During WWDC 2022, Apple today announced new features and improvements to Family Sharing, including a long-awaited feature that lets families easily share photos and videos in the Shared Library.
As part of iOS 16, Apple is making it easier for parents to manage their kids' accounts, including adjusting age-appropriate restrictions and quick setup. With Quick Setup, simply put a new device near your iPhone to quickly and easily set up a new device for kids.
The biggest addition to Family Sharing in iOS 16 is iCloud Shared Photo Library, which gives families a new way to easily share photos and videos. In the Share Library, all edits, additions, and deletes are synced across all devices.
A user can also choose to send photos to the Shared Library automatically using a new toggle in the Camera app. Additionally, users will receive intelligent suggestions to share a photo that includes participants in the Shared Photo Library. Every user in the Shared Photo Library has access to add, delete, edit, or favorite the shared photos or videos, which will appear in each user's Memories and Featured Photos so that everyone can relive more complete family moments.
Apple today announced that the Messages app on iOS 16 has been significantly enhanced with several new features.
Most notably, iOS 16 introduces the ability to edit or unsend recently sent iMessages, as well as mark iMessage conversations as unread after opening them. These features will bring iMessage more in line with third-party messaging services like WhatsApp and Telegram.
To edit or unsend a message, users simply need to tap and hold on a bubble and select the option. Apple says users can edit or unsend a message for up to 15 minutes after sending it, or recover recently deleted messages for up to 30 days after deletion.
Apple also announced that SharePlay is coming directly to the Messages app. This functionality will allow SharePlay to be initiated in the Messages app, allowing you to watch a TV show or movie while you are messaging a friend, for example.
Apple today previewed iOS 16, the company's next major update for the iPhone, featuring a redesigned, customizable Lock Screen, improvements to Messages, Maps, and Home, new sharing and personalization capabilities, and more.
Lock Screen, Notifications, and Focus
An all-new, fully customizable Lock Screen allows users to edit a large number of design elements, including type styles and colors, for a more personalized look. The new Lock Screen includes a row of widgets and Apple says that there are millions of possible design combinations. Users can create multiple Lock Screens and switch between them easily by swiping.
Notifications now roll up from the bottom of the screen and can easily be hidden, ensuring users have a clear view of their personalized Lock Screen. Live Activities make it easier to keep track of events in real-time directly from the Lock Screen, such as when playing music or working out.
Focus modes have been refined in iOS 16, now allowing users to tie Focus modes to a specific customized Lock Screen. Focuses can also be activated by swiping between different dedicated Lock Screens. Focus filters allow users to filter out distracting content inside apps, such as tab groups in Safari, events in Calendar, or conversations in Messages.
Messages
Messages now includes the ability to edit and delete sent messages, and mark messages as unread. SharePlay sessions can be activated directly from the Messages app, while a new Shared With You API enables developers to integrate shared experiences directly into their apps.
Dictation, Siri, and Live Text
A new dictation experience keeps the keyboard open when speaking, allowing users to use a combination of speech and typing in real-time. Dictation also now automatically adds punctuation and emojis to messages, including via Siri. A new App Intents API allows Siri Shortcuts to start working with no setup.
Live Text expands to video in iOS 16, allowing users to select text in playing video. New quick actions in selected Live Text can provide relevant activities such as currency conversion, and users can translate text directly in the camera view. There are improvements to Visual Lookup, and touching and holding on to the subject of an image allows users to pull out subjects and drag them elsewhere.
Apple Pay and Wallet App
The Wallet app now allows users to share keys via a message. Apple Pay Later is a new service that allows users to pay for purchases in four installments over six weeks with zero interest and no fees. Apple Pay Later is available with every Apple Pay purchase.
Apple Pay Order Tracking makes it easier for users to keep track of purchases from retailers like Shopify and receive receipts.
Maps
Enhanced Apple Maps are expanding to many more countries and cities around the world. Multistop routing allows users to plan up to fifteen stops ahead of time. Users can plan a trip on Mac and send it to iPhone, and also add stops to a journey using Siri. Transit allows users to see the cost of a journey, and transit cards can be integrated more closely in Wallet, with the ability to see when balance is low.
