On June 13th i.e. this Monday, at the opening keynote of WWDC 2016, Apple will be showing off the next version of iOS, OS X, tvOS, watchOS, and other technology that it has been working on. Held once a year, WWDC is the stage where Apple shows off all the cool new technologies that it is working on.
There have been rumors that Apple may extend iPhone’s major upgrade cycle to three years, so the Cupertino-based company is widely expected to innovate on the software front to offer compelling reasons to consumers to upgrade to the next iPhone.
What to expect at WWDC 2016
Apple is expected to make a lot of announcements at WWDC next week. So, what exactly are we expecting Apple to announce at WWDC next week? Let’s find out.
iOS 10
iOS 10 is rumored to sport minor UI changes and a slightly revamped Notification Center. The highlight of the update, however, is likely going to be the smarter and powerful Siri that will also gain SDK support for third-party app integration. With Cortana and Google Now being significantly ahead of Siri, this move from Apple will help Siri in catching up to the competition. This new Siri from Apple will also help it take on the Amazon Echo with the release of a new Apple TV later this year.
iOS 10 is also expected to bring minor changes like a more powerful Photos app with advanced editing tools, a revamped Apple Music app that is simpler to use, a standalone HomeKit app for easier management of HomeKit-compatible devices, deeper 3D Touch integration, and an improved Control Center. Apple is also expected to introduce a dark mode in iOS 10, with the company hinting about this with the dark theme of the WWDC app and invite.
It is also expected that with iOS 10, Apple will finally make it possible to hide/uninstall stock apps. With iOS growing in size every passing year, this will allow Apple to reduce the size of the OS. This move should make the lives of 16GB iPhone owners easier, though it remains unclear for now if the company is going to allow users to uninstall apps or simply hide them.
Apple is rumored to switch to a dual lens camera setup with the iPhone 7 Plus, so an improved Photos app to go along with this upgrade makes sense. Similarly, with Apple rumored to switch an OLED display for the iPhone from 2017, introducing the Dark mode in iOS will be a welcome addition.
Read: iOS 10 rumor roundup
Apple Pay, iCloud, and iMessage
Apple has greatly increased its focus on its services, so it is expected that the company will be focusing greatly on them at WWDC this year. For Apple Pay, the company is expected to bring it to web browsers that will allow Apple Pay users to make web transactions using it. For authorisation purposes, Apple Pay on the web will make use of the Touch ID sensor of your iOS device. Apple is also expected to add the ability to send money in iMessage via Apple Pay.
A sketchy rumor from earlier this week also claimed that Apple plans on bringing iMessage to Android. The source of the rumor is dubious at best, and considering we have not heard anything in this regard from other sources, it remains unclear if Apple will indeed launch iMessage for Android. Though it makes sense, if Apple adds the ability to send payments via iMessage.
For iCloud, Apple is expected to announce beefier security upgrades for it. And maybe, it will also go ahead and provide more free storage space to iPhone users, this time, around on iCloud because its high time the company needs to realize that bundling 5GB of free storage space with every iCloud account in this day and age is simply not enough.
Read: Our full iOS 10 rumor roundup
OS X (macOS) 10.12
Along with iOS 10, Apple will also be showing off the next version of OS X at WWDC next week. The upcoming version of the OS is expected to feature Siri integration, which will be the key feature of the release. Siri on OS X will allow users to conduct basic functions by simply using their voice. Considering that Siri relies heavily on voice input, it is likely that the feature will only work on certain MacBooks.
A more consumer facing change, and for the sake of better marketing, Apple is also expected to rename OS X to macOS with the next release of the OS. This will bring its naming scheme inline with that of iOS, tvOS, and watchOS.
Just like we have seen with previous versions of OS X, Apple is also expected to improve Safari and performance with the next version of macOS. Rumors also indicate the OS featuring an option to unlock Macs using the Touch ID on your iOS device. An improved Photos app with advanced editing tools is also expected to be a part of the OS with features like EXIF editing, cropping, applying filters, and more in tow.
Apart from Siri integration, other changes that Apple will be introducing with OS X 10.12 seem to be pretty minor. So, here’s hoping that the company has some surprises up its sleeve when it unveils OS X 10.12 next week.
Read: Our full OS X 10.12 rumor roundup
tvOS 2 & watchOS 3
Apple is expected to unveil a new version of tvOS and watchOS at WWDC next week. However, we haven’t heard any rumors and speculations about the new features and improvements that they will include.
Even if it does announce an update, they will be on similar lines as iOS 10. So, we will likely see Siri improvements for tvOS and watchOS, along with some navigation improvements.
MacBooks and other hardware
It was expected that Apple would be launching new MacBook Pros at WWDC next week. The company has only refreshed its 12″ MacBook with Intel’s faster Skylake chips, with the 13″ and 15″ MacBook Pro still using previous generation processors from the company. However, if recent leaks are anything to go by, Apple will not be launching new MacBooks, or for that matter any new hardware, at WWDC next week. Instead, a refreshed MacBook Pro with a secondary OLED screen is now expected to be unveiled by the company towards the end of this year.
As for the Mac Pro, while it is in dire need of an upgrade, it is unlikely that Apple will be announcing a refresh for it at WWDC. The Mac Pro is aimed at professional media creators and developers that require a lot of horsepower, so it is sad to see the company still selling it with outdated internals.
Apple was also first rumored to announce its Amazon Echo competitor at WWDC, but a reliable source recently clarified that the company will not be making any new hardware announcements at WWDC this year. So, it is unlikely that we will see Apple’s Amazon Echo competitor launch before fall or summer this year.
Apple has already announced some major App Store related changes earlier this week, so the company is not expected to make any more announcements on this front at its developer conference.
Maybe apart from the barrage of software related announcements, Apple will surprise us with its rumored Amazon Echo competitor (very unlikely, though), or maybe it will announce something completely game changing? What do you think? What are your expectations from WWDC 2016? Drop in a comment and let us know!
