Ahead of the 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has shared details on the Apple Design Awards finalists. The Apple Design Awards highlight apps with outstanding design, innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement.
Nominees have been announced in selected categories that include Inclusivity, Delight and Fun, Interaction, Social Impact, Visuals and Graphics, and Innovation, with a full list of nominated apps available below.
Inclusivity
Letter Rooms
Navi
Noted.
Procreate
tint.
Wylde Flowers
Delight and Fun
Chineasy
Moncage
(Not Boring) Habits
Overboard!
Please, Touch the Artwork
Water Llama
Interaction
A Musical Story
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees
Slopes
Transit
Vectornator: Vector Design
What Remains of Edith Finch
Social Impact
Active Arcade
Empathy
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees
Headspace
Rebel Girls
Wylde Flowers
Visuals and Graphics
Alien: Isolation
Behind the Frame
Halide Mark II
LEGO Star Wars: Castaways
MD Clock
(Not Boring) Habits
Innovation
Active Arcade
Focus Noodles
Marvel Future Revolution
Odio
Procreate
Townscaper
Apple plans to announce the 2022 Apple Design Awards at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday, June 6, just hours after the keynote event. The awards show will be streamed in the Apple Developer app and on the Apple Developer website. Winners will receive a physical award and hardware to help them continue to create apps and games.
Ahead of WWDC 2022 next week, Apple has opened registration for Digital Lounges, which are designed to allow developers to connect directly with Apple engineers and designers for guidance. Apple Developer Program members and 2022 Swift Student Challenge winners can register for Digital Lounges on the WWDC website or in the Apple Developer app.
Digital Lounges will begin on June 7, the second day of WWDC 2022. The lounges will provide an opportunity for developers to engage in technical discussions, get answers to their questions, chat with others in the community, and more.
As was the case last year, the Digital Lounges will be hosted in messaging app Slack, with registered developers able to participate free of charge.
WWDC 2022 runs from Monday, June 6 through Friday, June 10. Apple's annual developers conference will be an online affair (beyond some lucky developers invited to Apple Park), with content to be made available through the Apple Developer website and Apple Developer app. During the opening keynote, Apple is expected to unveil its latest software, including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16.
Apple accessory company Nomad today announced the launch of its latest product, the Leather Cover for Siri Remote. Nomad designed the Leather Cover to accommodate an AirTag, adding Find My tracking capabilities to the Siri Remote.
Priced at $40, the Leather Cover is made from dark brown Horween leather and it fits snugly around the remote. At the back, there is a little pocket where an AirTag can be tucked inside, and then a flap hides it away for a more streamlined look.
There were rumors that the latest Apple TV Remote might feature Find My integration, but when the device launched, there was no sign of the tracking feature. Instead, it works like every other Apple TV remote and has no special feature for locating it should it become lost.
With the addition of an AirTag, the Apple TV Remote can be located in the Find My app right alongside your other devices. The Leather Cover for Siri Remote can be purchased today from the Nomad website.
Apple is preparing to begin supporting digital car keys in the Wallet app for two new car brands: Hyundai and BYD. The feature allows users to lock, unlock, and start their vehicles using a pass stored in the Wallet on the iPhone or Apple Watch, and Ultra Wideband with Express Mode in iOS 15 can even automatically lock and unlock a compatible car as you approach without needing to wake your device.
BMW was the first manufacturer to launch digital car keys in Wallet back in 2020, and two months ago Apple began listing several Genesis and Kia models as supporting the functionality. Over the last several days, Apple has added entries for both Hyundai and BYD to its Apple Pay configuration file. A similar change last September revealed the pending addition of Genesis support.
The inclusion of Hyundai on the list of car brands supporting digital car keys on iOS isn't much of a surprise, considering that Genesis and Kia were among the earliest adopters. Genesis is a luxury brand of Hyundai, while Hyundai is the largest stakeholder in Kia and the two companies are closely interrelated. Bloomberg also reported in January that both Hyundai and Genesis models would be adding the feature "by the summer."