Sports
The Apple TV app can now display information about sports games via Live Activities. Apple News allows users to follow their favorite teams and leagues for a dedicated view. The new sports features are available in the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia.
Family Sharing
Family Sharing includes easier ways to manage accounts for kids, including quicker ways to set age-appropriate restrictions and setup new devices. There is a simpler device setup experience with parental controls with Quick Start, Screen Time requests in Messages, and Family Checklist feature that allows users to be reminded about reviewing parental controls, and more.
iCloud Shared Photo Library allows up to six family members to contribute to an additional iCloud Photos Library. A switch directly in the Camera app can share new photos directly to the shared family library, and intelligent sharing suggestions make it easy to automatically add new photos based on specific criteria. All members have equal permissions and photos will appear in everyone's memories and widgets.
Safety Check
iOS 16 includes new privacy and safety features. Safety Check is a new section in Settings to review and edit any access granted to other users, providing a way to manage and revoke access quickly, reset privacy permissions, protect access to messages, and stop sharing location data.
Home App
The Home app is completely redesigned in iOS 16, featuring a new main tab view to see the entire home in one place. There are new dedicated categories along the top for climate, security, and more, while large, distinctive tiles ensure that accessories are more recognizable.
iOS 16 also brings underlying improvements to the Home app to make it more reliable, and supports the Matter standard. The new Home app is available across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Other Features
iOS 16 also includes improvements to Spatial Audio with AirPods, allowing users to use the TrueDepth camera on iPhone to create a more precise listening experience, QuickNote on the iPhone for the first time, new Mail features, Rapid Security Response, the Fitness app on the iPhone with no need for an Apple Watch, Spotlight in the dock, additional Memoji customizations, and more.
Availability
The first beta version of iOS 16 is available to developers today, while the public beta will be available in July. iOS 16 is supported on the iPhone 8 and newer.
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starts today with the traditional keynote kicking things off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
We're expecting to see a number of announcements, including iOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16, though it's unclear what else we'll be seeing at the event.
A redesigned MacBook Air tops the list of potential new hardware, but supply chain issues have raised uncertainty about whether it's ready to go. Apple's online store is currently down in advance of the keynote for the first time since 2017, potentially hinting that we may indeed see some new hardware today.
Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV and Developer apps across its platforms. We will also be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the keynote unfolds. Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.
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Ahead of WWDC 2022, Apple has received regulatory clearance from the FDA for a new atrial fibrillation history feature that is likely for the Apple Watch, according to a 510(k) filing spotted by MyHealthyApple, a website dedicated to wearable devices.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in April reported that Apple was planning to improve the Apple Watch's existing atrial fibrillation detection feature in the ECG app with a new capability to measure how long a person is in a state of atrial fibrillation across a certain period, known as a "burden." Gurman had said the feature could debut as part of watchOS 9, which is expected to be announced today during Apple's opening keynote at WWDC 2022.
The ECG app is available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer, excluding the Apple Watch SE. The app records an electrocardiogram to see if the upper and lower chambers of your heart are in rhythm, according to Apple. An irregular rhythm could be atrial fibrillation (AFib).
Apple's keynote begins at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with other announcements expected to include iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, tvOS 16, and possibly some new hardware, with rumors suggesting that a redesigned MacBook Air could be unveiled. Stay tuned to MacRumors.com for complete coverage of WWDC and follow @MacRumorsLive on Twitter.
Apple's online storefront has gone down ahead of the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote event, which is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
It has been several years since Apple released new hardware at WWDC, but the fact that the store is down suggests that we may be seeing some new devices today. Apple routinely closes the online store in the hours leading up to special events where new products are expected.
This is the first time that Apple's online store has gone down ahead of WWDC since 2017, when several hardware refreshes were announced for the iPad Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac. WWDC 2017 also saw Apple preview the iMac Pro and the original HomePod, which did not launch until December 2017 and February 2018, respectively.
