Apple today announced iOS 17, the next major operating system for the iPhone, introducing a range of new communication and sharing features.
iOS 17 features personalized contact posters with photos, Memojis, and eye-catching typography that appear during calls and in the updated address book. A new Live Voicemail feature brings live-transcription in real-time, allowing for old-school call screening. Users can now pick up the phone mid-voicemail and transcription is handled-on device.
Messages now offers improved search features, an arrow to jump to the first unread message in a conversation, easier inline replies with a swipe gesture, inline location sharing, and a new Stickers experience. iMessage apps and the camera have now been moved to a new plus button.
Check In is a new feature that gives updates on your location to let family or friends know when you get home safely. If you're delayed, it can recognize that and check in with you. If you don't respond, it can share an alert with friends, sharing location, battery, and cell service status.
Users can AirDrop content by bringing their iPhones close together and transfers can now occur in the background. It is also now possible to swap numbers with someone new via "NameDrop," enabling users to share contact information when phones are brought close together.
There are updates to keyboard and dictation, bringing improvements to autocorrect via a new "transformer" language model and sentence-level correction.
iOS 17 also introduces a new "Journal" app. The app sources new memories using people, places, activity, music, and photos that users can add to daily journal entries. Users can set reminders to remember to write a daily entry. Journal comes to iPhone later this year.
A new mode called "StandBy" provides a view for displaying the time, widgets, and other information when the iPhone is horizontal. Users can now simply say "Siri" instead of "Hey Siri," and Siri will understand follow-up commands that do not include the trigger word.
Apple today updated its Mac Pro desktop tower with the all-new M2 Ultra chip, which features a 24-core CPU, up to a 76-core GPU, and support for up to 192GB of memory. Apple says the new Mac Pro is up to 3x faster than the fastest Intel-based Mac Pro.
The new Mac Pro has the same overall design as the previous Intel-based model. However, the tower is now equipped with eight Thunderbolt 4 ports instead of four, two higher-bandwidth HDMI ports that support up to an 8K display at 240Hz, seven PCIe expansion slots, dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a headphone jack that supports impedance headphones. The computer can be configured with up to 8TB of SSD storage.
Like the new Mac Studio, and the latest MacBook Pro and Mac mini models, the Mac Pro now supports faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
The new Mac Pro is available to order starting today, and it will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, June 13. In the U.S., pricing starts at $6,999, whereas the previous Intel-based Mac Pro started at $5,999. A rack-mounted version of the Mac Pro remains available from $7,499.
As expected, the M2 Ultra chip is essentially a doubled-up M2 Max chip. It features a 24-core CPU, up to a 76-core GPU, a 32-core Neural Engine, and support for up to 192GB of unified memory. Apple says the Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra chip is up to 3x faster than the previous-generation Mac Studio with the M1 Ultra chip, released last year.
The new Mac Studio has the same overall design as the original model, but with a higher-bandwidth HDMI port that supports up to an 8K display at 240Hz. The back of the Mac Studio has four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, and two USB-A ports. On the front side, there are two USB-C ports and an SD card slot.
As with the new Mac Pro, and the latest MacBook Pro and Mac mini models, the Mac Studio now supports faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
The new Mac Studio is available to order starting today, and will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, June 13. Pricing continues to start at $1,999 for the model with the M2 Max chip, while the M2 Ultra model starts at $3,999.
The M2 Ultra is based on the M2 Max chip that debuted in the refreshed 14- and 16-inch MacBook Air earlier this year. It is built using two M2 Max chips connected via "UltraFusion," Apple's custom-built packaging technology.
The M2 Ultra chip has a 24-core CPU that consists of 16 high-performance cores and eight high-efficiency cores. This nets the chip 20 percent faster performance than the M1 Ultra. Users can configure the GPU with 60 or 76 next-generation cores, which is up to 12 more cores compared to the GPU of the M1 Ultra.
The M2 Ultra features a 32-core Neural Engine that is 40 percent faster than the M1 Ultra, and it has improved video processing that can play back up to 22 streams of 8K ProRes video simultaneously.
Every Mac Pro now contains the M2 Ultra chip, supporting up to 192 GB of unified memory – 50% more than M1 Ultra. Apple also noted that with M2 Ultra in the Mac Pro, the transition to Apple silicon is complete across the Mac desktop and laptop lineups.