BYD is a Chinese brand that has been trying to expand into other countries and recently announced that it will be moving to exclusively sell full electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
We've yet to hear which specific models from the two brands will support digital car keys on iPhone and Apple Watch, but a number of Hyundai models have supported digital car keys on Android for several model years.
Amazon is offering a pair of discounts on the AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro this week, including a return of the best price of the year on the former model.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
AirPods 2
You can get the AirPods 2 for $99.99, down from $129.00. This is the best price that we've tracked on the AirPods 2 in 2022, and overall it remains a solid second-best price on the headphones.
This is the model of AirPods that comes with the Wired Charging Case. Apple discontinued the AirPods 2 with the Wireless Charging Case so we haven't seen any notable deals on that accessory in months.
AirPods Pro with MagSafe
Secondly, Amazon has the AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case to $179.99, down from $249.00. This is the second-best price we've ever tracked on the new AirPods Pro.
The headphones are in stock today, and they are shipped and sold directly by Amazon. The new AirPods Pro launched in 2021, and are essentially the same as the 2019 model with the addition of the new MagSafe Charging Case.
We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Monterey 12.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new update coming two weeks after the release of the first macOS Monterey 12.5 beta.
Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.
There's no word yet on what new features or changes might be included in macOS Monterey 12.5, and nothing new was found in the first beta. It's likely this update focuses on bug fixes and other minor improvements to the operating system.
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming two weeks after the release of the first beta.
Developers can download iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6 through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.
We don't yet know what might be introduced in iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6, as Apple has now implemented all of the features that were announced as coming in the iOS and iPadOS 15 updates, and work on iOS 15 is likely winding down with iOS 16 approaching.
There were no new features discovered in the first betas of iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6, suggesting these are updates focusing on bug fixes and other under-the-hood improvements.
iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6 could be some of the last updates to iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 as Apple is now working on iOS 16. We'll get our first glimpse at iOS 16 on June 6, the first day of the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple has also seeded new betas of tvOS 15.6, watchOS 8.7, and HomePod 15.6 software for testing purposes. Developers can download tvOS 15.6 and watchOS 8.7, while the HomePod software is available to a select group of testers on an invite-only basis.
Gamevice today announced the launch of a new gaming controller that's designed for the iPad, with the controller joining the already available iOS version. The Gamevice controller fits around the iPad, turning it into a handheld gaming console.
Gamevice says that the new iPad version of the controller is compatible with the 5th to 9th-generation iPad, the iPad Air 2 and iPad Air 3, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, and the 10.5-inch iPad Pro. It is ideal for cloud gaming experiences through Xbox Game Pass, GeForce NOW, Apple Arcade, Stadia, and more. It also works with a newly updated version of the Gamevice Live app, which is meant to help players find controller-friendly games to play.
Alongside the iPad controller, Gamevice today introduced a new version of the iOS controller that is compatible with all current-generation iPhones and Android smartphones, including the entire iPhone 13 lineup.
Amazon has returned with an all-time low price on the 32GB Apple TV 4K, available for $149.99, down from $179.00. This remains the best price we've ever tracked on this version of the 2021 Apple TV 4K, and it has an estimated delivery window as soon as this Thursday for many places in the United States.
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Apple introduced the new Apple TV 4K last year, and it comes with the all-new Siri Remote, the A12 Bionic chip, and more. For more storage, the 64GB version is also on sale, priced at $169.99, down from $199.00. This is another record low price for the Apple TV 4K.
You can keep track of Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD deals in our dedicated guide. Additionally, 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.
Apple is unlikely to announce its rumored mixed reality headset or its new AR/VR operating system at next week's WWDC with mass production of the device still some ways off, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a pair of tweets on Tuesday, Kuo said he expected Apple's headset to launch in 2023, and that announcing it too early would see Apple's competitors "immediately kick off copycat projects" and release rival products before Apple's headset hits the shelves.