Rumors have suggested that Apple could unveil the new 2022 MacBook Air at WWDC, with the device expected to feature a redesigned chassis that's more MacBook-like with no taper, several new iMac-like color options, white bezels, a white keyboard, and possibly, a faster M2 chip.
MacRumors.com will be offering news coverage and a live accounting of the WWDC keynote. Twitter users can also follow @MacRumorsLive for live updates.
Apple's WWDC 2022 begins today, with the event kicking off at 10:00 am Pacific Time via the traditional opening keynote. We know that some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event as it's being broadcast are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until the event video is available for on-demand viewing so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.
Apple's recent virtual events have been made available to view almost immediately following the conclusion of the broadcasts, and we expect similar timing for today's event.
Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events as they occur refrain from making any posts about Apple's announcements in this thread.
Just one day ahead of WWDC 2022, the all-new Apple Developer Center has opened, with developers able to receive a brief tour of the first floor.
A room in the Apple Developer Center via Paul Hudson
Located next to the Apple Park campus, Apple describes the Developer Center as a "world-class facility designed for our community to meet, collaborate with, and learn from our engineers, designers, and experts." The center includes dedicated developer lab areas, pods, briefing centers, a state-of-the-art studio/theater, and more.
Paul Hudson of Hacking with Swift visited the Apple Developer Center and shared some photos on Twitter. Notably, he revealed that all of the meeting room names in the Developer Center are named after macOS releases, such as Panther, Leopard, Tiger, and El Capitan. The studio space with a stage and seating is likewise named Big Sur.
According to Apple's schedule, the Developer Center will remain open until 6 p.m. Pacific Time today, and it will be open again starting at 7 a.m. Pacific Time tomorrow. Only those who were invited to WWDC 2022 can attend the open houses.
WWDC 2022 will be held online from June 6 through June 10, with sessions and other content to be made available on Apple's website and in the Apple Developer app free of charge. During the opening keynote, Apple is expected to announce its latest software platforms, including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16, and there is always a chance of a hardware announcement or two at the event.
Apple has been forced to delay the launch of its long-rumored AR/VR headset until next year due to thermal issues related to computing power with the processor, according to a new report from The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Apple headset render created by Ian Zelbo based on The Information reporting
Apple hired an engineer from Dolby Technologies, Mike Rockwell, and tasked him with leading the [AR/VR] effort. His early efforts to create an augmented-reality product were hobbled by weak computing power, two people familiar with the project said. Continuing challenges with its battery power have forced Apple to postpone its release until next year, those people said.
Multiple reports in the last several months have indicated that the headset would not launch this year, despite speculation Apple could announce it during WWDC that starts on Monday. Bloomberg'sMark Gurmanreported in January that the headset faced a potential delay until 2023 due to development issues related to performance and thermals.
Apple's board has reportedly received a demo of the mixed-reality headset, indicating that despite reports of development issues, the headset is nearing completion. While Apple is highly unlikely to announce the headset on Monday during WWDC, it will announce iOS 16 and new tools for developers to create hands-free experiences and expanded use cases of Shortcuts and QR codes, according to the report.
It's that time of year again as the calendar flips over to June! Apple's developer conference kicks off on Monday and we've seen a flurry of last-minute rumors even as much of what to expect remains a mystery.
This week saw rumors about some of the changes coming in iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, while we also heard details about the iPhone 14 lineup we're not expecting to see until the usual September timeframe, so read on below for all the details from the week leading up to WWDC!
What to Expect at WWDC 2022: iOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9 and Possibly New Macs
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has aimed to announce a new MacBook Air with an M2 chip at WWDC this year, but the unveil could be pushed back due to lockdowns in China affecting production. On the other hand, Gurman believes that a full-scale presentation of Apple's long-rumored AR/VR headset is unlikely at the event.
iOS 16 Lock Screen Enhancements, Redesigned Mac Apps, and More Expected at WWDC
One of the built-in apps that will receive a redesign on macOS 13 will reportedly be System Preferences, which is expected to receive an overhaul that will make it more similar to the Settings app on the iPhone and iPad.