Apple at WWDC 2023 announced a new MacBook Air with a larger 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display that is powered by Apple's latest M2 processor under the hood.
Described by Apple as "the world's thinnest 15-inch laptop," the new MacBook Air is 11.5mm thick and weighs in at 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms). With the M2 chip, it is 12x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air, and is twice as fast as competing laptops, according to Apple.
The new fanless MacBook Air has a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, a three-microphone array, and an "all-new" six-speaker system with two tweeters and two sets of force canceling woofers that support immersive spatial audio. Apple also claims the laptop can last up to 18 hours on a single charge.
The new laptop also includes MagSafe, two Thunderbolt ports for connecting accessories and up to a 6K external display, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
In terms of the display, it offers up to 500 nits of brightness and support for 1 billion colors, while being twice the resolution and 25% brighter than the comparable best-selling Intel Core i7 PC laptop. As for the M2 chip, it has an 8-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores, a 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. M2 also delivers 100GB/s of memory bandwidth and supports up to 24GB of fast unified memory.
"We're thrilled to introduce the first 15-inch MacBook Air. With its incredible performance and striking design, the new MacBook Air is the world's best 15-inch laptop. And it's only possible with Apple silicon,” said John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. "From its expansive Liquid Retina display and remarkably thin and fanless design, to extraordinary battery life and an immersive six-speaker sound system, the new MacBook Air has it all."
Like the standard MacBook Air, the new 15-inch model comes in four colors, including Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, and Midnight. The new MacBook Air starts at $1,299, or $1,199 for education customers. Pre-orders open today with deliveries beginning next week. The 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 also gets a new starting price of $1,099 — $100 less than before.
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starts today with the traditional keynote kicking things off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors is on hand for the event and we'll be sharing details and our thoughts throughout the day.
We're expecting to see a number of announcements, including Apple's long-rumored AR/VR headset with its "xrOS" operating system, some new Macs, and the usual batch of operating system updates including iOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17.
Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV and Developer apps across its platforms. We will also be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the keynote unfolds. Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.
Sign up for our newsletter to keep up with Apple news and rumors.
Kuo shared the information in a tweet earlier today, noting that the latest forecast represents a delay over the previous third quarter of 2023 prediction for mass shipments of the headset. He added that investors are more interested in whether the product announcement will convince customers that "Apple's AR/MR headset device is the next star in consumer electronics," rather than shipment numbers. If the device does launch this year, shipments are likely to be even lower than existing estimates, he added.
Morgan Stanley analysts believe Apple's headset will enter mass production in October and launch by December, just in time for the holiday period – a time frame that broadly mirrors Kuo's forecast. Apple's supply chain is apparently preparing to assemble only 300,000 to 500,000 headsets in 2023.
Apple's headset is widely expected to be announced today during its WWDC keynote, so there may soon be further information about when the device will launch. Follow along on MacRumors.com and @MacRumorsLive on Twitter for full coverage of Apple's announcements throughout the day.
Apple's WWDC 2023 begins today, with the event kicking off at 10:00 am Pacific Time via the traditional opening keynote. We know that some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event as it's being broadcast are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until the event video is available for on-demand viewing so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.
Replays of Apple's recent events have been made available to view almost immediately following the conclusion of the broadcasts, and we expect similar timing for today's event.
Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events as they occur refrain from making any posts about Apple's announcements in this thread.
Just hours away from WWDC’s opening keynote, some developers have been sharing the contents of their conference swag bags on social media. The bags are given to attendees when they register for the event, and typically contain limited-edition Apple gifts.
This year, developers have been registering at Apple's Infinite Loop campus, where they have been gifted a black tote bag emblazoned with the WWDC 2023 logo, along with a black drinks flask, a black cap, and collectible enamel pins.
Apple introduced the popular pin packs at WWDC 2017 and kicked off collections with the old rainbow-themed Apple logo, the "hello" Mac greeting, the Swift and Metal logos, the original Macintosh, and emojis. Attendees also received a flag pin of their home country.
Among the various pins this year are stylized Apple logo designs, the Mac's spinning beach ball, the Apple Park campus spaceship, a "melting face" emoji, the Finder app icon, and more.
MacRumors will be in attendance at the keynote, with live coverage of the event beginning shortly after 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Stay tuned to MacRumors.com and our @MacRumorsLive account on Twitter. We've also put together a guide explaining all the ways you can watch Apple's WWDC 2023 Keynote live as it happens.
