MacRumors

The iOS 17 update that Apple plans to announce in June will include a dedicated journaling app, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The Wall Street Journal in April highlighted Apple's work on a Day One-style journaling app, but at the time, it was not clear if it would come in iOS 17.

According to Gurman, the app is indeed slated for inclusion in iOS 17, and it will introduce "note taking and a stronger social element" to the iPhone.

There are no other details on the app in the report, but The ‌Wall Street Journal‌ previously said that the app will let users keep track of their daily activities and their thoughts. Apple will give people topics to write about such as a workout or a meeting, and there will be an "All Day People Discovery" feature that determines when a user is in close proximity to other people. The app will know when users receive text messages, phone calls, and other notifications, but privacy will be a focus and everything will be done on-device.

The journaling app appears to be a health-related initiative that will analyze what each user's typical day is like, and it could integrate with a mood tracking feature that Apple also has planned for iOS 17. The emotion tracking app will let users keep track of their mood, answer questions about their day, and view the results over time.

With the journaling app and the mood tracking functionality, Apple plans to bring the Health app to the iPad for the first time, allowing ‌iPad‌ owners to view their health-related data even when an ‌iPhone‌ is unavailable.

Third-party app developers like Day One have long offered journaling platforms for the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad‌, and based on early reports, it sounds like Apple's offering could be similar to what's possible with Day One.

Back in April when news of Apple's journaling app came out, Day One said that it is "excited" Apple will bring journaling to a wider audience, and that it plans to ensure that the Day One app "remains the very best option" for those interested in journaling. More on the journaling app can be found in Gurman's full report.

Apple's upcoming iOS 17 update for the iPhone will include improvements across several apps and features, including Wallet, Find My, SharePlay, and AirPlay, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple is expected to preview iOS 17 during its WWDC keynote on June 5, and the update should be released to all users in September.

In a report today, Gurman said the Wallet app in particular will have "significant changes," but he did not provide specific details. He added that Apple is planning location services enhancements for the Find My app, without elaborating further.

Apple is also working on upgrades to its SharePlay feature for watching content with family and friends over a FaceTime call, and improvements to its wireless streaming protocol AirPlay. Gurman said Apple has been in discussions with hotels and other venues in an attempt to make it easier to AirPlay content to TVs/devices they do not own.

An updated Lock Screen interface in iOS 17 will turn the iPhone into a "smart-home display," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. When not in use and positioned in a horizontal orientation, the ‌iPhone‌ will show information that includes calendar appointments, weather data, notifications, and more, allowing it to serve as a home data hub.

With the ‌iPhone‌ attached to a MagSafe charging stand in a horizontal orientation, for example, the smart home interface will show up, mimicking what users might see with a device like an Echo Show or Google Nest Hub. The functionality will build on the widget options that Apple added to the Lock Screen in iOS 16.

Apple wants to make iPhones more useful when they're not being actively used and are positioned on a desk or nightstand. Apple plans to use a dark background with lighter color text to make the information on the display easy to read.

Apple is developing a horizontal interface for the iPad as well, but that may not be ready to launch in iOS 17, and the company is also working on a low-cost tablet that would magnetically attach to walls and stands to serve as a dedicated home hub.

iOS 17 is set to be announced at the June 5 keynote event that kicks off the 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference. For more on what to expect, we have a dedicated iOS 17 roundup, and Gurman's full report can be read over at Bloomberg.

Apple this week began selling Ember's temperature-controlled Travel Mug 2+ with recently added support for the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The mug launched earlier this year and is priced at $199.95 on Apple's online store in the United States.

The addition of Find My support enables users to track the location of the mug in the Find My app, and a new built-in speaker can emit a chime if the mug is misplaced. Otherwise, the Mug 2+ offers the same functionality as the Travel Mug 2.

Ember's temperature-controlled mugs are designed to keep your coffee or other hot beverage at your desired drinking temperature for up to three hours, or all day if the mug is kept on the included charging coaster. The Travel Mug 2+ can be connected to an iPhone via Bluetooth and controlled with the Ember app, and it has built-in touch controls.