Apple Aiming to Make iPad More Mac-Like With iPadOS 16 Multitasking Changes
The multitasking improvements should allow for a more Mac-like experience on the iPad, which is something that many power users have been asking for. However, the extent of the changes remains to be seen.
Apple's WWDC 2022 Event Page Features Animated AR Trading Cards
Apple this week added WWDC 2022 to its events website, and if you visit the page on an iPhone or iPad, there is a fun augmented reality easter egg.
An always-on display mode could result in iPhone 14 Pro models persistently displaying glanceable information, such as the time, with the refresh rate dropping down to as low as 1Hz to preserve battery life.
iPhone 14 Lineup Expected to Start With Increased 6GB RAM
All four iPhone 14 models launching later this year will be equipped with 6GB of RAM, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce.
TrendForce also said iPhone 14 Pro models will be upgraded to a faster and more power efficient type of RAM known as LPDDR5, while the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max models are expected to stick with LPDDR4X like the iPhone 13 lineup.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
The upcoming 2022 MacBook Air is not expected to come in a range of colors similar to the 24-inch iMac, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a tweet, Gurman says that the MacBook Air is likely to come in the standard space gray, silver, and gold colors, similar to prior models.
Reports of multiple color options are likely "exaggerated," according to Gurman, who says he is not expecting much more than the typical MacBook Air colors, but the gold color could be more of a champagne. He also says that it will be available in his "favorite iMac color," a shade of blue.
The much-reported idea of the new MacBook Air coming in a range of “several colors” is probably exaggerated. Right now it comes in space gray, silver and gold. I wouldn’t expect more than those colors (though the new gold will be more champagne like) plus my favorite iMac color. pic.twitter.com/vYl56FOikg
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) June 3, 2022
Rumors have indicated that the MacBook Air will feature off-white bezels and an off-white keyboard, drawing similarities to the 24-inch iMac and fueling expectations of a wider range of colors. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuoin March said the next MacBook Air would feature "more color options" but he did not provide specific details, and there have been no concrete rumors on color options.
The upcoming MacBook Air is expected to feature a redesigned chassis that's similar to the MacBook Pro, doing away with the tapered design. It is not yet clear if it will have a notch, but it seems to be a possibility.
Some rumors have suggested the MacBook Air will have a next-generation M2 chip, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that it will continue to use an M1 chip, with Apple instead offering the new design as the main selling point.
The MacBook Air could be unveiled as soon as next Monday, as Gurman has said that Apple might introduce it at the Worldwide Developers Conference. For more on what to expect from the WWDC keynote, we have a dedicated guide that outlines all of the rumors we've heard so far.
Apple's 33rd annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to kick off on Monday, June 6 at 10:00 a.m. Like the 2020 and 2021 events, it will be held in a digital-only capacity, so it is free for all developers worldwide to attend.
The keynote event will give us our first look at new operating system updates, including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, tvOS 16, and watchOS 9, plus rumors suggest we could see some new hardware. Everything we've heard about this year's event is outlined below.
iOS 16
Most of the rumors about iOS 16 have been vague, so we know little about the operating system update at this time. In years past, new versions of iOS have leaked out early and have given us insight into the feature set that's coming, but that didn't happen this year.
That said, we have heard some rumors about what to expect, with much of the information sourced from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has reliable sources with information on Apple's plans.
Rumored New Features
Overhauled Lock screen with wallpapers that have "widget-like capabilities."
There will be "significant" improvements to notifications, though we don't know specific details.
Messages app with "social network-like functionality" with a specific focus on audio messages.
Health app with expanded sleep tracking functionality and medicine management. Apple is working on a tool that will let users scan their pill bottles into the app, plus there are new women's health features expected.
Fresh Apple apps are in the works, with no more specific information.
Apple is also working on "new ways of system interaction," but it's not quite clear what that means.
New Fitness+ workout types.
Apple Music classical app with interface based on Primephonic, an app Apple acquired in 2021.
Possible Features Based on iPhone 14 Rumors
Always-on display for iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max (not coming until September).
