What to Expect at WWDC 2021: iOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8, New MacBook Pro?

Apple's 32nd annual Worldwide Developers Conference will continue to be held in a digital-only capacity much like the 2020 WWDC event, which means it's free for all developers worldwide to attend.


Apple is holding a virtual keynote that will take place on Monday, June 7, with the event set to give us our first look at new operating system updates. We don't know a lot about this year's event, but everything that we're expecting to see based on rumors has been highlighted below.

New MacBook Pro?

Apple is working on new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models that could perhaps see a launch at WWDC. The rumor comes from leaker Jon Prosser, who has something of a mixed track record when it comes to predicting Apple's plans. Other more reliable sources have pointed more broadly to a launch in the second half of the year and haven't pinpointed June as a specific launch month for the new machines.

Flat 2021 MacBook Pro Mockup Feature 1
Analysts from Wedbush and Morgan Stanley have also said that new Apple silicon Macs could debut at WWDC, but a recent DigiTimes report said that redesigned ‌MacBook Pro‌ models won't be shipping to customers until late 2021, so it's unclear what's going to happen.

Apple has in the past launched new hardware at WWDC, but since 2017, WWDC events have focused on software. MacRumors recently discovered a database listing for a battery that could be used in the next-generation ‌MacBook Pro‌, but that also doesn't offer a clear picture on a release timeline.

The new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models will feature the most radical redesign to the ‌MacBook Pro‌ lineup since 2016. Apple is reintroducing the MagSafe port, and the new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models will include an HDMI port and an SD Card reader in addition to a trio of Thunderbolt/USB-C ports.

Ports 2021 MacBook Pro Mockup Feature 1 copy
There will be no Touch Bar, with Apple instead returning to a traditional function row of keys, and there will also be a redesigned thermal system to accommodate the upgraded Apple silicon chips that the machines are expected to include. Additional color options are also a possibility.

A complete overview of all the rumors we've heard about new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models so far can be found in our 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro guide.

Apple Silicon Updates

Even if we don't end up getting new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models at WWDC, we could possibly hear about the next-generation Apple silicon chips that are in the works.

Apple is working on 10-core Apple silicon chips for the ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, with the chips expected to include eight high-performance cores and two energy-efficient cores, along with 16 or 32-core GPU options and support for up to 64GB RAM.

m2 feature purple
Higher-end chips are coming too. For a future Mac Pro, Apple is working on Apple silicon chip options with 20 or 40 computing cores, made up of 16 or 32 high-performance cores and four or eight high-efficiency cores. These upgraded chips are also expected to include 64 or 128 core GPUs, and at the top of the line, the graphics chips would be several times faster than the graphics modules Apple uses from Nvidia and AMD.

Last year, Apple unveiled details about Apple silicon chips, but it was when developers needed to prepare for the transition to Arm technology. That's not the case this year, so there's no clear word on if we might get more Apple silicon info at WWDC.

For more on what to expect from the next-generation Apple silicon chips, we have a dedicated Apple silicon guide.

iOS and iPadOS 15

There have been several years where early versions of iOS leaked, giving us a clear picture of what to expect from the next-generation version of the iPhone's operating system, but that didn't happen this year. We've heard little about iOS and iPadOS 15, but there have been a few hints about what to expect, mainly sourced from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

iOS 15 icon mock in article

Notification Updates

‌iPhone‌ and iPad users will be able to set notification preferences based on their status. So if you're awake, for example, you might set your ‌iPhone‌ to send notifications with sound, while sound might be disabled if you're sleeping.

Users will be able to select from categories like driving, working, or sleeping, and there will be a feature for creating custom categories for handling incoming notifications in different ways, along with new settings for automatic replies. Menu options for selecting a mode will be available on the Lock Screen and in the Control Center.

iMessage Changes

Apple is updating iMessage to better compete with other messaging apps like WhatsApp, but what new features we can expect remains unknown.

Last year, there was evidence that Apple was testing features like retracting sent messages, group chat typing indicators, and marking messages as unread, but none of these materialized in the iOS 14 update. It's possible that we might see some of these surface in the iOS 15 update.

Privacy Enhancements

Apple plans to enhance user privacy even further with the addition of a new menu that shows which apps silently collect data from users.

Food Tracking

An unconfirmed rumor has suggested that Apple is planning to add a new food tracking feature to the Health app, but it is not clear how expansive it might be. It could allow users to log the food items that they consume, providing nutritional details and calorie tracking through a built-in database, or it could be something more simple where users are required to manually enter information.

Interface Updates

We've seen some minor interface changes spotted in screenshots of Accessibility features coming in iOS 15, with Apple using inset cells and merged navigation bars in the Settings app. These changes could also be brought to other areas of the operating system.

Apple is also said to be making some minor tweaks to the colors that are used when an ‌iPhone‌ is in Dark Mode.

New iPad Home Screen

Apple is working on a new Home Screen for the ‌iPad‌ that will let users place widgets anywhere. An entire app grid will be replaceable with widgets on the ‌iPad‌, a design that is available already on the ‌iPhone‌.

