iOS 16, RealityOS, new Macs and more: everything we hope to see at WWDC 2022
A review of all the possible news that Apple could announce at the initial event of WWDC in 2022: from iOS 16 to a new operating system for its AR glasses.
The World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC), in addition to being an ideal event for developers to learn about Apple’s news in this area and learn new techniques, is also a perfect opportunity for the company to announce the latest versions of their respective operating systems. He does it, as usual, in an inaugural keynote.
This year, WWDC will start on June 6. Also, the initial keynote, where, in addition, we could not only see news related to iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, or tvOS 16.
Apple could also introduce new hardware, services, or even technologies or platforms for products that could be released later. Rumors have already advanced some details of these special announcements in a conference mainly dedicated to software; thanks to that, we can understand everything we see at WWDC 2022.
At WWDC 2022, iOS 16 will be the protagonist.
One of the main novelties of the WWDC 2022 opening keynote will be the launch of iOS 16, the new version of the operating system for the iPhone. A significant update in terms of design and interface is not expected but in terms of functions and improvements to those features already present.
According to the latest details from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, iOS 16 will bring improved notifications and alerts. It will probably do so in the way these are displayed or grouped, both on the lock screen and in the notification center itself.
Apple could also make the lock screen more useful by adding shortcuts to some system options. It will also improve some of its applications and services present on the iPhone, such as the Messages app. On the other hand, iOS 16 will likely include the ability to interact with home screen widgets and support for a future Always-on screen feature intended to display relevant information, such as the time or notifications, when the screen is off.
iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16
All these new features, except those related to the Always-on screen, could also be available for iPadOS 16. It is also expected that the update to the operating system for the iPad that Apple will announce at WWDC will also improve multitasking with an option that will allow you to change the size of windows.
On the other hand, Apple will announce the respective new versions of the operating systems for the Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. macOS 13, for example, could arrive with improvements related to productivity. Also —we hope— with solutions to the different bugs or failures of previous versions.
watchOS 9 is expected to include new health-related features and, of course, new face designs. It is also likely to have a new battery-saving mode. Finally, and according to the latest rumors, tvOS 16 would consist of new functions related to the control of smart home devices.
RealityOS, the —possible— new Apple operating system
Apple could also make a hole in the initial WWDC 2022 keynote to present the first details of its mixed reality glasses (virtual and augmented reality). Those —first details—, in particular, could be related to the operating system for the so-called Apple Glasses.
In fact, in the last few hours, the registration of a new brand very similar to the one that the Cupertino firm uses for its operating systems has appeared. This is called ‘Reality,’ which makes an apparent reference to augmented reality. The company registered the RealityOS patent is not Apple as such, but ‘Realityo Systems LLC.’ It is a company dedicated to the “design and development of hardware, software, peripherals, and video games,” for which, curiously, there is no record of activity, which suggests that it is Apple itself camouflaged under another company.
It is unlikely that Apple will announce the news of this operating system during WWDC in the same way it will, for example, with iOS 16. Instead, the company could reveal essential data to advance the development of this platform. For example, specific APIs so that developers can work on making their services compatible. We saw it at WWDC in 2020 when Apple announced the transition from Intel chips to its processors.
Will we see hardware news at WWDC 2022?
Despite the large number of announcements related to the software, Apple will likely present the occasional device for its product catalog. We are talking, of course, about new Macs.
At the past Apple Event, the company led by Tim Cook hinted at a future release of the Mac Pro. Therefore, seeing this device announced at WWDC 2020, a conference dedicated to the professional public, would not be strange. It is also likely that Apple will also announce the long-awaited 2022 MacBook Air, which will come with a new design and a more powerful chip. We could also see a 13-inch MacBook Pro with more basic specs than the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with the M1 Pro chip. There’s hope, too, for a new 27-inch iMac with the M1 Pro chip.
Lastly, Apple could also revamp the Mac Mini with a more powerful processor, new design, and improved specs. The 24-inch iMac the company announced just a year ago could also be upgraded with a more powerful processor.