Likely revamped status bar interface for iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max to accommodate hole punch and pill design that is expected to replace the notch on those devices.
The iPhone 14 models are expected to get a car crash detection feature, which would dial emergency services automatically when a collision is detected. This would require new iOS 16 functionality.
Apple may also add a satellite-based emergency feature to the iPhone 14 models, which would be supported in iOS 16. This feature would let iPhones send texts in emergency situations when there is no cellular coverage, and report major emergencies when coverage is not available.
iPadOS 16 will get many of the new features that are introduced in iOS 16, but Apple is also working on additional functionality that's iPad specific.
With iPadOS 16, Apple is aiming to make the iPad behave more like a laptop than a smartphone, and the new iPad software will be one of the biggest updates announced at WWDC.
The update will feature a redesigned multitasking interface that makes it easier to swap between tasks and see which apps are open, plus it will allow users to resize windows. Apple also plans to implement new ways for users to deal with multiple apps at once, in what sounds like a much more Mac-like multitasking experience.
macOS 13
We don't know much about the feature set coming to macOS 13, as there have been few leaks. It is rumored to feature an overhauled System Preferences interface that will bring it more in line with the Settings app on iPhone and iPad, with the update to include individual settings organized by app.
Apple is also expected to revamp some of the default apps, so we could see improvements to Messages, Mail, Safari, and more. Messages in particular is rumored to be getting social network-like functionality with enhancements to audio messages. That's an iOS 16 rumor, but Messages usually has feature parity across platforms.
As for naming, macOS 13 could be macOS Mammoth, based on Apple trademark filings. Apple way back in 2013 registered trademarks for many California landmarks and Mammoth is the one that's been kept active the longest, though its status is unknown at this time and Apple has in the past chosen some names that were never on that list, so the naming isn't certain.
watchOS 9
watchOS 9 will have some updates that impact the day-to-day operation and navigation on the wrist-worn device.
Updated power saving mode that will allow for the use of apps and features while cutting down on battery usage.
Expanded atrial fibrillation detection feature with added "burden," aka how often a person is in a state of atrial fibrillation across a period of time.
Improved health and activity tracking.
More workout types.
Additional metrics for running workouts.
Refresh for existing watch faces.
tvOS 16
tvOS doesn't often get as many new features as other operating system updates, and we don't know a lot about tvOS 16, but it is rumored to include new smart home tie-ins. You may be able to do more with your smart home products through the Apple TV following the launch of the update.
Hardware Possibilities
The past several WWDC events have focused solely on software and have not included hardware announcements, so it's not yet clear if we're going to see any hardware unveiled at this year's event. If we do, the below listed devices are the most likely candidates.
MacBook Air
If Apple does plan to introduce new Macs at the event, the MacBook Air is the device we're likely to see, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple is reportedly "aiming" to introduce the MacBook Air at the event, but COVID-related supply chain issues in China could prevent Apple from doing so.
The next-generation MacBook Air is expected to feature a total design overhaul with a MacBook Pro-like shape that does away with the tapered body. It will be thinner and lighter, and it is expected to come in multiple colors, including space gray, silver, a champagne color, and blue. The MacBook Air is expected to feature slim off-white bezels and a matching off-white keyboard, and it could be around 13.6 inches in size.
The MacBook Air will probably be equipped with a next-generation M2 chip, which is expected to feature the same number of computing cores as the M1 (eight), but it will include speed improvements that make it marginally faster. It is also rumored to have improved graphics with nine or 10 GPU cores, up from seven or eight in the current M1 MacBook Air.
The M2 chip will be the first upgrade to the M1-series chips that Apple has been using in Apple silicon devices to date. Though many rumors have suggested the MacBook Air will feature an M2 chip, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple could focus on the redesign rather than new chip technology.
He has said the next-generation TSMC N3 and N4P fabrication processes will not be ready for mass production until 2023, so Apple will only be able to introduce an iterative update expected to use the same N5P chip used for the A15 and the M1.