Apple's online store is now down ahead of today's WWDC keynote at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. In addition to previewing its rumored AR/VR headset, Apple is expected to announce a 15-inch MacBook Air and potentially updated Mac Studio models.
Apple routinely takes down its online store prior to launching new hardware, a move that helps to build anticipation. In this case, the store going down is likely primarily related to new Macs, as investment firm Morgan Stanley recently estimated that Apple's headset is still months away from entering mass production and launching.
The new 15-inch MacBook Air is rumored to use the M2 chip, while the updated Mac Studio models would likely be available with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips.
This is the second consecutive year in which Apple's online store has gone down ahead of WWDC. Hardware announcements during last year's keynote included 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro models with the then-new M2 chip.
Follow along on MacRumors.com and @MacRumorsLive on Twitter for full coverage of Apple's announcements throughout the day.
Apple's annual Back to School promotion for students will begin this week in the U.S., according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a tweet today, he said the promotion will likely start on Tuesday, after new Macs are announced at WWDC on Monday.
Last year's promotion offered a free Apple gift card worth up to $150 with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad, while free AirPods were offered in 2021. The free item is in addition to Apple's standard educational discounts, with students already able to receive between 5% and 10% off most Macs, iPads, and Apple displays.
The promotion is typically available to students attending or accepted to a college or university, faculty and staff at higher-education institutions, parents purchasing on behalf of an eligible student, employees of a K-12 institution, and select others.
The offer will likely launch in Canada at the same time as in the U.S., followed by European and Asian countries a few weeks later.
Apple’s 2023 Back to School deal will kick off next week (Tuesday likely) after new machines are announced at WWDC. https://t.co/Bio8jm8CBj
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) June 4, 2023
Apple at its upcoming WWDC 2023 Apple Park event plans to provide some developers and attendees with an opportunity to try out the new AR/VR headset following its announcement, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Apple built a new "structure" at the Apple Park campus that is designed to provide controlled hands-on demos of the headset. The test area is at the basketball courts at Apple Park, near the fitness center available to employees.
Demonstrations will be given to members of the media and some developers at the event, but this area will be used for hands-on experiences throughout the summer. Apple may invite developers to Apple Park on an ongoing basis to allow them to test the headset for app development purposes.
There will also be a hands-on area in the Steve Jobs Theater for hardware demonstrations after the keynote. The hands-on experiences will see Apple showing off FaceTime in VR, Apple TV+ content, and games. Customers with select conditions like migraines, vertigo, post-concussion syndrome, and past traumatic brain injuries will be warned against using the headset.
It sounds like Apple will also have a hands-on area in the Steve Jobs Theater - open to developers — for after the keynote — in addition to headset building. The keynote will be played in the same spot as last year but there is a new shade to cover people and prevent sunburns. https://t.co/fuasZ1Cy8F
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) June 2, 2023
If the hands-on experience is similar to previous events, developers and members of the media will be able to test the headset right after the keynote. Apple employees will be providing short, controlled demonstrations.
The AR/VR headset will not be available for sale after WWDC, and it will in fact launch several months after it is first shown off. Mass production has not yet begun, and the latest information suggests a launch ahead of the December holidays.
Apple's WWDC 2023 keynote event is set to be held at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Monday, June 5.
One of Apple's biggest events of the year is right around the corner, with a jam-packed keynote kicking off WWDC 2023 on Monday. Apple's long-rumored AR/VR headset is all but certain to finally come to fruition, but it looks like there will be much more than that revealed at the event.
In addition to the standard previews of upcoming major operating system updates and the headset, it looks like we'll be seeing multiple new Mac models. And of course, the headset will come with a brand-new operating system rumored to be called "xrOS," so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
What to Expect at 'One of Apple's Longest Ever' WWDC Keynotes on Monday
New Mac Studio Likely to Be Introduced Alongside 15-Inch MacBook Air at WWDC
In addition to the much-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air we're expecting to see on Monday, Apple is also testing new desktop Macs with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips, according to Gurman. Apple already made the M2 Max chip available in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro earlier this year, while the M2 Ultra chip has yet to be announced.
Users will reportedly be able to control xrOS with eye and hand movements, and we should learn many more details next week. Apple's headset is expected to launch later this year for an estimated price of around $3,000.
iOS 17 Beta for iPhone Coming Next Week With These 12 New Features
The first beta of iOS 17 should be made available to members of Apple's $99/year Developer Program moments after the WWDC keynote next week, while a public beta will likely be available in July for members of Apple's free Beta Software Program.