Today we're tracking a selection of Anker discounts on Amazon, with notable discounts on USB-C cables, MagSafe-compatible chargers, Bluetooth speakers, and more. Many of these discounts will only run this week, so if you're interested be sure to place an order soon.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Most of these deals require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the discounts at the checkout screen. There are multiple types of products on sale this time around, including Anker's SmartTrack line of Bluetooth trackers with 2-Pack and 4-Pack options for non-Prime members. If you're a Prime member, you can get a 1-Pack for $13.99 and a SmartTrack Card for $16.99.

Another notable discount this time around is on the PowerHouse 757 Portable Power Station, which is available for $949.99, down from $1,399.00. This is a big markdown on one of Anker's popular portable power stations, and this one features a 1229Wh capacity and 1500 wattage, with six AC outlets, four USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports.

Bluetooth Trackers

• SmartTrack Link (1-Pack) - $13.99 for Prime members, down from $19.99
• SmartTrack Card - $16.99 for Prime members, down from $29.99
• SmartTrack Link (2-Pack) - $27.99 with on-page coupon, down from $35.99
• SmartTrack Link (4-Pack) - $54.99 with on-page coupon, down from $69.99

Cables and Wall Chargers

• USB-C to USB-C Cable (6ft 2-Pack) - $10.39 with on-page coupon, down from $16.99
• 100W USB-C Power Adapter (2-Port) - $36.79 with on-page coupon, down from $45.99
• Nano 65W USB-C Charger (3-Port) - $39.09 with on-page coupon, down from $55.99
• Compact Power Strip - $79.99 with on-page coupon, down from $99.99
• 150W USB-C Charger (4-Port) - $93.49 with on-page coupon, down from $109.99

Portable Batteries

• MagGo Battery 5,000 mAh - $25.59 with on-page coupon, down from $31.99
• PowerCore 24,000 mAh with Smart Digital Display - $119.99 with on-page coupon, down from $159.99
• PowerHouse 757 Portable Power Station - $949.99 with on-page coupon, down from $1,399.99

Hubs and Charging Stations

• 7-in-1 USB-C Power Strip - $50.99 with on-page coupon, down from $65.99
• 11-in-1 USB-C Hub - $89.99, down from $99.99
• 3-in-1 MagSafe Station - $118.99 with on-page coupon, down from $139.99

Bluetooth Speakers

• Soundcore 3 - $45.99 with on-page coupon, down from $50.99
• Soundcore Motion Boom Plus - $139.99 with on-page coupon, down from $179.99
• Soundcore Rave Neo 2 - $129.00, down from $179.99

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Tweetbot creator Tapbots this week released Ivory for Mac following months of beta testing, bringing its well-designed Mastodon app to the desktop. Mastodon is a social network that gained popularity following Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter last year.

A new "Universal" subscription tier allows users to access Ivory across the Mac, iPhone, and iPad for $24.99 per year, or users can subscribe to the Mac app on its own for $14.99 per year. A free seven-day trial is available and provides access to all features, and the app can be used in read-only mode without a subscription at any time.

Ivory has a similar design as Tweetbot, a third-party Twitter app that Tapbots was forced to abandon after Musk cut off their access to the platform. Tapbots promises to add new features to Ivory as development continues, but the app already provides one of the best experiences for using Mastodon on the Mac. MacStories editor John Voorhees published a review of Ivory for Mac yesterday for a closer look at the app.

Ivory can be downloaded from the Mac App Store. The app requires a Mac running macOS Ventura or later, according to the listing.

Apple is launching a new ad campaign today featuring the company's emphasis on health data privacy, headlined by a humorous new commercial voiced by actress and comedian Jane Lynch.

The new campaign centers around the fact that with people knowingly and unknowingly sharing more and more about themselves online, protection of private health information has become an increasingly important issue. With Apple's built-in privacy protections across its devices and services, the company is seeking to reassure users that their health data remains secure within Apple's ecosystem.

Apple cites four pillars of privacy that apply both generally at Apple and specifically regarding health data:

- Data minimization: Only the bare minimum of health data is ever transmitted to Apple's servers, reassuring users that the vast majority of the data can not be compromised.

