Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is upon us. Tonight, the Cupertino tech giant will announce the next versions of its mobile and desktop operating systems — iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 16 and macOS 13. Also heavily rumoured is the successor to the M1 chip and an all-new MacBook Air.

WHEN IS THE EVENT?

The WWDC will kick off at 10.30 pm IST.

HOW CAN I WATCH IT?

You can watch it on Apple's official website, as well as on the company's official YouTube channel.

WHAT WILL BE ANNNOUNCED?

iOS 16

The current version of Apple's iPhone OS — iOS 15 — was widely seen as an incremental update to its predecessor, the flashier iOS 14, which, for the first time ever, brought widgets to iPhone. In iOS 15, Apple focused heavily on streamlining the user experience and also on user privacy. With iOS 15, Apple announced iCloud+, with features to hide the user's online identity through "Privacy Relay" — a VPN-like feature through which the IP address is masked by bouncing data off multiple servers, and "Hide My Email", which allows users to create a use-and-throw email address to avoid spam.

Also read: Your Apple device may be prone to hacking if not updated

With iOS 16, Apple watcher Mark Gurman of Bloomberg says that Apple is not aiming for a major redesign, but instead, adding enhancements to notifications and new health-tracking features. In recent years, Apple — through its Watch series — has been increasingly focusing on health-focused software.

Compatible phones: The iPhone 6s, which launched in 2015, received OS support for an unprecedented seven years. This year, the 6s and the 6s plus, as well as the iPhone SE 2016, will be on the chopping block, with iOS 16 supported only by iPhone 7 and later — iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X, Xs, Xs Max, XR, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, SE 2020, 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.

iPadOS 16

In2019, Apple decoupled the iPad from iPhone by giving its tablets their own operating system, so to speak. Till 2018, both iPad and iPhones ran iOS. With iOS 13, that changed. In 2019, the iPad got its own iPadOS, which was basically iOS for iPad under a new name.

Since then, however, Apple has subtly introduced features in iPadOS that take advantage of the tablet's prowess, such as multitasking and, last year, Continuity — a nifty little feature with which a user can drag and drop items in one single motion between an iPad and a Mac. This year, Gurman says he expects Apple to finetune the multitasking features to better use the M1 chip, which is in three iPad models in the five model line-up.

iPadOS 16 is expected to come to every iPad released since 2017.

Also read: Apple likely to replace Lightning port with USB-C in iPhones: Report

watchOS 9

The latest iteration of Apple's wearable OS is expected to feature atrial fibrillation detection; improved low-power mode — with support for certain apps and features, unlike currently, where the watch is essentially inoperable in low-power mode; new sleep tracking features; focus on women’s health and medication tracking features; new workouts; and new watch faces.

Apple Watch Series 3, which was released in 2017, is expected to be dropped from the supported devices this year. Only Series 4 (2018) and later are expected to get watchOS 9.

macOS 13

Not much is currently known about the next version of Apple's desktop operating system, except that it will skew heavily in favour of Macs running Apple Silicon and will have a nature-based name specific to California. The current macOS version is dubbed Monterey, after Monterey Bay in the Sunshine State.

However, Intel-based Macs are expected to be supported — every Mac released since late 2013 is expected to get the latest software update.

M2 incoming?

Two days ago, Mark Gurman all but confirmed that a new MacBook Air is incoming. He was citing the shortage and astonishing delivery times — running into months — for the current MacBook Air. So a new MacBook Air refresh is all but confirmed.

For months, Apple has been expected to announce the successor to its game-changing M1 chip. However, Apple has since introduced M1 Pro and M1 Max — more powerful versions of M1 — before blowing them all out of the water with M1 Ultra, which is basically two M1 Max chips fused together, in March.

Rumours still persist that Apple could announce the M2 chip at WWDC 2022 and, with it, refresh the MacBook Air and the entry-level MacBook Pro.

Apple is also expected to release the next versions of tvOS and the software powering the HomePod Mini.

Also read: New MacBook Air launch expected at Apple conference next week

First Published:May 25, 2022 8:10 AM IST