My Photo Stream is an older service that uploads the last 30 days of images to iCloud, making them accessible across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple devices. The service has largely been replaced by iCloud Photos.
Hands-On: What the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro Will Look Like
All four iPhone 15 models are expected to have a USB-C port and the Dynamic Island, while the Pro models are rumored to feature a titanium frame, A17 chip, and more.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
CrossOver will gain support for DirectX 12 starting this year to enhance the experience of playing Windows games on macOS, CodeWeavers this week announced.
CrossOver allows macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS users to run Windows apps as if they were native by translating Windows APIs into their Mac equivalents. CrossOver currently only supports Microsoft's DirectX 11. DirectX 12 is the latest collection of graphics rendering APIs available on Windows and Xbox, promising better performance, efficiency, and optimal use of multiple CPU and GPU cores.
Support for DirectX 12 games will be added to CrossOver on a per-title basis to circumvent bugs. From CodeWeavers' press release:
We have the beginnings of DirectX 12 support, and our QA team has confirmed that Diablo II Resurrected is running on macOS with early pre-alpha builds of CrossOver 23, which will be released later this summer. There are still bugs, but the fact that it's running at all is a huge win.
While we are elated with this breakthrough, we acknowledge that our journey has just begun. Our team's investigations concluded that there was no single magic key that unlocked DirectX 12 support on macOS. To get just Diablo II Resurrected running, we had to fix a multitude of bugs involving MoltenVK and SPIRV-Cross. We anticipate that this will be the case for other DirectX 12 games: we will need to add support on a per-title basis, and each game will likely involve multiple bugs.
The first game to gain DirectX 12 support in CrossOver will be "Diablo II Resurrected," but CodeWeavers plans to add more titles in the future. CodeWeavers maintains a compatibility database so you can see what may work work well with the software.
The first beta of CrossOver 23 is set to be released this summer, followed by the official launch later this year.
Apple may announce a major change to Siri that would move away from the "Hey Siri" trigger phrase currently required to invoke the virtual assistant hands-free at next week's WWDC keynote, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In a new tweet, Gurman reiterated that the change to the Siri trigger phrase may be among next week's announcements. In November, Gurman reported that Apple is working on a way for Siri to be able to understand and respond to commands without the need to use "Hey Siri" as a trigger-phrase. Instead, users will simply need to say "Siri."
The company is working on an initiative to drop the "Hey in the trigger phrase so that a user only needs to say "Siri"—along with a command. While that might seem like a small change, making the switch is a technical challenge that requires a significant amount of AI training and underlying engineering work.
The complexity involves Siri being able to understand the singular phrase "Siri" in multiple different accents and dialects. Having two words — "Hey Siri" — increases the likelihood of the system properly picking up the signal.
The change would bring Siri closer to Amazon's voice assistant, which can be triggered simply by beginning a command with "Alexa." At the time, Gurman added that Apple is also working on deeper Siri integrations with third-party apps and services to provide better assistance thanks to additional context.
Gurman initially said that the changes to Siri are expected to roll out sometime in 2023 or 2024, but his latest tweet suggests that it remains a distinct possibility for WWDC next week. Apple's mixed-reality headset is rumored to feature voice controls, so improvements to Siri would likely go hand-in-hand with the announcement of the new device.
The 34th annual Worldwide Developers conference is less than a week away, and it's going to feature one of the most exciting keynote events that we've had in recent years.
Apple is expected to introduce its first new wearable since the launch of the Apple Watch, plus there are new Macs coming and notable features for iOS 17 and watchOS 10. This guide highlights everything rumored to be coming at WWDC 2023.
Hardware
We don't always get hardware at WWDC, and in fact, the event usually focuses on software. Every once in awhile, though, Apple has a new product to show off that's timed well for a June launch, and that's the case this year.
Apple's AR/VR headset has been in active development for years now, and Apple has pushed it back several times to work out ongoing issues. We're expecting to get our first glimpse at the headset at WWDC, though it is not expected to officially launch until later in the year.
The headset is expected to have a thin and light design that will make it more comfortable to wear than competing products, and the lighter weight will be primarily facilitated by an external battery pack that's worn at the hip and connected to the headset through a USB-C cable. Apple wants the headset to weigh around 200 grams, which would be notably lighter than other options.
