Gurman says the Mac Pro won’t be shown at WWDC and we haven’t heard any rumors of an AirPods update for the summer.
What we’ll likely see are new case options for the iPhone and iPad, along with updated Apple Watch bands in summery hues.