Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference tends to eschew new hardware in favor of updates to Cupertino's myriad software platforms. And that appears to be the case at WWDC 2024, with no hardware planned for a reveal at the show.
That leaves one wondering what to expect at this year's WWDC. Well, based on the rumors so far and some educated speculation about what came before and the state of the tech world, we can have a good idea of what we think will be shown.
Without further ado, read on for five things to expect from WWDC 2024.
Lots of AI
Given that the Samsung Galaxy S24 phones come packed with generative AI tools and that Google I/O was all about AI, we'd bet a lot that Apple will also lean into AI for its software platforms.
Now Apple is no stranger to AI, with smart algorithms used to stitch stunning photos into iPhones and its in-house designed chips coming with Neural Engine dedicated to processing machine learning workloads.
But Apple has yet to delve into generative AI, whereby smart tools can create new things instead of optimizing existing data or enhancing photos and videos. So we can expect Apple to show off some generative AI technology, such as smart editing tools in Final Cut Pro, automatic FaceTime call summarization, or instant agendas based on meetings or vacation bookings.
As Apple products have often been creators' tools, we can expect AI's generative capabilities to lean into productivity; for example, helping photo editors or intelligently testing code for errors.
Whether Apple develops its own AI models or partners with companies like ChatGPT, we can expect multimodal AI (where data can be processed from multiple inputs, sensors, and sources) to play a role, given the efforts of Apple's AI will surely spread across its ecosystem rather than being limited to devices like macOS or iOS.
Siri smarter
Rumors have been circulating that virtual assistant Siri will get a proper AI upgrade, potentially with the help of ChatGPT.
While Siri arguably spearheaded the rise of virtual assistants with its debut on the iPhone 4S, it's now considered a bit dumb compared to the capabilities and accuracy of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Therefore, a new injection of intelligence, particularly better understanding of natural language, better search capabilities, and access to a multimodal artificial intelligence model, could make Siri much more capable.
We're talking about the ability to understand compound sentences in natural language, for example, telling you to make a list of restaurants to visit based on a person's travel schedule or to plan an entire vacation by absorbing data on flights and hotels booked.
These updates, combined with the broad reach of Apple's iPhones, could bring Siri back into the realm of virtual assistants.
Big changes for iOS 18 and iPadOS 18
Apple can't have a WWDC without introducing iOS, this year in its 18th version. And we hope Apple gives us a comprehensive look at the new features, tweaks and changes that will come with iOS 18.
The highlight (and you've probably sniffed out a theme here) will probably be the integration of new and improved AI features. According to rumors, this could involve using the ChatGPT integration across the platform.
It's not yet clear what form this will take, but it will likely be a follow-up to a smarter Siri, with features like smart email replies or AI-powered editing in the Photos app, and smart playlist composition in Apple Music. in iOS 18.
The same is likely to happen with iPadOS 18, given its close relationship with iOS. Ideally, we would see more productivity and creativity-driven tools to harness the potential of the new M4 chip-equipped iPad Air and iPad Pro models. A more desktop-like environment when the aforementioned iPads are connected to a Magic Keyboard would be nice, but that could be wishful thinking.
Expect things like new accessibility settings and some design tweaks on both iOS and iPadOS.
Smart things in macOS 15
Like iOS, the next version of macOS, which will have its 15th version, will be shown at WWDC 2024. And you can expect many of the features added to cross-ecosystem apps like Notes, Pages, Safari, and more. to make its way to macOS equivalents.
I don't want to sound like a broken record here, but generative AI will surely have a place in macOS. We can see it as smart ways to summarize documents, presentations, and web pages, smart editing tools, smart assistance in coding environments, web search improvements, and other productivity-focused features.
Likewise, we can expect to see some design tweaks to the look and feel of macOS, potentially with improved features and accessibility options, and perhaps more customization possibilities.
AI and watchOS
To beat the AI drum once again, we can expect some AI-based smart generative features to potentially be added to watchOS and get a full look at watchOS 11. The AI would likely be used in conjunction with a connected iPhone that would take care of the prosecution. , with the goal of analyzing data from physical activity tracking and sensors to create tailored and personalized workouts for users.
You can see the incorporation of AI-powered virtual trainers and trainers and the clever use of an iPhone's cameras to film a person's pose and poise when doing activities like yoga and then having an Apple Watch use guidance prompts. audio and haptics to tell a person to have a perfect form. .
We'd also expect to see new capabilities in watchOS, such as better health tracking and detection of issues like atrial fibrillation; but let's not expect the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to return oxygen to the blood.
And the rest…
We don't expect to see a big focus on Apple's audio or home tech, but we can expect some AI features to trickle down to the rest of Apple's ecosystem, like adding smart fit for AirPods based on where a person or their device is located. ability. to create smart home routines through Apple's HomeKit and Home app.
The Apple Vision Pro will surely appear, and will likely get a boost in features and broader use cases. But since mixed reality headsets aren't exactly a must-have device right now, Apple may not be paying much attention to it.
We'll bring you the latest news from WWDC 2024, so stay with TechRadar. And if you want to follow the live stream yourself, check out our guide on how to watch WWDC 2024.