Battery life will come in at around two hours, but because it's using an external battery pack, batteries will be swappable for longer wear. The headset will support both virtual reality and augmented reality, with a physical Digital Crown-like button to switch between modes.
Leaked design information suggests the headset will be made from aluminum, glass, and carbon fiber, with a look that's not too far off from other VR headsets like the PlayStation VR 2 or the Oculus Quest 2. It will have a sleek front visor that's held on with an Apple Watch-like band, with a mesh that sits against the face.
Two 4K microOLED displays from Sony will offer high-resolution content in a 120-degree field of view, with Apple aiming for 5,000 nits brightness for HDR and 4,000 pixels per inch. HDR is not a typical feature for VR headsets, and that pixel density will outshine all competing headsets. Prescription lenses will be accommodated, and the internal lenses will be able to be adjusted to match the wearer's interpupillary distance.
More than a dozen cameras will track hand movements, leg movements, and facial gestures, plus iris scanning will be available for authentication. Capturing lower body movement is not something most headsets do, and Apple plans to use the cameras to track hand and eye gestures for control purposes. Users will, for example, be able to look at an on-screen item to select it, using hand gestures to interact with it. An "air-typing" feature will be available for text input, though Apple also plans to allow users to enter text with an iPhone, similar to how the Apple TV works. The cameras will also map the surrounding environment for augmented reality applications, with LiDAR scanners also included.
While the headset can connect to a Mac to display what's on the Mac's screen, it is designed to operate independently. There are two Mac-level M2 processors inside, one that's a higher-end chip and one that's a lower-end chip for powering sensors.
The AR/VR headset will run a new operating system that's likely to be called xrOS, with the xr standing for "extended reality." xrOS will be immediately familiar to iOS users, and Apple is developing dedicated apps for the device. Safari, Photos, Messages, Maps, Apple Music, FaceTime, and more will be optimized for a 3D interface, and it will also be able to run 2D iPad apps through a special 3D viewing experience, similar to how YouTube works on a device like the Meta Quest 2.
Apple is developing a dedicated Fitness+ app for the headset for those who want to use the device while exercising, and Health features will guide users through meditations. There will be a media focus with Apple planning to provide a dedicated TV app, and Apple is teaming up with companies like Disney and Dolby for content.
Apple is already working with gaming developers to help them update their existing content for mixed reality, and FaceTime will also be a focus. FaceTime will support one-on-one chats with realistic avatars featuring a user's actual face and body, while multi-person chats will use Memojis.
Rumored Key Features:
Dual 4K microOLED displays with 5,000 nits brightness and 4000 pixels per inch.
Over a dozen cameras for monitoring facial expressions, hand gestures, and mapping the environment.
Iris scanning authentication.
Virtual and augmented reality capabilities with Digital Crown to swap modes.
M2 chips, including high-end main processor and lower-end processor for sensors.
xrOS operating system with 3D-optimized apps and option to run existing iPad apps.
Unfortunately, next-generation 3-nanometer M3 chips aren't ready for launch, so the new 15-inch MacBook Air will use the same M2 chips Apple introduced last year.
We are not expecting any design changes aside from the larger display, and high-end features like a 120Hz refresh rate will remain limited to the MacBook Pro.
Rumored Key Features:
Display size around 15.5 inches.
Design and feature set similar to the current M2 MacBook Air.
M2 chips inside, with Apple likely offering 8-core and 10-core GPU variants. M3 chips are not expected.
Mac Studio
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is currently testing desktop Macs that feature M2 Ultra and M2 Max chips. It's looking like these desktop Macs could be a new version of the Mac Studio, and while Gurman did not explicitly say these machines will come at WWDC, it is definitely implied.
Gurman has confirmed that Apple will introduce multiple Macs at WWDC. One will be the 15-inch MacBook Air, and evidence points to a refreshed Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips as the second machine. Aside from new M2 chips, we aren't expecting major changes to the Mac Studio as it was just introduced last year and still has a fresh design.
Software
WWDC is traditionally an event focused on new software releases, and this year, we're expecting iOS 17 and macOS 14, along with the new xrOS operating system.
iOS 17 is expected to offer some of the "most requested features" that have been on users' wishlists, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has described it as offering quality of life improvements.
