One of the biggest events on the calendar of Apple Inc is the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), and it is something that every member of the 30-million-plus strong Apple community looks forward to. The reason is obvious – it is the one platform where all members of the community converge to receive updates about product and service upgrades and new launches.
What is the WWDC?
The WWDC is an annual information technology conference that showcases new technologies, software and also hardware from the Apple stables. This means workshops, presentations, demos, and more of all new launches in the iOS, macOS, iPad, watchOS, and tvOS domains. You will also find updates to existing technologies and services in these areas being showcased here.
There is always a buzz on Day 1 of any WWDC; it starts off with a keynote address and is followed by other events. These include workshops and also hands-on labs conducted by Apple engineers.
The first WWDC was held in 1983 and was the place where Apple introduced Apple Basic, the transition to a launchpad for high-end Apple product launches happened in 2002. The most recent WWDC events – for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022 – were exclusively online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is the type of event that will interest people from all walks of life. In a world dominated by technology, where even leisurely activities revolve around mobile device usage, people can anticipate an informative event that’s as interesting as it is enlightening. Even if you like playing the odd online casino game on your iPhone, this is the place to be!
What WWDC 2022 Offers
The most recent WWDC event was WWDC 2022, a week-long event that started on 6th June and ended on 10th June 2022. There were a whole lot of software and hardware launches to get through, and upgrades as well.
The Big News about iOS 16
Apple is set to launch the latest version of its OS for iPhones, the iOS 16. Tentatively scheduled for release in September 2022, it has a number of features that make it a big improvement over its predecessor, including the ability to personalize the Lock Screen.
The enhancements are designed to make the iOS 16 work along the lines of what you see in the Apple Watch. You can change the fonts on edit or pull back text on Apple Messages. Besides, you can work on subtitled text with the Live Translate feature.
Other options available include the ability to pick individual objects from a photograph and sending them out to friends and contacts using the Visual Look Up feature. It also comes with an iCloud Shared Photo Library that makes it easy to share photographs with friends and family.
Updates Relating to the iPadOS 16
One of the biggest updates announced was with respect to how things get done on the iPadOS 16 – you can literally work together with other people using a combined whiteboard in Freeform, or you could just check out documents as you speak over a live FaceTime call.
These updates offer features that provide enhanced gameplay and yes, a native Weather app is in the works as well.
Updates Concerning the macOS 13 Ventura
There are changes set to be made on the Mac operating system as well, with updates to the new macOS 13 Ventura software. Using the windows on the device is now easier thanks to Stage Manager, a new feature that organizes apps and windows that are open to help you focus on work better and allows you to view existing open items easily.
Use the iPhone 13 Pro Max as a webcam for your Macintosh with the Continuity Camera feature. Use Passkeys to ensure cross-browser and cross-device identity verification. The Passkey is a new security feature that engineers at Apple have been developing in collaboration with industry partners like Google and Microsoft as well as the FIDO Alliance and developers to achieve password-less yet secure access.
Updates to Hardware
One of the big announcements relating to hardware at the WWDC 2022 is the launch of the M2 Chip. The M2 chip is a 5 nm processor that guarantees performance enhancement by a steep 18% over what the existing M1 chip has.
It comes with a 10-core GPU which automatically means yes to high-end graphics – Apple claims this chip offers 35% more power than the earlier M1 chip.
Unveiling the MacBook Air M2
The WWDC 2022 saw the unveiling of a brand new product – the MacBook Air M2. This fantastic device is slated to be released in July 2022 with an opening price tag of $1199. It is something to look out for if you are an iOS guy, because of the extensive redesign it has undergone.
It is slimmer than its predecessor – 11.3 mm in thickness compared to 16.1 mm. It is also lighter – it just weighs 1.2 kilos and is portable. Other upgraded features include a webcam of 1080p resolution and MagSafe charging ports.
Updated WatchOS 9
Use the new Apple Watch – it comes with the watchOS 9 operating system – for extensive help during workouts and runs. You have the option of putting together custom workouts, which means you get to set your own goals in terms of covering distance and specific performance.
Another new feature is the Medications app – you can use this to set reminders for the consumption of regular pills. Those with the condition of an irregular heartbeat can use the AFib History feature to track atrial fibrillations. The native sleep tracking feature has undergone an upgrade as well, incorporating various sleep stages.
CarPlay Gets a Complete Makeover
Taking a cue from the look and feel of WatchOS, Apple announced an upgrade to its existing CarPlay feature. Slated for a formal release in 2023, CarPlay is going through a total makeover. It will use widgets and, if the manufacturer requires, can be set across the whole dashboard.
It will finally be able to power your whole instrument board and meters, and also offer a variety of display tiles for a range of topics, from the weather to smart home functions.
Looing to the Future
Technology is advancing at a rapid pace today, which is why a platform like the WWDC becomes critically important. It allows the developer community of Apple (including third-party developers) alongside 150,000+ in-house Apple engineers to create content for the App Store. Indeed, the sheer vastness of information available would require the company to disseminate it at a single location. And what better workforce than a massive group of Apple-loving technophiles?