- On-device processing: Related to the data minimization pillar, Apple has intentionally built its products and services to perform as much data processing as possible directly on users' devices, limiting the data that needs to be sent to Apple in the first place. For example, your health highlights and trends displayed in the Health app on your iPhone are all processed on your device, which means Apple can't see them even if it wanted to.

- Transparency and control: Apple says that data is only shared with explicit user permission, and the company has built clear permission prompts to give you fine-grained control over what health data you share with whom, as well as provide reminders about the data you are sharing. With HealthKit, third-party developers seeking to access your health data must provide rationale for needing that access, must include a privacy policy, and may not use your health data for advertising purposes or sell it. Any health data these apps receive via HealthKit goes directly to the apps and does not let Apple see it as an intermediary.

- Security: All health data is encrypted on device, with the exception of Medical ID data that can be displayed on your ‌iPhone‌'s Lock Screen to assist first responders and others who may need to assist you in an emergency. For users have turned on two-factor authentication and a device passcode, health data transmitted via iCloud is end-to-end encrypted, meaning that only you can decrypt it with a device that's also logged in to your account, and Apple can't see it unless you explicitly choose to allow it.

Apple's new health privacy ad campaign will be running in 24 regions around the world across broadcast media, social, and billboards this summer. The company has also published a white paper with an overview of how the Health app and HealthKit protect your privacy.

Netflix is officially cracking down on password sharing in the United States and the United Kingdom, more than a year after it first announced the move.

Netflix explained on its U.S. and U.K. websites how viewers who shared their account password to people outside their household would be affected, and what the additional costs would be if they still wanted to let out-of-household users access their account.

Going forward, account holders on the Netflix Standard plan will have the option to add one person outside of their household, but they will have to pay an extra $7.99 a month (or £4.99 in the U.K.) for the privilege. Account holders on the Netflix Premium with 4K package can add up to two extra members, but they will still cost $7.99 each.

As for account holders on the Basic or Standard with adverts plans, they don't have any option to add out-of-household members at all.

Extra members will be given their own account and password, but their membership is paid for by the person who invited them to share their Netflix account. Alternatively, they can use a new "transfer profile" feature to prompt extra users to make their own accounts that they pay for.

Netflix said subscribers living in the same household would still be able to access their account when traveling or on the go, but the streaming company said it had begun sending emails about the "paid sharing" plan to out-of-household users on Tuesday, explaining what their options are.

Netflix has been testing the new sharing restrictions in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal since the beginning of the year, and said in April that it was "pleased with the results." In Canada, for example, paid sharing resulted in a larger Netflix membership base and an acceleration in revenue growth, which has given Netflix the confidence to expand it to the United States and elsewhere.

Netflix claimed last year that more than 100 million households are sharing accounts, which is impacting its ability to "invest in and improve Netflix" for paying members.

Apple's mixed-reality headset will be primarily targeted at developers and could now see shipments of fewer than 100,000 units this year, Taiwanese research firm TrendForce reports.

TrendForce claims that the headset's high cost, difficulty to manufacture, and focus on developers will "restrict sales predominantly to pre-orders for this year." While Apple's headset could stimulate some new demand in the AR/VR product category, the high price tag of the device, believed to be in the ballpark of ~$3,000, will apparently pose a significant barrier to broader market growth.

Trendforce forecasts that shipments of the new headset will now "fall short" of 100,000 units this year, with Apple potentially capping production at no more than 300,000 units.

In January 2022, Apple was believed to have told its suppliers to expect sales of seven million to 10 million units during its first year on sale. This expectation was then seemingly downgraded to three million units.

In August last year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple was planning to ship no more than 1.5 million units in 2023. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently said that Apple now expects to sell around 900,000 headsets this year. In December last year, Kuo revised his estimate down to "less than 500,000 units."

Gurman has also postulated that Apple may sell only one headset per day per retail store, which would equate to annual sales of just over 180,000 units. TrendForce's estimate of less than 100,000 units is the lowest shipment estimate for Apple's headset to date.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 models will support 15W wireless fast charging even when using third-party chargers that are not MagSafe certified, claims a new rumor coming out of China.

