WWDC 2022: What Apple fans can look forward to

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TL;DR

• What: Apple WWDC 2022
• Where: Apple Park, Cupertino
• When: June 6 – 7 p.m. CET

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In the religion of “Appleites”, there are some holidays that every disciple has tattooed on their forearm: One of them is WWDC and it will take place on June 6 this year at 7 pm Central European Time. Although no new iPhones will be unveiled at the developer conference, the event is still very interesting for owners of an Apple handset. We will probably be able to take a first look at iOS 16 when June 6 rolls around.

In the following paragraphs, we have summarized the rumors in the run-up to WWDC 2022. During the event on June 6, we will, of course, provide you with a live summary of what Apple will present. Of course, I’m happy to hear your speculations about WWDC, which you’re more than welcome to post in the comments.

What Apple could present at WWDC 2022

iOS 16, iPadOS 16, WatchOS 9 and a new macOS.

Let’s begin with the name of the event itself – WWDC. For developers and also its fans, Apple traditionally grants a look at the next iterations of its operating systems. We have already summarized rumors about iOS 16 in a separate article. While we only collected speculations from industry insiders and leakers, we might obtain fresh new information at WWDC 2022.

If everything goes well, we will finally see the introduction of Always-On displays in iOS 16, as we know that Android smartphones have already had them for a long time. In this case, the smartphones show information on a small part of the display, even if you have turned it off. Since OLED displays can selectively light up individual pixels, this technology is, unsurprisingly, a power saving measure.

As for another innovation, Apple could change the operation of its Start bar. Much of it lies in the speculation that the new iPhone Pro models will have a punch hole camera in front. This would provide Apple with additional space to display icons or information at the top of the display.

We will probably also be able to see these changes in iPadOS, even though no iPad with a hole in the display is currently on sale yet. According to Mark Gurman, there would most probably be changes in multitasking here, a focus that would definitely fit the performance updates of previous iPad models. Thanks to the use of the M1 SoCs in the Pro series and the iPad Air 2022, there is certainly room for more complex multitasking tasks.

Gurman also spoke about WatchOS 9, even though the information is rather sparse so far. According to him, the operating system of the Apple Watch will contain improvements for everyday use and navigation. There will also be a new energy-saving mode and new watch faces.

For the MacBook and Mac operating system MacOS, version number 13 is pending. According to MacRumors, the version will be known as “Mammoth” and we can expect new designs for apps such as Messages, Mail, Notes, and Safari. What is particularly exciting for Mac users, however, is a new application for System Preferences, which is supposed provide a more similar feel to Apple’s mobile devices.

Is there a new RealityOS?

So far, we have covered the already known Apple products, but in the weeks before WWDC 2022, voices will certainly ring louder that assume the introduction of a new operating system, rOS. It is supposed to be the short form for RealityOS. The name refers to the virtual or augmented reality glasses Apple View, which was also referred to as Apple Glass for a long time.

Exactly what RealityOS might look like is currently still up in the air. After all, we still have little idea of what exactly the concept of smart glasses from Apple looks like, much less work. However, a few days before WWDC, a Twitter user revealed that a brand name will be submitted worldwide on June 8, which will be dubbed RealityOS and refer to “wearable computing hardware.”

This means WWDC 2022 could be a particularly exciting edition!

MacBook Air with the M2 SoC and new Mac hardware

As the most likely hardware announcement, many Apple insiders expect a new MacBook Air. You have to bear in mind that Apple has recently updated the design of the Pro models of its MacBooks. Since then, you can only purchase the MacBook Pro with a notch, but with a 120 Hz display and the MagSafe magnetic charging port. Furthermore, there were the new M1 Max and M1 Pro processors.

However, it is unlikely that all these changes will find their way into the cheaper MacBook Air. The rumors currently assume a MacBook Air display with a notch and an M2 chip, i.e. a further improvement of the M1 SoC. Furthermore, the MagSafe port is placed on the left side in conceptual renders. We will hopefully see what the MacBook Air 2022 offers by the end of next Monday!

iPad not included?

If you are waiting for a new basic iPad or new Pro models, we will have to disappoint you at the moment. No known leaker has revealed details about a possible presentation of new tablets at WWDC 2022. As a consolation, I recommend you read our review of the iPad Air 5, Apple’s latest tablet. It was only released this spring and delivers a lot of performance for a moderate price tag with its M1 chip.

What are you looking forward to at the Apple developer conference in June 2022? Are you planning to buy new Apple products this year or are you focusing on the innovations in software updates?