The rumor: We are just half a year away from seeing Apple’s next major product unveil, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (72.5% accurate).
With no mention of the headset at WWDC last week, a concrete timeline for the headset’s release has been in question
Kuo suggests the following: announcement event in January 2023 with a dev kit to follow, pre-orders in the second quarter or the year and a public release prior to WWDC in June
Sam’s take: Honestly, this sounds like a pretty realistic timeline at this point. As much as I want to see it announced this year…a standalone media event for something this big does sound appropriate. That being said…the Apple Watch was announced at the end of an iPhone event in 2014…so perhaps we see a glimpse of this headset sometime this September?
(2/2) 1. EVT starting from 3Q22. 2. Media event on Jan 2023. 3. Delivery of development toolkit within 2-4 weeks after the event. 4. Starting pre-order in 2Q23. 5. Hitting store shelves before WWDC 2023.
The AR/VR headset is real and coming…just not until sometime next year
Apple is working with Hollywood directors like Jon Favreau to create custom video content for the headset
At the event on Monday, Apple will “unveil software tools that would allow apps to add new camera and voice functionality, laying the groundwork for a hands-free interface that customers will eventually be able to navigate on the headset”
Apple’s headset has been delayed until 2023 because of initial, weak computing power followed more recent issues with battery life
There’s also a new devkit coming on Monday that will give “software developers new abilities to trigger shortcuts inside their apps using Siri and QR codes, interactions that will be leveraged in future headsets”
Sam’s take: This entire report reads to me as Apple wanting to set expectations that their headset will not be shown off at WWDC on June 6. Some interesting tidbits, sure, but largely just a corroboration of what we’ve been hearing from other sources. Hardware-wise, it looks like we might only see a new MacBook Air on Monday…
The news: Apple may be in the process of filming their next event, according to a new Instagram story post from Steven Huon, Apple’s Head of Music Programming, Brand Experience & Events.
Captioned “🎬✅,” the post could suggest that filming for Apple’s next event, WWDC on June 6, could be complete already
Sam’s take:With WWDC 2022 less than a month away now, I’d take a bet that filming is done and that this is exactly what the post is saying. Not that this tells us anything we couldn’t have guessed already…but cool to see a peek inside Apple Park ahead of the next event.
On Series 4 or newer, improved atrial fibrillation detection is coming “to calculate what is known as ‘burden,’ or how often a person is in a state of atrial fibrillation across a certain period”
New low-power mode that allows you to still use parts of the watch while extending battery life…there is a power-reserve mode currently, but it only shows the time
“Many” existing watch faces will be updated (but no additional details are provided)
More pre-selectable workouts and “additional metrics” are also in the works
Down the road, watchOS will also support satellite connectivity like on iPhone 14, but we don’t know exactly when
A redesigned, colorful MacBook Air with M2 inside is the most likely to come
But an all-new Mac mini has also been in the works for quite some time…and that could boast an M2 chip, too
Apple could also preview the new Mac Pro (but we’re not entirely sure on that just yet)
Sam’s take: I don’t really know how to feel about dub dub yet. I think it could be great! But I also worry that it could be just as underwhelming as last year, where we saw no hardware and the smallest software updates in history.
The rumor: Apple is planning to drop new Macs within in the next couple of months, according to Mark Gurman (86.4% accurate, via Power On).
“Apple is gearing up to launch some new Macs in the next few months. What better place to do so than WWDC?” Gurman says. “I’m told there are two new Macs coming around the middle of the year or early in the second half. One of those is likely to be the new MacBook Air.”
Apple’s worldwide developer conference, also known as WWDC, is traditionally focused on revealing the latest in software: new iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and more are expected
While the event goes all week long (June 6-10) with countless sessions for developers to virtually attend, the highlight of the event is always keynote that happens at 10am PST on the first day
“In addition to the online conference, Apple will host a special day for developers and students at Apple Park on June 6 to watch the keynote and State of the Union videos together, along with the online community. Space will be limited, and details about how to apply to attend will be provided on the Apple Developer site and app soon” Apple says
Sam’s take: Back in the early 2010s, Apple regularly announced WWDC in mid- to late-April…but it does seem odd that they still haven’t said a word about the event this year. If the event is, again, virtual…obviously no one needs that much notice since no travel is involved. But I would think an announcement would have happened by now if some folks will be traveling for the event.
The rumor: Apple’s yearly worldwide developer conference will return to a destination event, according to Jon Prosser (69% accurate).
“I’m hearing that WWDC is on Monday, June 6. It’ll be live and in-person,” Prosser says
Apple first switched to virtual events starting with WWDC 2020 and has done so ever since due to the COVID-19 pandemic…but with cases broadly decreasing worldwide there has been speculation that Apple would return to in-person events whenever possible
Sam’s take: I’m almost certain that this is the right date (Apple always holds WWDC in the first or second week of June). But I am skeptical that it’ll be in-person. Sure, COVID-19 cases are steadily decreasing now. But isn’t it possible that another, even more transmissible variant could appear by June? I have no doubt that Apple will take the utmost precaution to keep everyone safe if WWDC 2022 is in-person…but it seems like there’s still a lot of risk in returning to large gatherings right now. I would be comfortable attending, but I can also understand that a lot of folks would not feel the same way.