With iOS 16, Apple introduced a new Lock Screen experience with widgets and customization, and the company may add even more functionality in iOS 17. Gurman says there will be a feature to turn the iPhone into a "smart-home display" that will serve as a home data hub when it's placed in a horizontal orientation on a charger or a stand.
It will show information like calendar appointments, weather data, notifications, and HomeKit data, offering an interface similar to what you might get with an Echo Show or Google Nest Hub. Apple may add other functionality, such as the option to share custom Lock Screens with others and more immersive Live Activity options for apps like Maps. We could also see iPhone-style Lock Screen customizations come to the iPad.
Apple is rumored to be overhauling the Control Center and adding more functionality to the Dynamic Island, though we're light on specifics. We are expecting a dedicated journaling app that will let users track and record their activities and thoughts each day. The app will offer up potential topics that a user might want to write about, and it could possibly integrate with a new mood tracking feature coming to the Health app.
Apple plans to bring the Health app to the iPad this year, and there will also be a few other Health additions like support for eye conditions and prescriptions.
There will be new features and design updates for the Wallet app, Find My, and SharePlay, along with improvements to performance, efficiency, and stability. New Accessibility features have already been outlined, and this year, a whole new CarPlay interface is coming, with functionality built into iOS 17.
Notably, Apple will introduce support for sideloading apps in Europe, which will let European customers get apps outside of the App Store for the first time. European regulators have introduced a law that requires Apple to support sideloading, so it's a feature that Apple plans to limit to Europe rather than implementing worldwide as other countries do not mandate App Store alternatives.
Rumored Key Features:
Lock Screen "Home Hub" display option.
Dedicated journaling app for recording daily activities and thoughts.
Mood tracking in the Health app.
Find My improvements.
Support for sideloading apps in Europe.
Performance, efficiency, and stability improvements.
xrOS is the software that will run on the headset, and like all of Apple's platforms, the headset will have its own App Store for downloading apps. Apple has been trademarking the xrOS name in various countries, and rumors suggest that's the name that the company has settled on.
The software is expected to have an iOS-like interface with on-screen elements controlled by hand and eye gestures, though connections to iPhones, iPads, and Macs will be possible. On a Mac, for example, it can serve as a display option, with a mouse and keyboard serving as inputs. The iPhone will be able to be used for text input and perhaps other functions.
Apple is developing dedicated apps for the headset, and working with third-party media companies and gaming companies to have dedicated 3D content for the device. There are re-imagined versions of several stock apps like Maps, Safari, Photos, and FaceTime, and there will be a specific focus on TV content like sports, gaming, and communication through FaceTime.
Along with dedicated apps, the headset is expected to run iPad apps in some capacity, so there will be a catalog of content at launch. These won't be full 3D experiences, but will instead show the iPad apps in 2D in a 3D environment.
Apple is creating a robust set of developer tools with the hopes of encouraging developers to create apps and games optimized for an AR/VR interface.
Rumored Key Features:
iOS-like design.
Controlled through hand and eye gestures.
Option to connect to Mac to serve as a Mac's display.
Can run iPad apps.
Standard stock Apple apps optimized for 3D.
FaceTime with realistic avatars.
TV and sports focus with partnerships with companies like Disney.
macOS 14
macOS 14 is the next-generation software that will run on the Mac, but unfortunately, we know little about it at this time. Apple has been using California-themed naming for the last several years, and some of the still-available name options include Rincon, Mammoth, Shasta, Farallon, Diablo, Sequoia, Sonoma, Grizzly, and Redwood. Apple could also go with a name that it has not trademarked before, as it did with macOS High Sierra and macOS El Capitan.
macOS 13 is named after Ventura, California, so a place in or near Ventura is a candidate if Apple aims for a smaller update on par with El Capitan and High Sierra.
As for features, we could see the same journaling app that's coming to iOS, along with the updates to Find My, SharePlay, and other cross-platform features. There's no word yet on what Mac-specific features we might get.
Apple Watch models in 2023 aren't going to get much in the way of updates, with Apple making up for the lack of hardware features with new software.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has described watchOS 10 as a "fairly extensive upgrade" for watchOS, with the software set to introduce notable new features. Widgets will be a key part of the update, with Apple planning to bring back a widget-focused interface similar to the "Glances" view used in prior versions of watchOS.
Apple is ready to stop focusing as much attention on full apps as most people do not use them, and will instead put at-a-glance information front and center. Widgets will offer up a quick, interactive way for users to access key information on the Apple Watch.