Accessibility Updates

Apple is working on several new Accessibility features that are likely to debut in iOS 15, including Background Sounds, an option that will allow ‌iPhone‌ users to play various soothing sounds like ocean, rain, or white noise to drown out unwanted environmental or external noise.

AssistiveTouch, another new feature, will let the Apple Watch be used without the need to touch the display or the controls. the optical heart rate sensor, and on-device machine learning will let Apple Watch detect subtle differences in muscle movement and tendon activity that will control a cursor on the screen through hand gestures like a pinch or a clench.

Apple is also working on ‌iPad‌ eye-tracking, more inclusive Memoji, MFi hearing aid improvements, and more.

Other New Features

The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern said on the Friday before WWDC that she's heard Apple will introduce improvements to Safari, iMessage, Maps, and Health, but she did not provide additional context.

Read More

For more on what's coming in iOS 15, we have a dedicated iOS 15 roundup with more details.

macOS 12

As little as we know about iOS 15, we know even less about macOS 12, the next-generation version of the Mac's operating system. We do expect it to be labeled macOS 12, however. For a long time, macOS updates were labeled as 10.x, but with the launch of macOS Big Sur, Apple jumped to macOS 11. We've already had 11.x software updates, so the next-generation version of macOS will be macOS 12.

Apple will also give the operating system the name of a California landmark. Apple has been using California landmark names since 2013, and so far, we've had Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, and Big Sur.

There's no word yet on what Apple will use for macOS 12, but the company has trademarked Mammoth, Monterey, and Skyline. Trademarks aren't a good guide to names, though, because Apple has used several names without trademarking them.

watchOS 8

Apple will introduce a new version of watchOS, watchOS 8, but what it will include is unknown at this time. Some of the features expected in iOS will naturally extend to watchOS, like the notification updates, but we don't know what's coming beyond that.

tvOS 15

We've also heard no hints of what to expect for tvOS 15, but a new version of tvOS always accompanies new versions of iOS.

homeOS?

In the days before WWDC, Apple mistakenly referenced "homeOS" as an operating system in a job listing before later removing it. There's a possibility that tvOS will be renamed to homeOS, given that tvOS is the operating system that runs on both the Apple TV and the HomePod. It's also possible that the "homeOS" mention was just a mistake on Apple's part.

homeOS2

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.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

Apple Announces iOS 18.2 Launching Today With These New Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing. For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Second Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb 3

iPhone SE 4 Said to Feature 48MP Rear Lens, 12MP TrueDepth Camera

Monday December 9, 2024 4:48 am PST by
Apple's forthcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, according to details revealed in a new Korean supply chain report. ET News reports that Korea-based LG Innotek is the main supplier of the front and rear camera modules for the more budget-friendly ~$400 device, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of...
iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full Release Notes for iOS 18.2

Thursday December 5, 2024 11:48 am PST by
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch. The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Friday December 6, 2024 4:42 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

MacBook Pros With OLED Displays Won't Have a Notch, Roadmap Shows

Monday December 9, 2024 7:36 am PST by
Apple plans to remove the notch from the MacBook Pro in a few years from now, according to a roadmap shared by research firm Omdia. The roadmap shows that 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2026 will have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display, instead of a notch. It is unclear if there would simply be a pinhole in the display, or if Apple would expand the iPhone's...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
vipps nfc tap to pay iphone

World's First Apple Pay Alternative for iPhone Launches in Norway

Monday December 9, 2024 1:28 am PST by
Norwegian payment service Vipps has become the world's first company to launch a competing tap-to-pay solution to Apple Pay on iPhone, following Apple's agreement with European regulators to open up its NFC technology to third parties. Starting December 9, Vipps users in Norway can make contactless payments in stores using their iPhones. The service initially supports customers of SpareBank...

Top Rated Comments

StupidOpinion Avatar
46 months ago

Also hoping for: No MBP so Prosser can be proven wrong.
some people just like to see the world burn
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Serban55 Avatar
46 months ago
Expect this from Gpu department for the 16 and 32 cores MBP
This is becoming hilarious comparing with the competition

Attachment Image
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
46 months ago

Yay, it's the what to expect article, right on time the Friday before. I love predictability.

Hoping for: iPadOS 15 to exceed expectations.

Also hoping for: No MBP so Prosser can be proven wrong.
Prosser has been shown to be wrong several times and he still gets front page coverage at MR. I don't see that changing.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nt5672 Avatar
46 months ago
Its about time for a "Were fixing the stuff we should have got right to begin with release." Sadly this needs to happen every couple of years now.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Techwatcher Avatar
46 months ago
Logic Pro for iPad, Final Cut Pro for iPad, Xcode for iPad, better window management for iPadOS, better file system for iPadOS, Beats Studio Buds, and the new Mac Mini. That's what I want to see.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Duane Martin Avatar
46 months ago
Nice to have an Apple Event where we do not know many details about what will be announced. Actually looking forward to this and expecting more than a few surprises. Fingers crossed we will see a legitimately Pro version of iPadOS for the new iPads and some indications of what to expect from the future of Apple Silicon.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)