Kuo's thoughts echo the most recent report by Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman in which he played down expectations that Apple would make a "full-blown announcement" of its headset at WWDC.
Signs of "realityOS," the long-rumored operating system believed to run on Apple's mixed-reality headset, were first spotted in Apple source code earlier this year, and rumors of Apple announcing its headset sooner rather than later were stoked at the weekend when a trademark for "realityOS" surfaced, with a foreign filing date deadline of June 8, 2022, just two days after the main WWDC keynote.
However, both Gurman and a practicing lawyer have since said that the trademark filing date deadlines are actually a legal requirement and that their closeness to WWDC is very likely mere coincidence.
Gurman previously reported that the launch of the headset will likely be delayed until 2023 following a plethora of development problems, including issues with overheating from at least one chip on par with the M1 Pro, as well as camera and software challenges.
Mac-related announcements are reportedly more likely at WWDC this year, according to Gurman, with the launch of a new MacBook Air with M2 chip one possibility, supply chain issues notwithstanding.
The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple's annual developer and software-oriented conference, is now a week away. We've heard very little about macOS 13 ahead of its announcement this year, so we could be in for some major surprises when June 6 rolls around. Here's what we know so far about the next version of Apple's Mac operating system.
macOS 13 Name?
Every year heading into WWDC, one question on many Mac fans' minds is what Apple will choose as the name for the next version of macOS. The tradition dates all the way back to the beginning of Mac OS X with its big cat names, and then in 2013 Apple shifted to Calfornia-themed names with the unveiling of OS X Mavericks.
Back in the early days after the debut of OS X Mavericks, we discovered a total of over 20 California-themed trademark applications filed by various limited liability companies that were all but certain to be shell companies created by Apple to hide its identity.
Over time, some of the trademarks like Yosemite, Sierra, Mojave, and Monterey were indeed used by Apple for its major Mac operating system updates, while trademark applications for almost all of the other names have been abandoned, such as Rincon, Redwood, Pacific, and Skyline.
Apart from Mammoth, that is. Mammoth is likely related to Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain, a popular area for skiing and hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The name saw its trademark application granted in March 2019, and it has since had extension of use period applications approved five times, with the most recent occurring in November 2021. That would seem to suggest that Apple might announce macOS 13 Mammoth at WWDC next week.
Compatibility
With Apple having nearly completed its two-year-long Mac transition from Intel to Apple silicon, the company's future macOS development is now firmly focused on eking out as much performance and efficiency as it can from its custom-designed processors.
That said, Apple needs to make sure that macOS continues to support Intel-powered Macs for a few years yet, so it is possible that macOS 13 will be compatible with a similar range of Macs as macOS Monterey supports:
Well-connected Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has claimed that macOS 13 will come with an overhauled System Preferences to bring it more in line with the Settings app on iPhone and iPad, including individual settings organized by app.
Gurman also believes we'll see redesigns for other default apps, which puts updates in contention for the likes of Mail, Notes, Reminders, Podcasts, Safari, Messages, Music, and more.
Otherwise, macOS 13 rumors from reliable sources have been few and far between. Some have interpreted this as an indication that Apple has been spending more time optimizing macOS code for its latest Apple silicon Macs and fixing bugs, but we won't know for sure until the company demos the new version of its long-running operating system at next week's WWDC.
Other Possible Features
Last year, macOS Monterey shared several fresh innovations with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, including new features in Messages and FaceTime, SharePlay, Live Text, and Visual Lookup, along with a dedicated Shortcuts app for Mac.
On that basis, what can we glean from this year's iOS 16 rumors? In truth, not a lot. In previous years, we've had early versions of iOS leak out, giving us a fairly good idea of what to expect. That's not the case this year, and we only have a few details on what could be included in iOS 16.