Back in 2019, the redesigned modular Mac Pro was shown off at WWDC ahead of its late 2019 launch, and there's a possibility that we could see a similar unveiling this year.
Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus confirmed at the spring event that there is an Apple silicon version of the Mac Pro in the works, and it is expected to be coming at some point in 2022.
Apple could perhaps give us a small preview of the Mac Pro ahead of a launch coming later in the year.
Rumors suggest the Mac Pro will feature a chip even more powerful than the M1 Ultra used in the Mac Studio. It is expected to feature up to 40 CPU cores and 128 graphics cores, which would make it twice as powerful as the M1 Ultra.
Apple could introduce an M1 Ultra successor that is in fact two M1 Ultra chips linked together, as the M1 Ultra itself is essentially two connected M1 Max chips. If that's the case, the upcoming Mac Pro chip will be four times as powerful as the M1 Max.
AR/VR Headset?
There were rumors last year that Apple's long-rumored AR/VR headset could see an introduction at the 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference, but it looks like that's not going to happen.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have said that the headset is simply not ready to be introduced at this point in time, as Apple still has kinks to work out. Kuo believes that Apple will launch the headset in 2023, and Gurman has said that Apple does not have plans for a "full-blown announcement" of the headset at WWDC.
That said, a trademark for "realityOS," the operating system for the headset, was discovered recently, and it features a foreign filing date deadline of June 8, 2022. That's a legal requirement, and it appears that the date is unrelated to WWDC and is a coincidence.
MacRumors Coverage
Apple plans to live stream the WWDC keynote on its website, the Apple TV app, and YouTube, but for those unable to watch, we'll be covering the event on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
We'll also have in-depth coverage of all of Apple's announcements throughout the rest of the week and going forward as we test the new software.
Apple's 33rd Worldwide Developers Conference officially kicks off on Monday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time with a keynote where the company will reveal iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, tvOS 16, and possibly some new hardware.
While WWDC is a software-heavy event, Apple has previewed and announced hardware during the conference in past years. Ahead of this year's conference and amid rumors of a possible Mac-focused announcement on Monday, we thought it'd be fun to take a trip down memory lane and relive some of Apple's biggest hardware news at WWDC.
WWDC 2017: HomePod, iMac Pro, and More
To kick this list off, we'll start at WWDC 2017, where Apple announced and previewed a host of new and updated products. The most notable announcement at that WWDC was the HomePod, a now-discontinued smart speaker that struggled to gain momentum.
The second most notable was the preview of the all-new iMac Pro, an also now-discontinued product that was a 27-inch high-end iMac that Apple hoped would cater to the needs of professional customers. The iMac Pro retained the same design as the standard 27-inch iMac, also now discontinued, but in a "badass space gray finish."
While Apple announced the iMac Pro in June, it didn't begin shipping to customers until December. Apple also gave its lineup of MacBooks a spec bump with Intel's Kaby Lake processors. Apple also refreshed the 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs, now both discontinued, with brighter displays, faster storage, and performance.
Outside the Mac and the HomePod, Apple replaced the 9.7-inch iPad Pro with an all-new 10.5-inch model and a redesigned 12.9-inch design. Both iPads were the first to feature Apple's ProMotion technology which has since expanded to the iPhone and MacBook Pro.
WWDC 2018: Nothing
Following a jam-packed hardware WWDC a year before, at WWDC 2018, Tim Cook seemingly intentionally kicked the conference right off by dismissing any hope that the event will include any hardware announcements. "Today is all about software, and we've got some very exciting updates," Cook said.
WWDC 2019: Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR
At Apple's last in-person WWDC in 2019, the company previewed the completely redesigned Mac Pro and accompanying Pro Display XDR.
The Pro Display XDR and the Mac Pro were made available to customers later that year. Apple likely decided to preview both new products at WWDC since they targeted professional customers, not mainstream consumers.
WWDC 2020: Apple Silicon Transition
At WWDC 2020, Apple didn't explicitly announce a new hardware product, but it did announce a major change for the Mac: it would be moving to Apple silicon. Intel processors had powered the Mac since 2005, and Apple announced its transition away from Intel during the conference.
