Apple just revealed the date for WWDC 2022 (which starts on June 6) its annual conference for developers. The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference is an event where Apple execs show off the next generation of the operating systems that run all of its iPhones, Macs, iPads, Apple Watches and Apple TVs.
Just like with previous recent Apple events, WWDC will be online only. This announcement is basically the blast of the starting pistol when it comes to speculating what big new features Apple will add in 2022.
Not only will Apple reveal the next major features for its new software, but it typically uploads developer betas for each big OS update shortly after the keynote. More-stable public betas come in the following months and weeks, and the fall sees the final versions released alongside new hardware.
WWDC 2022 news and rumors (Updated April 11)
WWDC 2022 dates
WWDC 2022 starts on June 6 and ends on June 10. The annual keynote and State of the Union videos will debut on June 6. The keynote is the more public-facing video of the two, while the State of the Union is more geared at developers.
The Apple Design Awards will also be given out during WWDC 2022.
iOS 16
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
iOS 16 will reportedly get some major upgrades to both the Health app and how iPhone’s handle notifications (opens in new tab). This is according to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg (opens in new tab).
will likely share many of its top features with other Apple OS devices, as was the case with iOS 15. Take Live Text (which allows you to select text in images) and SharePlay (which allows users to co-watch a show or movie remotely); both of these features are just as much Apple features as they are iPhone features.
iPhone owners often brag about how their iPhones get updates for years and years. And a leak suggests that the 6-plus year iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus may not be invited to iOS 16.
Focus Modes are one of our favorite upgrades in iOS 15, but if you ask around online, there’s a sense that Apple still has room for improvement when it comes to Focus.
iOS 16 might contain mentions of the long-rumored Apple AR/VR headset, says Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. While we don’t know what features this would involve, having official confirmation of the headset would still be big news.
macOS 13
(Image credit: Henry T. Casey)
Recent years have seen Macs fit into the Apple ecosystem more than ever. That doesn’t just happen with iPad apps working on Apple Silicon Macs, but with Universal Control allowing users to use Macs and iPads with the same mouse and keyboard.
How will macOS 13 up the ante? We’re not sure, but if there’s any clear pattern to be seen, it’s that Apple will continue to give you reasons to stay in the macOS ecosystem.
watchOS 9
(Image credit: Future)
When we’ve written about watchOS 9, we’ve speculated that you should expect more health and fitness upgrades, and integrations with Apple’s HomeKit, Apple Wallet and Apple Fitness Plus. But what watchOS 9 features do we want Apple to announce at WWDC 2022?
We’re really hoping that the Health app from the iPhone gets a sizable presence on the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch already collects a lot of the data for this app, so this is a perfect home for it.
An Apple Watch Notes App would make a ton of sense, too. Taking notes on the fly with Siri, and checking your shopping list are two big things some of the TG staff use third-party apps for, and we’re curious why Apple hasn’t yet.
Also: let us take a break, Apple. Some of us are so dedicated to keep our Fitness app streaks going that it’s almost stressing us out. Giving users the ability to take a day off here and there would go a huge way for mental health.
iPadOS 16
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
This one’s interesting. Multitasking improved and such in iPadOS 15, and widgets were a finally moment, but a lot of people may have been disappointed by the iPad’s resistance to become more Mac-like.
But now that even the iPad Air 2022 has an M1 chip, WWDC 2022 seems like as good a day as ever to announce that iPads can run Mac apps now. Macs can run iPad apps, so what’s the hold up?
tvOS 16
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
No rumors have popped up about what tvOS 16 will offer, but we’ve got two requests. First, can Apple build in external webcam support for the Apple TV? Without that, FaceTime SharePlay makes you juggle your Apple devices.
Secondly, bring split view mode over from the Mac and iPad. Think about it as picture-in-picture, but on steroids. Fubo TV has multi-stream view, and if you talk to any sports fan, or anyone trying to follow two or more channels at once, they’ll tell you this is something that would be a huge boon.
Also, add Find My support to the Apple TV remote, somehow.
Hardware: Apple VR headset, MacBook Air or new Mac Pro?
WWDC and hardware go together like Apple and Epic Games: dreaming about a big product reveal doesn’t often work. That said, people do get their hopes up all the time, and this year has two devices that we think are definitely possible.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, we could see a MacBook Air 2022 launch at WWDC 2022 along with one other Mac. The new MacBook Air 2022 will reportedly be powered by a new M2 chip and come in a wide range of bold colors. We’ll have to see what actually appears at the conference.
Then there’s the new Apple Silicon-powered Mac Pro. Teased at the end of Apple’s March 2022 event, this new powerful Mac would likely have many fans in the developer community, making WWDC as good a time as any to show a hint at what’s to come. Again, nobody’s saying it’s going to happen, but it would be nice.
The Apple VR/AR headset isn’t shouting for a WWDC 2022 reveal, but we have to wonder how much time Apple will give third-party app developers to prepare apps. Recent rumors point to a 2023 release, so we don’t think we’d see final hardware at WWDC 202, but Apple could very well tease the rumored realityOS that would run on the headset. And iO6 16 reportedly has plenty of links to Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset (opens in new tab).
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