According to Gurman, the Messages app in iOS 16 is likely to gain "more social network-like functionality, particularly around audio messages," so that could make its way into the Messages app for macOS 13.
Apple is also rumored to be planning major enhancements to the iOS Lock Screen, including wallpapers that have "widget-like capabilities." Lock Screen enhancements are likely to be exclusive to iPhone and iPad, but there is scope for enhanced Mac widgets. Widgets in macOS currently live in the slide-away Notifications Center, but some users pine for widgets with more flexibility, such as the ability to move them around on the desktop or keep them permanently in view.
Apple is also said to be developing an optional dedicated Apple Music iOS app for classical music. Whether this would also be a separate app in macOS or form part of a (some say much-needed) Music app overhaul is currently unknown.
Release Date
Apple typically previews its next-generation operating system for Macs during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California in early June, and releases the first developer betas shortly after the event. iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16 will likely be released in September, followed by macOS 13 in October.
What Do You Want to See in macOS 13?
What new features or improvements would you like to see in the next version of Apple's Mac operating system? Let us know in the comments.
We are now just one week away from WWDC 2022, which runs from Monday, June 6 through Friday, June 10. Apple's annual developers conference will be a (mostly) online affair for the third consecutive year, with Apple expected to unveil its latest software, including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16.
WWDC is always an exciting week for both developers and Apple fans. Here are five ways to get ready for the event as it draws closer.
1. Mark Your Calendar
On the opening day of WWDC 2022, June 6, there will be three major presentations:
Apple's Keynote at 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple is expected to unveil iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16, and there is always a chance of a hardware surprise or two. The keynote will be streamed on Apple.com, in the Apple Developer app, in the Apple TV app, and on YouTube, with on-demand playback to be available after the conclusion of the stream.
Platforms State of the Union at 1 p.m. Pacific Time: Apple will provide a deeper dive into the new developer tools, technologies, and advances across its software platforms. Platforms State of the Union will be streamed on the Apple Developer website and in the Apple Developer app.
Apple Design Awards at 5 p.m. Pacific Time: The annual Apple Design Awards recognize the "art, craft, creativity, and technical expertise that Apple developers bring to their work," according to Apple. The awards presentation will be streamed on the Apple Developer website and in the Apple Developer app.
The recently updated Apple Developer app serves as a hub for WWDC content, providing daily updates and notifications on the latest news, content, and activities. Beginning June 7, new WWDC session videos will be shared daily in the app, providing a deep dive into new features and frameworks introduced across Apple's software platforms.
The latest version of the Apple Developer app also includes WWDC 2022 stickers for use in the Messages and FaceTime apps.
The Apple Developer app is available on the App Store for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. WWDC 2022 sessions will be free to watch, but "Developer Labs" and "Digital Lounges" will require an Apple Developer Program membership.
3. Join the Apple Developer Program or Public Beta Program
In line with previous years, Apple will likely seed the first betas of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16 to registered developers for testing very shortly after the WWDC 2022 keynote concludes on Monday.
Those interested in installing the developer betas on their devices officially will need to sign up for an Apple Developer Program membership, which costs $99 per year in the United States. Apple says individuals must be 18 years of age or older in the United States or have reached the age of majority in their country in order to enroll in the program.
It is important to keep in mind that Apple's beta software releases typically have some bugs or other issues that may affect performance or usability — especially the first betas. For this reason, it is always recommended that beta software be installed on a secondary device that you do not rely on for daily use. We highly recommend backing up your devices to a Mac or iCloud before installing beta software due to the risk of data loss.
4. Register for Digital Lounges Starting Tomorrow
WWDC 2022 will mark the return of Digital Lounges, allowing developers to engage with Apple engineers and designers throughout the week. Digital Lounges will include Q&A sessions, watch parties with session presenters, community icebreakers, and more.