As part of the transition announcement, Apple gave select developers access to Developer Transition Kits, including a Mac mini outfitted with an A12Z chip. The Mac mini helped developers prepare their apps for the Apple silicon architecture. The first Apple silicon Mac would not get announced until November, but the announcement at WWDC paved the way for the next generation of Mac hardware.
WWDC 2021: Nothing, Again
Like WWDC 2018, WWDC 2021 included no new hardware, and it focused on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
WWDC 2022: Time Will Tell
Other than a relatively significant number of changes and new features coming to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, we don't know what Apple has in store for WWDC 2022. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has cast doubt that Apple will showcase its long-rumored AR/VR headset on Monday. Instead, Gurman believes that if any hardware announcement occurs, it's likely to be a redesigned MacBook Air.
Apple teased the release of an Apple silicon Mac Pro during its last event in March, and it remains unclear when a high-end Apple silicon Mac could launch. Given that Apple previewed a Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR at WWDC 2019, one could assume we could hear some news about a new Mac Pro on Monday, but only time will tell.
Apple plans to live stream the WWDC keynote on its website, the Apple TV app, and YouTube, but for those unable to watch, we'll be covering the event on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
We'll also have in-depth coverage of all of Apple's announcements throughout the rest of the week and going forward as we test the new software.
We're recapping the week's best deals today, including all-time low prices that are still up for grabs on the Apple TV 4K and Apple Watch Series 7, along with steep markdowns on AirPods and AirTag.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
One of the first notable deals of the week was on the 32GB Apple TV 4K, which dropped to $149.99 on Amazon, down from $179.00. This is a record low price on this model of the Apple TV 4K, and the 64GB device is also seeing a record low discount to $169.99.
As we've seen over the past few weeks, Apple's line of AirPods remain at solid low prices on Amazon. You can get the AirPods 2 for $99.99 ($29 off), AirPods 3 for $149.99 ($29 off), AirPods Pro for $179.99 ($69 off), and AirPods Max for $449.99 ($99 off). These are all among the best prices we've seen so far in 2022.
This week saw an ongoing string of great discounts across the Apple Watch family, including record lows on the Apple Watch Series 7 and Apple Watch SE. The former model saw prices starting at $329.00 for the 41mm GPS device, and reaching up to $70 off on Amazon.
There was also a rare ultra-low discount on the 45mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 7, available for $410.00, down from $529.00. This $119 off markdown is the best deal we've seen on any Cellular Series 7 model, and it's still on sale now.
AirTag and MagSafe
What's the deal? Take up to $19 off Apple's AirTag and MagSafe accessories
Apple's AirTag 4-Pack dropped to $89.00 this week on Amazon, down from $99.00. Along with that sale, we saw discounts arrive for the MagSafe Battery Pack at $79.99 ($19 off) and the MagSafe Charger at $34.00 ($5 off).
Flexibits Premium
What's the deal? Take 75% off your first year of Flexibits Premium
In our latest exclusive deal we partnered with Flexibits to offer our readers 75 percent off their first year of Flexibits Premium, which includes access to Fantastical and Cardhop. The deal can be acquired by clicking on the header on Flexibits' website to redeem 75 percent off your next purchase.
You'll need to create a Flexibits account and begin a 14 day free trial of Flexibits Premium, either for an Individual or Family Plan, and the 75 percent off sale will be applied to either option. Fantastical is a calendar app that can sync across apps for Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Similarly, Cardhop can sync across Apple devices and provides a more in-depth contact management platform.
Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.
Apple today updated its iOS 15 installation numbers for the first time in five months, giving us a clearer picture of just how many devices are running the latest update nine months after it launched and ahead of the introduction of iOS 16.
iOS 15 is now installed on 89 percent of iPhones introduced in the last four years, while 10 percent continue to run iOS 14. Just one percent have an earlier version of iOS installed.
When taking into account iPhones released more than four years ago, 82 percent of all devices are running iOS 15. 14 percent are running iOS 14, and four percent are running an earlier version of iOS.
