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2021-06-08 18:38:55
Before an Apple event, people often predict a lot of things coming soon. With WWDC 2021 as well, it would be great if Apple released everything everyone predicted, but that certainly never happens. WWDC 2021 will take place on June 7 (0:00 on August 8 Vietnam time) and here’s what Apple is sure to launch, what can be launched and what won’t.
There are always rumors and predictions ahead of any WWDC event. Since it’s already halfway through the two-year transition to Apple Silicon, there’s of course an expectation that Apple will talk about that and roll out everything that’s missing from the Mac lineup.
The new MacBooks Pro, the successor to the M1 processor, and the 27-inch iMac, are all hinted, promised, or even somehow “confirmed”.
However, only this is certain – Apple will reveal new versions of the operating system. That’s the purpose of WWDC, and it’s the only thing that’s guaranteed to happen every year.
You can be sure that Apple will also reveal, or even discuss, much less than the rumors predict. Always that. Apple is smart about timing and maximizing the impact of any announcement.
So, from the absolutely certain to the absolutely impossible, here’s what you should expect from WWDC 2021 – and what you shouldn’t expect.
Definitely Coming: New iOS, macOS and iPadOS
It looks like macOS Big Sur has only been out for a while, but on June 7, 2021, sometime after 10:00 a.m. PT (around 0:00 a.m. local time), Big Sur will be available. becomes history – even if it remains for months – and all we want to know is a macOS… or something.
Big Sur is a major update that separates from OS X and facilitates Apple’s move to home-grown Silicon chips, so while there’s almost no word on Big Sur’s successor, there’s a big chance. Perhaps this is not a significant change, at least compared to the previous version.
What has been revealed is that it will be called under the name macOS 12. There’s no indication of what location California will be used for the naming, but WebKit references in March 2021 have revealed the number. version. Another document says macOS 12 will be called ‘Mammoth’ or ‘Monterey’, both of which are California landmarks.
The same source revealed less surprising news that the next iPhone and iPad operating systems will be called iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. A separate report says Apple internally refers to updates for both. these two operating systems with the codename “Sky”.
That report says that the notification areas will be improved, this update will also include some modifications to the lock screen. There have been hints that iOS 15’s app icons will also get a new look. Apple has also said that it will improve accessibility features on iOS, but it is not clear when, it is not certain that it will appear on iOS 15.
Such iOS changes are also likely to become part of iPadOS 15, although they are now officially different systems. The increased power of the iPad Pro from its use of the M1 processor has led to expectations that Apple will release more powerful apps, on par with desktop apps.
However, the fact that Apple improves its own application for iPad OS is just an expectation. What is certain is that we will get a new iPadOS.
Definitely Coming: OS Update for Apple Watch and Apple TV
Along with macOS 12, iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, there will be watchOS 8 and tvOS 15. After operating systems for computers and phones and tablets, watchOS has the next important meaning, and finally tvOS.
Each year sees watchOS go a little further with new, less iPhone-based features, new watch faces.
But what Apple didn’t do at WWDC was reveal any hardware changes to the Apple Watch. They are kept for product launches later in the year. So if you’re expecting a new Apple Watch, wait for the September event rather than June WWDC.
What we might get at WWDC is confirmation of what Apple Watch models the new watchOS 8 will support. Of course it won’t return support for Apple Watch Series 0, 1 or 2, but it may remove support for Apple Watch Series 3.
The Apple Watch Series 3 came out in 2017, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a 4-year-old model lose support.
Regarding Apple TV, currently only Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K are on sale. So it’s unlikely tvOS 15 will cut support for the older HD model.
Likely launch or mention: Apple Silicon
The move to Apple Silicon from Intel processors was revealed at the end of WWDC 2020, along with a rather vague two-year roadmap for the entire transition. But the reason it was announced is because developers need to know.
While WWDC is an event watched by many consumers, the conference is a week long and every part of it is aimed at developers. Since they now know about Apple Silicon, it is conceivable that Apple will not announce more about it.
However, at least Tim Cook will say something about the “incredible success of Apple Silicon to date”. He is capable of using the phrase “and we are just getting started”.
Apple needs customers to buy Apple Silicon, and part of that is getting developers involved. So, along with any kind of sales metric update, there needs to be something that gets developers really excited.
That could be a new Apple Silicon processor.
We still don’t know if the M1 shares the same upgrade path as other Apple chips, but the company usually updates its A-series processors every year. Although it was not until November 2020, that Apple officially introduced the M1, but it is not excluded that the next generation of Apple Silicon processors will be preliminary announced at WWDC. Especially if there’s something specific about them that developers need to be informed about.
That’s why at WWDC 2020, Apple introduced new hardware, even though it’s just a Developer Adapter. Not sold to consumers and subsequently returned by Apple, this was an early Apple Silicon Mac mini.
At WWDC 2019, we got our first look at both the Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR. Whereas a year ago at WWDC 2018, there weren’t any hardware announcements.
In contrast to 2017, seven different Macs from desktop to laptop were refreshed and a brand new iMac Pro was announced. Then Apple also launched the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro – and the original HomePod.
You’ll have to go back another 4 years to 2013 to see Apple release the hardware. Along with OS X Mavericks and iOS 7, Apple launched the “trash can” Mac Pro, MacBook Air, AirPort Time Capsule, and AirPort Extreme.
As such, Apple doesn’t usually release hardware at WWDC, but there have been years of exceptions.
Likely to launch: New Mac
And if there is a new “M2” or “M1X”, then you can be sure of one more thing. It’s very unlikely that Craig Federighi will just put the handler on the event.
If there’s a new Apple Silicon processor on display at WWDC, it’ll be inside a new Mac. Rumors continuously indicate that it is a new MacBook Pro, 14 inches in size but only as compact as the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The same rumors also tend to claim that there will be a new 16-inch MacBook Pro. That will be the first Apple Silicon release of this model.
And right now, exactly one year has passed in the two-year transition roadmap, Apple is running out of models to equip Apple Silicon.
We’ve got the MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the Mac mini, the 24-inch iMac and – admittedly a surprise – the iPad Pro. Given that the iMac Pro has been phased out, at least for now, that makes the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 27-inch iMac, and the Mac Pro more likely to follow.
It seems reasonable to expect that the Mac Pro will be the last to make the switch to Apple Silicon, since Apple will need it to be the most powerful Mac possible.
Apple only announced the 24-inch iMac in April, which seems to be quite early to introduce a new 27-inch model. So if there are any hardware announcements, the 16-inch MacBook Pro seems to be the front-runner.
However, there are also constant rumors about new MacBook Air and new Mac mini. Apple can update any of them.
What not to expect: Apple Glass
Apple has released two poster images for WWDC, each featuring cartoon characters staring at a MacBook Pro screen with the character wearing glasses.
It’s a way to show, through reflection on the glass, that each person is working with Xcode. However, some people think this is a hint that “Apple Glass” will be announced.
It is rumored that the Apple AR or Apple VR glasses will be released before a fuller “Apple Glass” device and could be as early as 2022. Meanwhile, the full-screen headset will be released next year. 2025.
There have been reports of a 2021 release, mainly from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, but he has pushed the date back to 2025.
It’s also highly likely that Apple itself doesn’t know the exact date, as many reports suggest there have been delays in certain stages of development.
Combined with that, a high-tech glass doesn’t really look like a product that Apple is poised to announce in June 2021.
Developers will definitely need the details of “Apple Glass” before it goes on sale. And WWDC is where they will get that information, but it’s really unlikely to be WWDC 2021.
Reference: AppleInsider
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