“A new era begins.” With this message, Apple has announced What could be your most important event of the year? This is the World Developers Conference (WWDC 2023) taking place this Monday afternoon at their headquarters in Cupertino. The latest rumors suggest that the Apple group will introduce mixed reality glasses to compete with other tech giants such as Microsoft, Meta or Oppo. The device, which will reportedly cost around $3,000, is set to transform the way users work and play.
“WWDC is always one of my favorite times of the year, and this is going to be the best of them all!” Apple CEO Tim Cook said on Twitter two hours before the conference began. The event began with him standing in front of a rainbow at Apple Park, the company’s Cupertino headquarters, and declaring that the company “will be making some of its biggest announcements at WWDC.” We’ll be talking about the future of our amazing software platforms and introducing some exciting new products.”
The 15-inch MacBook Air costs $1,299.
What’s new on Mac?
The first device presented at the event was a 15-inch MacBook Air. Apple’s goal with this laptop is to offer a large screen for users who don’t want to go for a 16-inch MacBook Pro. The device has the M2 chip and is theoretically 12 times faster than the Intel-based MacBook Air. It has a battery that offers 18 hours of autonomy and the price starts from 1,299 euros.
Apple also introduced the Mac Pro 2023, a computer that introduces a new processor called the M2 Ultra. This is the first major update for Mac Pro in four years. According to the company, the new device is three times faster than Intel Macs in several real-world functions. Pricing starts at $6,999.
Devices carrying the new M2 Ultra chip.
software changes
Apple used the event to announce news about the new iPhone operating system iOS 17. “We have a powerful new feature to help you make a more informed decision about when to answer the incoming call,” an Apple employee explained. The company has introduced Live Voicemail, a voicemail that transcribes in real time the message that another person leaves you when they call you: “Imagine you get a call during a meeting and you want to know if it is something urgent.” or whether it can wait. You see the voicemail directly on your screen and can decide whether you want to take the call or not.
Also new in iOS 17 are automatic transcription of audio messages and the ability to leave a video message for someone else on FaceTime if you don’t answer the call. Another interesting feature is called Check In and is designed to send a notification to family and friends when you get home safely. Apple is also looking into ways to make it easier to share contacts with NameDrop. It would be enough to bring the mobile phone closer to someone else’s to AirDrop the number or email. And another novelty: it is no longer necessary to say the “Hey” of “Hey Siri” to activate the assistant.
New features include everything from transcribing voice notes to sharing them with a friend when you’ve reached your goal.
Some of these new features, like automatic transcription of voice memos, will also come to iPad OS 17. Apple has also announced some updates to widgets and other lock screen customizations. “These interactions with the widgets will make the home screen much more powerful,” the company says. Additionally, you can now embed PDFs in the Notes app and take notes with the Apple Pencil. Apple has also announced that the iPad will recognize empty fields in a PDF and make suggestions for filling them in.
expert forecasts
While software updates are the focus of WWDC most years, this time it’s hardware that’s likely to turn heads. That Apple is working on mixed reality glasses is an open secret that has been rumored for years. Mark Gurman, the whistleblower on everything brewing in Apple’s backroom, has revealed some of the device’s features, such as the ability to display surround video and an external display for connected Mac computers. Some leaks suggest the goggles would work with a battery attached to a belt that would be connected to the visor by a cable.
The big question is whether Apple can mass-produce this device. According to Gurman, in January the apple company failed to make a “revolutionary proposal” to justify a high price and boost everyday use. A “risky” decision, according to the analyst, who thinks it likely that the first model of these glasses will be “a failure in terms of sales”.
Still, he predicts that the company “could become a market leader in just a few quarters.” While it can take three to five years for a headset to become a hit, it’s hard to bet against the company’s marketing, engineering, and sales prowess. “If anyone can make this product category a success, it’s Apple,” he says.
A few hours before the event, Apple hit an all-time high in its stock market value for the last 17 months and was about to surpass its own $3,000 million mark in the stock market. At the beginning of last year, it was the only company to reach this figure. The last valuation was 2,890 million.
you can follow THE COUNTRY Technology on Facebook and Twitter or sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.