Apple WWDC 2021 Preview
Apple’s annual WWDC kicks off Monday, June 7, and we’re expecting big updates for everything from iOS to watchOS and maybe even a new MacBook or two. Produced by Daniel Howley and Justin Katz.
Video Transcript
DAN HOWLEY: Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference kicks off virtually on Monday. Expect to get major updates to everything from the software powering your iPhone and iPad to possibly a new MacBook or two. But the most important news from WWDC is always about iOS. And that means we should get a look at iOS 15.
Apple soothsayer Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that the latest version of iOS will get improvements to notification settings for situations when you're in a meeting or sleeping, as well as new privacy features, and updates to iMessage to make it more of a competitor to Facebook's WhatsApp.
PhoneArena, meanwhile, says that iOS 15 will allow users to change even more default apps, which could help some of the regulatory scrutiny Apple has faced about its control over iOS. On the iPad side of things, Apple could be releasing its largest-ever update for the iPad's home screen, giving users the ability to get rid of all of their individual app icons and turn the entire screen into interactive widgets.
There's little we know about watchOS 8, but Apple usually makes a number of changes to its watch faces every year and generally adds new fitness options. You can already do everything from logging badminton to surfing, so it's hard to imagine what else the company can do, but there's always something.
macOS is also said to be getting a minor update this year after the major changes it saw last year as part of macOS Big Sur. As for those new MacBooks, leaker John Prosser says that Apple will roll out its new MacBook Pro 14 Inch and MacBook Pro 16 Inch, complete with Mac-safe chargers and a return of the SD card slot. The laptops could also get more powerful versions of Apple's M1 chip, dubbed the M2.
Apple will be streaming WWDC from its website at 1:00 PM Eastern on June 7. Yahoo Finance will have full analysis. I'm Dan Howley for Yahoo Finance.