Apple's official MagSafe magnetic wireless charger or a third-party magnetic charger with official MFM (Made for MagSafe) certification are required to achieve 15W wireless fast charging on the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone 14. If using a standard Qi-certified wireless charger, these models top out at 7.5W.

However, according to a Weibo post picked up by news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Korean Naver blog, the iPhone 15 series will be capable of open 15W wireless magnetic charging using non-MFM certified chargers, which are usually more affordable alternatives to those with Apple certification.

The rumor has not yet been verified as coming from a reliable source, but the claim does make sense given that Apple is contributing to a new version of the Qi open standard that works much like MagSafe.

Announced in January 2023 by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), the next-generation Qi2 wireless standard incorporates a Magnetic Power Profile, which means that devices that adopt Qi2 in the future will use the same magnetic technology used in ‌MagSafe‌ devices created for the iPhone 12 and later.

The WPC says that the Magnetic Power Profile in Qi2 will make sure that phones and other battery-powered mobile products are perfectly aligned with chargers for improved energy efficiency and faster charging‌. Qi2 smartphones and chargers are expected to be available starting in the 2023 holiday season.

Apple's decision to make MagSafe technology available to all devices that support Qi2 wireless charging would seem in direct contrast to its position on USB-C. The iPhone 15 is expected to feature a USB-C port instead of Lightning, which will allow it to comply with new regulations implemented in Europe.

But according to rumors, iPhone 15 models will only officially support USB-C accessories certified by the Apple Made for iPhone (MFi) program, which could be used to limit features like fast charging and high-speed data transfers to Apple-approved accessories.

Apple's iPhone 15 series is expected to be announced during the usual September timeframe. For everything we can expect from the new flagship models, click on the roundup links below.

Samsung has announced its popular Smart Monitor M8 is getting an update for 2023, with a new 27-inch size joining the previous 32-inch option, and both 4K screens gaining HDR10+ support, a new portrait orientation, and more.

Priced at $700 (32 inches) and $650 (27 inches), the M8 models house a 4K UHD flat LCD panel providing 400 nits of brightness, a 60Hz refresh rate (non variable), 99% sRGB, and adaptive picture technology that automatically adjusts display brightness and color temperature for viewing comfort.

Both models retain key features like USB-C charging connectivity, AirPlay support, an integrated webcam, and several smart TV features built into the distinctively iMac-like design. Samsung's M8 doesn't support the P3 color gamut and can't match the brightness of Apple's 5K Studio Display, but as a more affordable alternative it now looks even more appealing.

The M8 now pivots up to 90 degrees for a portrait orientation, and it supports VESA standards for those who prefer different mounting solutions. The included 2K SlimFit camera has been upgraded, and there's new mouse support for many of the included apps on the display such as Samsung's Gaming Hub, SmartThings Hub for managing connected home devices, and Smart Hub for dedicated apps like Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, and more.

Both sizes have a 11.39mm thick chassis, which is 0.1mm thinner than Apple's iMac, and include a flat back, thin bezels, and a height and tilt adjustable stand. Both models are available from June in four color options, including warm white, sunset pink, daylight blue, and spring green. See Samsung's press release for a full rundown of all the technical specifications.

The first reviews of Final Cut Pro for iPad were published today, providing a closer look at the touch-optimized video creation app in action. We also shared our own hands-on video of the app, which is available now on the App Store.

Final Cut Pro for the iPad is a subscription-based app priced at $4.99 per month or $49 per year in the U.S. after a one-month free trial. The app is compatible with iPads equipped with the M1 chip or newer, and requires iPadOS 16.4 or later.

The Verge's Vjeran Pavic:

Final Cut Pro for iPad is a carefully designed app that gets a lot of the basics right. It's a great adaptation of its desktop app, and FCP users will feel right at home. It also takes advantage of the iPad's touch-first interface and utilizes accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil well. It's also priced accessibly — Apple is selling it as a subscription at $5 per month or $50 per year, which makes it easy to use for a month or two to see if it's something you want to stick with.

