News

WWDC 2022 is one month away, this is the hardware and software that’s coming

May 6, 2022

WWDC 2022 is one month away, this is the hardware and software that’s coming

The news: With just under a month to go until WWDC 2022 kicks off, here are all the leaks and rumors so far.

New software

  • Without a doubt, software will be the focus of WWDC (it is a software developer event, after all)
  • iOS/iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9 and tvOS 16 are all expected…but this event could be the first time we see homeOS materialize

iOS/iPadOS 16

We haven’t heard much about Apple’s mobile updates so far, but there will be some “significant enhancements”:

  • There won’t be a redesign, and the software will look similar to how it does now
  • Notifications are getting a revamp, but there’s no word of which direction Apple is taking them in
  • iPadOS is getting a revamped multitasking interface
  • Car crash detection will automatically dial 911 if an accident happens
  • An updated Health app will feature feature better sleep tracking, new features for women’s health and medicine management with pill reminders

watchOS 9

We’ve gotten a few tidbits at watchOS 9, but it sounds like the update will once again be pretty small:

  • 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

Hardware

While WWDC is usually a software-only event, some sources believe new Macs could be announced very soon:

  • 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.