Apple last updated its iOS 15 installation numbers in January, and adoption rates have risen since then. Back in January, just 72 percent of iPhones introduced in the last four years were running iOS 15. Since January, Apple has added multiple new features through iOS updates, including iOS 15.4, a major update that broughtFace ID with a Mask support, Universal Control, and new emojis.
As for iPadOS, 79 percent of all iPads introduced in the last four years are running iPadOS 15, while 18 percent still have iPadOS 14 installed, and three percent are running an earlier version of iPadOS. 72 percent of all iPads, including those released more than four years ago, have iPadOS 15 installed. 18 percent are running iPadOS 14, and 10 percent are running an earlier version of iPadOS.
Apple splits its installation numbers into separate groups because there are still devices in the wild that are not capable of running iOS 15 or iPadOS 15. iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 installation numbers had lagged behind prior updates like iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 since launch, but things have evened out.
In June 2021, iOS 14 was installed on 90 percent of iPhones released in the last four years, while 85 percent of all devices were running the update, which is not too far off of the iOS 15 installation numbers.
Earlier today, we shared iOS 15 installation numbers from Mixpanel. Mixpanel estimated that the update was installed on 90 percent of devices, which was close to Apple's own numbers.
Next Monday, Apple will introduce iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, and work on iOS 15 will taper off as Apple works to get the new software ready for a fall launch. We'll get a few bug fix updates before iOS 16 launches, but we are not expecting any more major features to come in iOS 15.
Samsung is planning to build a new production line in South Korea to make larger OLED displays suitable for tablets and notebooks, with the company ultimately aiming to fulfill orders for future Apple products, according to The Elec.
The Elec previously reported that Apple plans to release its first iPad Pro models with OLED displays in 2024 and said that Samsung would produce displays for those models at one of its existing lines. Samsung's future production line would be located at a different factory and be capable of creating OLED displays large enough for notebooks, paving the way for a MacBook Pro with an OLED display, which is rumored to launch in 2025 or later.
Apple has been transitioning its iPad and MacBook lines to mini-LED displays over the last year, and OLED would be the next step after that. Unlike mini-LED displays, OLED panels use self-emitting pixels and do not require backlighting, which could improve contrast ratio and contribute to longer battery life on future iPad and MacBook models. Apple already uses OLED displays for its latest iPhones and all Apple Watch models.
In the meantime, Apple is rumored to be planning more devices with mini-LED displays, including a new 27-inch monitor that could essentially be a Studio Display Pro.
Satechi today launched the USB-C Slim Dock accessory for the 24-inch iMac, priced at $149.99. For a limited time, you can save 20 percent on this accessory by entering the code IMAC20 at checkout, dropping the price of the dock to $120.00.
The USB-C Slim Dock was designed to fit the 24-inch iMac and provides a built-in enclosure to add external storage to the iMac, as well as easier access to various ports. These ports include 1x 10 Gbps USB-C data port, 1x 10 Gbps USB-A data port, 2x USB-A 2.0 ports, micro/SD card reader slots, and a built-in NVMe/SATA enclosure.
The NVMe/SATA enclosure lets you add external storage to your 24-inch iMac, which is not possible to do internally on this iMac lineup. The accessory fits M.2 NVMe SSDs or M.2 SATA SSDs within a small slot underneath the USB-C Slim Dock.
The dock comes in silver and blue color options, matching the respective colors of the 24-inch iMac. You can get the USB-C Slim Dock on Satechi's website for the discounted price of $120.00 today, just remember to enter the code IMAC20 at checkout. This deal will last through June 13 before it expires.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Satechi. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE is down to $229.00 on Amazon today, from $309.00. Only the Silver Aluminum model with the Abyss Blue Sport Band is available at this price.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is an all-time low price on this version of the Apple Watch SE, and only Amazon is offering the discount. The watch is in stock now, with a delivery estimate of early next week for most places in the United States.
If you're shopping for the Apple Watch Series 7, be sure to visit our recent article covering a few different discounts across GPS and Cellular models. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
