Everything Apple Will Announce At Its WWDC 2024 Event: iOS 18, OpenAI Collaboration, And More
With Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) just around the corner, slated for June 10th at 10 AM PT, the tech world is buzzing with anticipation. This year marks the 35th anniversary of Apple’s WWDC, setting the stage for an event that promises to showcase significant advancements across Apple’s suite of operating systems, with a pronounced emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) integration. Despite the heavy speculation, attendees and remote viewers alike should prepare for surprises, as Apple is known for its last-minute unveils.
This year, the spotlight is expected to shine on software innovations, as there seems to be no indication of hardware unveilings. Among the anticipated announcements is iOS 18, which, along with its counterpart iPadOS 18, is predicted to usher in an era of Apple Intelligence—a rebranded approach to AI that aims to simplify daily tasks through seamless integration across Apple’s software ecosystem.
Intel reveals from multiple sources outline that AI will be a central theme across the updates, especially with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. These updates are expected to enhance functionality significantly, making Apple’s AI efforts some of the biggest moves for software in recent years. In a departure from common practice, however, Apple plans to release these features in a beta preview initially. This cautious approach allows for extensive testing before a full rollout, ensuring a stable and polished user experience. Moreover, Apple is giving users the freedom to opt into these AI features, highlighting the company’s commitment to choice and ease of use.
Expected advancements in iOS 18 are quite expansive:
- Siri: Anticipation builds around a major Siri revamp that promises a more nuanced, natural interaction capability, thanks to the integration of large language models (LLMs). Such advancements could allow Siri to summarize documents, tweak photos, and enhance in-app experiences, although some of these capabilities may not be immediately available at launch.
- Stock Apps: AI enhancements are not limited to Siri. Across the board, from the Health app to Voice Memos, users should expect enriched interactions and functionalities thanks to AI integration.
- OpenAI Collaboration: In a notable partnership, Apple is rumored to integrate ChatGPT-like technology within iOS 18, highlighting the growing significance of AI in mobile experiences. This feature will be available for iPadOS 18 users as well, with plans to extend it across Apple’s product lineup.
- Home Screen Customization: With a nod to personalization, the new OS is expected to offer enhanced home screen customization options, allowing users to play with app icon arrangements and colors beyond the standard offerings. A redesigned Control Center could introduce a drag-and-drop interface along with support for multiple pages.
- Passwords App: A new standalone Passwords app, leveraging iCloud Keychain, aims to streamline password management across devices, providing an easier and more accessible way to handle security credentials.
- Messages: Enhancements in Messages could include custom emojis and the introduction of Rich Communication Service (RCS) to improve interactions with non-Apple devices.
This year, AI features are poised to bridge the experience across macOS 15 and iOS 18, ensuring a cohesive ecosystem. Expected additions include further Siri enhancements and new functionalities within Photos, Notes, Mail, and Apple Music. While the wearable and tvOS updates are typically less highlighted, there is anticipation for AI-infused personalization features that tailor experiences to the user.
For those eager to catch the WWDC 2024 live, the event will be streamed online, starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Stay tuned for what promises to be a transformative event in the trajectory of Apple’s software development endeavors.