But if you're hoping that it's a complete drop-in replacement for the Mac version of Final Cut Pro, you'll likely come away disappointed. There are still many features omitted from this version that I missed throughout my testing of it. And if you're the type of editor who wants to work on both the iPad and the Mac, you're going to need to be careful with how you organize your projects and which device you start out with.

iMore's Daryl Baxter:

If you're a videographer and you've been waiting for Final Cut on iPad, it's been worth the eight-year wait. But it feels like there's already a need for a 1.5 update that's going to line up feature parity on the same level as what Logic Pro for iPad already manages. Swapping between devices with projects and not experiencing any bugs when moving from a Mac to iPad and vice versa is critical.

Final Cut Pro brings out the best in iPad, from its multi-touch focus to the fun features of Live Drawing and the jog wheel. It gives some rare clarity to a confused device category, and buggy software features like Stage Manager that have bogged down the iPad for the past year. And for that alone, it's worth the subscription price.

Six Colors' Jason Snell:

After quite a few hours in Final Cut Pro iPad, my impressions are mixed. There were moments where I really did get into a groove and felt great about the app—generally when I was using the Magic Keyboard since it gave me access to shortcuts that haven't been properly translated into the touch interface.

But I also felt a lot of familiar frustration at an app that's packed with features but hasn't quite realized that multi-touch gestures and the Apple Pencil can make the process go smoother even without an attached keyboard. The pieces are all in place for Final Cut Pro to become a great iPad app, but it's still got a lot of growing up to do.

More Reviews and First Impressions

• CNET's Scott Stein
• Gizmodo's Michelle Ehrhardt
• MacStories' John Vorhees
• Macworld's Jason Cross
• Forbes' David Phelan

Videos

Ahead of WWDC 2023 next month, the finalists for this year's Apple Design Awards have been revealed online. Apple says the awards "recognize and celebrate the art, craft, creativity, and technical expertise of Apple's developer community."

This year's Apple Design Award winners will be revealed to the public via the Apple Developer app and website on June 5 at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time following a ceremony at WWDC. The full list of finalists is on Apple's website, with categories including Inclusivity, Delight and Fun, Interaction, Social Impact, Visuals and Graphics, and Innovation.

Developers invited to attend the special day at Apple Park on June 5 will be able to attend the Apple Design Awards ceremony. Winners receive a unique keepsake in the form of an aluminum cube with an Apple logo and the name of their app.

Apple shared a WWDC 2023 schedule earlier today. The developers conference will kick off with Apple's keynote on June 5 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.

Apple's digital car key feature for iPhone and Apple Watch is expanding to Mercedes-Benz, with changes to Apple's back-end configuration files for the feature having been updated today with references to the automaker, as noticed by Nicolás Álvarez (via @aaronp613).

Only a handful of brands including BMW, BYD, Genesis, Hyundai, and Kia have so far introduced support for the feature on select models, which allows you to add a digital car key to the Wallet app on your ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch and then lock, unlock, and start your car without needing a physical key. Just a month ago, Lotus appeared in Apple's configuration files as another upcoming brand that will support the feature.

Mercedes-Benz announced last month that the new E-Class sedan will support the feature, which it refers to as Digital Vehicle Key, as part of its KEYLESS-GO Comfort Package. The E-Class digital key can be shared with up to 16 people, with the primary user able to assign certain rights to specific users such as only allowing access to the vehicle or also allowing it to be driven.

Depending on the technology adopted by a given manufacturer, you may need to hold your device in close proximity to the door handle or in-car reader, while other vehicles may support passive entry where the digital key will function as long as you have your device on you. Select vehicles may also support remote lock and unlock via the digital car key.

Apple today brought its Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro software to the iPad for the first time, allowing content creators to use their tablets for video editing and sound recording. We decided to test out Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro to see how they measure up to the Mac versions.

MacRumors video editor Dan Barbera uses Final Cut Pro to edit the videos that you see on MacRumors, so it's software that he's very familiar with. He doesn't use Logic Pro as often, but takes a look at the interface differences.

Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad promise to deliver many of the same features that are available on the Mac, with a touch-first interface that's optimized for the ‌iPad‌. Dan will be editing a full video on the ‌iPad‌ using Final Cut Pro, so keep an eye out for that follow-up to the initial hands-on look.