Widgets may be accessible from any watch face, with users able to swipe between the available widget options, similar to how a widget stack works on the iPhone. Apple may also let the Digital Crown and Side Buttons be customizable, offering up access to widgets rather than apps or the Home Screen.
Rumored Key Features:
Extensive interface changes.
Major focus on widgets for quicker interactions and access to information.
Possible changes to grid-based main layout.
Widget stack for watch faces.
tvOS 17 and HomePod Software 17
Alongside iOS 17, Apple will likely introduce new versions of tvOS and the HomePod software, but these are often light on features and less of a focus than other updates. We don't know what to expect from tvOS 17 or HomePod Software 17 as of yet.
Other Announcements
Along with all of the major product and software announcements, we could also see iPhone cases, iPad cases, and Apple Watch bands in new summer colors.
Apple Pay Later, a feature that Apple is testing right now, could see wider availability following WWDC.
For those who are unable to watch, we'll have a live blog on MacRumors.com and will live tweet all of the announcements from the MacRumorsLive Twitter account, so make sure to follow if you want to keep up with what's going on.
We'll also have in-depth coverage of all of Apple's announcements throughout the day on the MacRumors website.
More Coverage
In addition to our daily news coverage, we also have a long list of dedicated roundups and guides where we keep track of rumors for upcoming releases, and these are great to follow if you can't keep up with the site each day.
Following the WWDC 2023 keynote event on June 5, Apple will release iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14, tvOS 17, and HomePod Software 17 betas to developers for testing purposes. The early launches will allow developers to immediately begin working to incorporate new functionality into their apps.
Some version of xrOS may also be released immediately as developers will need plenty of time to develop apps for the headset ahead of its release.
We could see same-day pre-orders for the 15-inch MacBook Air and any other apps that are announced, or Apple could wait for Friday, June 9 to accept pre-orders. A launch will likely happen around June 16.
As for the headset, we are not expecting it to launch at WWDC. Apple will unveil it, provide tools for developers to design apps, and ultimately make it available for sale later in the year. It could be available for purchase as early as September or as late as December.
Apple's rumored AR/VR headset will be available in six colors, according to a sketchy rumor shared by Twitter account @billbil_kun, which accurately leaked a spec sheet for Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra before that device was announced earlier this year.
In a blog post today on French deals website Dealabs, spotted by iPhoneAddict, the anonymous leaker claimed that Apple's headset will be available in black, blue, gray, green, pink, and a sixth undisclosed color. They also claimed that the headset will have at least two storage capacity options, including 128GB and 256GB.
This rumor should be treated with skepticism for a variety of reasons. First, six colors and at least two storage capacities would result in a minimum of twelve product SKUs, which seems unusually high for a headset that is expected to be a niche, high-end product priced at around $3,000. Second, it's unclear if Apple would bother offering both 128GB and 256GB storage options given there would likely be a negligible price difference between the capacities. And third, the leaker does not appear to have any track record with Apple rumors, despite having some accurate Samsung and video game leaks.
One possibility that would make the rumor slightly more believable is that the color options would be for the head strap, which could potentially be interchangeable like AirPods Max ear cushions are. However, it is still questionable whether Apple would bother with the added manufacturing complexities that come with extra color options for a headset that is estimated to ship in low volumes in its first year of availability.
Apple is expected to unveil the headset during its WWDC keynote on Monday, so we're only three days away from finding out if this rumor is accurate.
Apple has invited some developers to watch the WWDC keynote event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, but for those who are unable to attend, Apple has highlighted a range of "Beyond WWDC" events that are happening next week. These events are designed for developers who want to meet up for learning, networking, and more.
There are WWDC-themed events taking place worldwide, including online. A number of watch parties are happening, for example, in places like Copenhagen, Helsinki, Tokyo, and Istanbul, along with a number of WWDC meetups.
Developers who are interested can find a list of activities to partake in through Apple's developer website.
To get developers and customers in the mood for a fresh wave of announcements, Apple has also shared a WWDC23 Power Up Playlist that's available on Apple Music. The playlist features songs from Dua Lipa, Romy, Diplo, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Calvin Harris, Coi Leray, and more.
WWDC is set to take place next week, starting with a keynote event that will be held on Monday, June 5 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
Apple headset concept by 
Apple headset concept by 
Concept render by 
