Next week thousands of developers will descend on San Jose, California, for Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
As usual, the event will focus on software, giving us our first glimpse at new versions of Apple’s upcoming operating systems. That said, there’s also a possibility we could finally get the first real look at the elusive update to Apple’s 2013 Mac Pro, a modular, desktop class Mac that’s more powerful than the Mac Mini.
Below is everything we expect to see at this years WWDC:
iOS 13
As is typical with WWDC every year, Apple is almost certainly set to reveal iOS 13. Rumours have been swirling regarding what to expect from iOS 13 for the last few months, including an operating system-wide dark mode plus a new sleep mode that mutes incoming notifications and darkens the iPhone’s lock screen.
Apple is expected to revamp the user interface of several apps, including Messages, Maps, Reminders and Health. The ‘Find My iPhone’ and ‘Find My Friends’ apps will also be merged into a new ‘Find My’ app. Similar to iOS 12, it’s expected iOS 13 will emphasize stability and bug fixes rather than flashy new features.
Regarding iOS 13 on the iPad, Apple is rumoured to be adding a feature that allows developers to display multiple windows within a single iPad app, along with a new multitasking feature that allows two windows to be opened simultaneously, side by side.
Stackable windows or ‘cards’ within apps are also rumoured to be coming to the iPad with iOS 13.
watchOS 6
Several features are set to come to Apple’s smartwatch platform with watchOS 6. First and probably most notably, rumours indicate that the Apple Watch is finally getting its own App Store, allowing users to download apps directly from the wearable rather than via the Apple Watch iOS app.
Other new features include a ‘Dose’ app designed for pill reminders and a ‘Cycles’ app for tracking menstrual cycles. More new apps like a dedicated Calculator app (how is that not a stock watchOS app already?), a Voice Memos app and an app for listening to audiobooks are coming as well, according to rumours.
New complications are headed to the Apple Watch Series 4’s Watch Faces, including an option for tracking hearing aid battery life, rain data, external noise and even audiobook progress tracking.
macOS 10.15
Surprisingly little is known about macOS 10.15 as it stands now. We’ll likely learn more about Apple’s universal apps Marzipan initiative, which was first shown off with macOS Mojave and iOS 12. Apple’s goal with Marzipan is to make it easy for developers to port iOS apps to macOS.
Apple will also likely reveal new Music, Podcasts and Books apps in macOS 10.15, as well as a completely overhauled TV app in preparation for the launch of Apple TV+ later this fall.
Moreover, the tech giant is reportedly allowing iPads to work as external displays for Mac devices. We’re also expecting Screen Time and Siri Shortcuts, two features borrowed from iOS, will be making their way to Apple’s desktop operating system.
macOS 10.15 will also be the first time 32-bit apps stop working on Apple’s desktop operating system. As a result, some older macOS apps likely won’t be compatible with the latest version of macOS.
Everything else
tvOS 13, the operating system that powers the Apple TV, will arrive at WWDC though the update is expected to be minor, similar to tvOS 12.
While it’s a bit of a longshot, rumours also suggest that Apple’s outdated Mac Pro could finally receive an update at WWDC given that the original version was released all the way back in 2013.
The Mac Pro, as its name suggests, is targetted at ‘pro’ Apple customers who want to be able to customize their desktop. Apple has described the Pro in the past as featuring high-end components, adequate cooling and a modular, PC-like design that makes it easy to upgrade.
Given WWDC is a developer focused event, Apple could see the conference as an opportunity to reveal the desktop in front of an audience that really cares about it. On the other hand, WWDC is typically very software focused.
In that same vein, Apple could also finally reveal its often-rumoured external display. That said, the odds of this are minimal since Apple only recently launched a new 23.7-inch LG UltraFine 4K display.
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