What to Expect in Apple’s June 2024 WWDC. Software and AI over Hardware?

Forget fancy new gadgets this year, Apple’s WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) is all about software upgrades, especially when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) for iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Here’s a cheat sheet to get you prepped:

How to Watch the Keynote:

Catch the live stream on June 10th at 10 am Pacific Time (1 pm Eastern) on Apple’s website or YouTube channel.

What to Expect: AI Takes Center Stage

Remember how Google and Microsoft have been crushing it with AI lately? Well, this year, rumours suggest Apple’s stepping up their AI game with a major push across all their operating systems. Analysts are even calling it “the biggest Apple event in over a decade” – no pressure!

iOS 18: Making AI Useful, Not Gimmicky

While other companies are showing off flashy AI features, Apple seems to be taking a more practical approach with iOS 18. Think of it as AI that blends seamlessly into your everyday apps, like Photos, Safari, Messages, and Notes. Mark Gurman, an Apple expert, says they’re focusing on “tools you can actually use in your daily life.”

AI Goodness Galore

• Smart Recap: Get quick summaries of emails, texts, documents, and webpages – no more information overload!
• App Boosts: Search for stuff faster with an improved Spotlight search, get quicker results on Safari, and even transcribe voice memos with ease.
• Custom Emoji on Demand: Generate emoji based on what you’re texting in real-time – perfect for expressing yourself in a whole new way.
• Suggested Replies: Stuck for words? AI-powered suggestions can help you respond to messages and emails like a champ.
• Magic Eraser, Apple Edition: Say goodbye to photobombers with a feature similar to Google’s Magic Eraser, letting you remove unwanted objects from your pics using AI.

Keeping Your Privacy in Check

Apple’s all about user privacy. For less demanding AI features, the processing will happen right on your device using their Ajax Language Learning Model. More complex features will be handled in Apple’s data centres powered by their own custom silicon – a fancy way of saying super-fast computers! Users will likely have a choice about opting into these features, so you’re always in control.

Siri 2.0: Is It Happening?

There are hints that Siri might be getting a major upgrade. We’re talking about a next-generation version with a generative AI system that lets you have natural conversations instead of just asking one-off questions. Siri might also get better at handling basic tasks like scheduling appointments and creating to-do lists – about time!

No AI Chatbot Yet (But Maybe Soon)

While there were rumours of an Apple-made AI chatbot, Gurman suggests this tech might not be quite ready or Apple might be worried about potential issues. Instead, they might team up with someone like OpenAI (the folks behind ChatGPT) to bring their chatbot to iPhones – stay tuned!

Beyond AI: More Cool Stuff in iOS 18

• Customize Your Home Screen: Who says your app icons can’t be rearranged? You might soon be able to move them around and create folders freely.
• App Makeovers: Get ready for updated versions of Settings, Photos, and Mail apps, along with a music widget in the Control Center for easy music access.
• Texting Across the Divide: iMessage features like read receipts and reactions might finally work with Android messages thanks to Rich Communication Services (RCS) support.

iPadOS 18 and macOS 15: Riding the AI Wave

Most of the AI features coming to iOS 18 are expected to make their way to iPadOS 18 as well. macOS 15 might see a revamped calculator app with a history tape and fancy math notation support (hint hint: a future iPad calculator app anyone?). Siri could also get a makeover on Macs, along with a redesigned System Settings app and a unified menu bar for Safari.

WatchOS 11 and VisionOS 2.0: Keeping it Simple

WatchOS 11 might bring an improved Siri for on-the-go tasks and some Fitness app upgrades, but overall changes seem minor. Support for the older Apple Watch Series 4 might also be dropped. VisionOS 2.0 could see more apps designed specifically for the mixed-reality headset instead of just relying on iPad versions. There’s also a rumour about a new “respiration tracking” feature that uses your breathing rate to guide you through immersive meditations. Sounds pretty cool, right?

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