What To Expect At Apple’s WWDC23: Apple Glasses, iOS 17, New MacBooks & More!
Apple has announced that this year’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference, known as WWDC23, will take place from June 5-9, 2023.
Apple has officially announced its next Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will take place from June 5- June 9, 2023. Here’s everything you need to know about the Worldwide Developers Conference – and what products we expect to be announced.
WWDC23: What Is The Worldwide Developers Conference?
Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference is an annual conference Apple holds every year – usually in June. As its name suggests the Worldwide Developers Conference is targeted at developers who develop for Apple’s platforms, including iOS, macOS, tvOS, iPadOS, and more.
This means Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference isn’t actually a product show for consumers. It also means that the primary products Apple usually shows off at WWDC are software previews that the general public won’t get access to until the fall.
However, sometimes at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple does decide to show off hardware that consumers can buy nearly immediately. That may be the case for this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, too.
Finally, understand that Apple now usually refers to annual Worldwide Developers Conferences with the two-digit year number behind the WWDC abbreviation.
That’s why this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference is dubbed “WWDC23”.
OK, now what do we think Apple will show off at WWDC23? Here are our thoughts…
WWDC23: iOS 17
The star of every WWDC is almost always iOS, the operating system that runs on the iPhone. And it’s no wonder iOS takes the center stage every year – it’s Apple’s most popular and widely-used operating system.
We expect iOS 17 to be previewed at WWDC23, however, rumors suggest that iOS 17 might now be as big an upgrade the year as in years past. While it may have some new features, the majority of changes might relate to bug fixes.
The thought that iOS 17 may not be as major a change this year as previous iOSes have been is because rumors are suggesting that Apple had its engineers focusing on the operating system that will debut on its upcoming Apple Glasses headset. More on that now…
WWDC23: Apple Mixed Reality Headset
Rumors have been strong that Apple will use WWDC23 to unveil its mixed reality headset, which many have dubbed “Apple Glasses”. However, this headset’s form factor will not look anything like a standard pair of eyeglasses. Instead, Apple’s mixed reality headset will look like most VR headsets – clunky goggles. It’s also expected to have an external battery pack the user wears on their hip.
Yeah, that doesn’t sound too appealing, does it? Oh, and did we mention that the headset is rumored to cost $3,000?
However, Apple has not lost its mind. Apple is reportedly very aware a $3,000 headset won’t appeal to mass consumers. But it’s reportedly launching the headset anyway so developers can start getting aquatinted with Apple’s mixed reality products and begin developing for them.
This first headset then is just a starting point. Apple plans to rapidly shrink the technology in future iterations in order to make the headset appealing to a wider audience.
The operating system that runs on the mixed reality headset is reportedly branded “xrOS”.
WWDC23: iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, tvOS 17, and macOS 14
In addition to iOS 17 and xrOS, Apple is also widely expected to preview the next versions of the operating systems that run on its iPads, Apple Watches, Apple TVs (tvOS 17), and Macs, such as macOS 14.
However, like iOS 17, expect these operating systems to feature fewer new features than in the past. Again, Apple has reportedly had its engineers primarily dedicated to their work on developing xrOS.
WWDC23: 15-inch MacBook Air
While Apple doesn’t generally launch consumer hardware at WWDC, this year may be an exception. A rumored 15-inch MacBook Air has long been in the pipeline and it’s highly likely Apple will unveil it at WWDC.
Why at WWDC? Because WWDC23 takes place in the first part of June – and back-to-school shopping usually begins in earnest that month, Apple likely wants to get the 15-inch MacBook Air out there so students returning to school in August have a chance to buy it before classes start.