Final Cut Pro requires an M1 chip or later, so it is limited to Apple's newest iPads. Logic Pro requires an A12 Bionic chip or later. The apps are priced at $4.99 per month or $49 per year in the United States, with a one-month free trial available.

Alongside today's launch of Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad, Apple has updated its video and audio apps for Mac to integrate with the iPad apps as well as deliver new features and bug fixes.

Final Cut Pro 10.6.6 [Mac App Store] allows you to import your projects created in Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌, offers automatic color management for editing HDR and SDR clips in the same project, brings a new collection of titles, effects, and transitions, and adds a Scene Removal Mask tool to remove and replace backgrounds behind subjects without using a green screen. Apple has also released Pro Video Formats 2.2.5 with the latest professional video codec updates.

Motion 5.6.4 [Mac App Store] adds an automatic color processing feature for adapting to HDR and SDR timelines from Final Cut Pro, new HDR-optimized color processing sliders, new Green Screen Keyer and Luma Keyer filters for isolating foreground subjects, and improved performance.

Compressor 4.6.4 [Mac App Store] can now automatically center cropped video, supports standard copy-and-paste keyboard shortcuts for adding files from Finder to the batch window, and more.

Logic Pro 10.7.8 [Mac App Store] adds project roundtrip capabilities to support Logic Pro for ‌iPad‌, while also delivering several bug fixes and performance improvements.

And finally, iMovie [Mac App Store] has been updated to version 10.3.6 with stability and performance improvements.

Apple today announced the schedule for its annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 5 through June 9. The schedule confirms that Apple's keynote will begin on June 5 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the company expected to announce iOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10, its long-awaited AR/VR headset, a 15-inch MacBook Air, and more.

Apple's keynote will be followed by the Platforms State of the Union on June 5 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time. This video is essentially Apple's developer-focused keynote, providing an overview of new tools and technologies across Apple's platforms.

The full schedule for the first day of WWDC:

Apple Keynote
June 5, 10 a.m. PDT
The biggest and most exciting WWDC23 to date launches with a first look at exciting updates coming to Apple platforms later this year. The keynote address will be available via apple.com, the Apple Developer app, the Apple TV app, and YouTube, with on-demand playback available after the conclusion of the stream.

Platforms State of the Union
June 5, 1:30 p.m. PDT
Developers will learn how they can take their apps to the next level with a deeper dive into the new tools, technologies, and advances across Apple platforms. Platforms State of the Union will stream via the Apple Developer app and the Apple Developer website.

Apple Design Awards
June 5, 6:30 p.m. PDT
The Apple Design Awards recognize and celebrate the art, craft, creativity, and technical expertise of Apple’s developer community. This year’s Apple Design Award winners will be unveiled via the Apple Developer app and website.

WWDC 2023 will primarily be online, with 175 session videos to be available on the Apple Developer website and in the Apple Developer app for anyone to watch for free. There will also be an in-person component, as randomly selected developers and some media personnel have been invited to attend a special day at Apple Park on June 5 to watch the keynote video together, meet some of Apple's teams, socialize, and more.

Two weeks ahead of when the 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference takes place, Swift Student Challenge winners have started receiving their 2023 prizes.

Rewards for winning include a WWDC 2023 sweatshirt, AirPods Pro, and a set of WWDC-themed pins. Each winner is also receiving a congratulatory note from Apple.

Congratulations! You took it to a whole new level. You're a confirmed WWDC2023 Swift Student Challenge Winner. The app playground you created demonstrates your commitment to great coding and ideation, which are values we champion at Apple. That's why we're excited to present you with this year's exclusive, well-earned reward. We admire your passion and use of Apple technologies, and we can't wait to see how you'll continue to code new worlds.

Apple hosts an annual Swift Student Challenge as part of the WWDC festivities. Students are tasked with creating an innovative coding project using Apple's Swift Playgrounds app. Apple required an interactive scene able to be experienced in three minutes, with students judged on technical accomplishment, creativity of ideas, and content of written responses explaining the project and other app development experience.

Some Swift Student Challenge winners will be invited to attend the special event that Apple plans to hold at Apple Park on June 5, with attendees picked using a lottery system.