Apple Developer Program members and 2022 Swift Student Challenge winners will be able to register for Digital Lounges starting tomorrow, May 31, and the lounges will begin June 7. More information is available on the WWDC website.
5. Follow MacRumors
MacRumors will have complete coverage of WWDC 2022, including a live blog of the keynote. If you will be unable to watch the stream, be sure to follow @MacRumorsLive on Twitter, where we will be live tweeting the keynote as well.
Apple has lost a bid to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit filed against it by Jay Freeman, creator of an alternative App Store known as Cydia for "jailbroken" iPhones and iPads.
Freeman sued Apple in late 2020, alleging that Apple has an illegal monopoly over iOS app distribution through the App Store. His complaint also alleged that Apple has "consistently tried to snuff out alternative app stores" such as Cydia.
Apple in January 2022 had its motion to dismiss the lawsuit granted by U.S. district judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who agreed with the company that the claims in the first lawsuit were outside the statute of limitations. However, the judge allowed Freeman to bring a new complaint, which has now been accepted, according to Reuters.
Freeman's lawyers argued in the amended lawsuit that Apple's technology updates between 2018 and 2021 were "overt" acts that harmed iOS app distributors such as Cydia. The changes that Apple implemented in iOS are described as "more aggressive" and designed to prevent Cydia and other alternative app stores from providing "useable" apps for iPhones.
Commenting on the lawsuit, Judge Gonzalez Rogers said: "to the extent plaintiff's claims rely on Apple's technological updates to exclude Cydia from being able to operate altogether, those claims are timely."
According to the report, the lawsuit "seeks to open the markets for iOS app distribution and iOS app payment processing to those who wish to compete fairly with Apple, and to recover the enormous damages Apple caused Cydia."
Gonzalez Rogers has directed Apple to respond by mid-June to Freeman's complaint.
Cydia launched in early 2008, months before the App Store debuted. The app allows users who jailbreak their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to install apps outside of the App Store, as well as themes and tweaks that customize the look and functionality of iOS.
In filing the original lawsuit, Freeman joined a growing number of developers who have sued Apple for alleged anticompetitive behavior, including Fortnite creator Epic Games. Gonzalez Rogers is the same judge who largely ruled for Apple last year in Epic's case, which is now pending in the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The iPhone 14 Pro's "A16" chip may be a minor upgrade over the iPhone 13's A15 Bionic and there are growing questions around the nature of the "M2" chip, according to reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Earlier this week, the leaker known as "ShrimpApplePro" postulated that the A16 chip for the iPhone 14 Pro models will be manufactured with the same process as the iPhone 13's A15 Bionic, with Apple potentially saving a bigger performance leap for M-series chips designed for its next-generation Macs instead. In a thread on Twitter quoting ShrimpApplePro, Kuo today corroborated these rumors about the A16 and M2 chips.
Kuo said that since TSMC's significantly better N3 and N4P fabrication processes will not be available for mass production until 2023, N5P and N4 are the latest viable technologies available for new Apple chips set to launch this year. Kuo believes that N4 has no meaningful advantages over N5P, the process currently used to manufacture the A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone 13 lineup and the iPad mini, so Apple reportedly plans to stick with N5P for the A16 chip. The A16 chip's performance and efficiency improvements over the A15 are therefore "limited," according to Kuo, leading to the claim that naming the iPhone 14 Pro's chip the "A16" is "more of a marketing purpose."
Kuo added that the redesigned MacBook Air, another device expected to launch this year, faces "the same technical limitations as A16" with N5P. He suggested that the 2022 MacBook Air's complete redesign is "already a big selling point," which may mean that boasting a major chip improvement could be less important for this device.
Instead, Kuo proposed that Apple may see more advantage in debuting the first M2 chips in the next-generation 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. While Apple could call the chip in the redesigned MacBook Air the "M2" to boost sales, despite it only minor upgrades over the existing M1, it may opt to save the "M2" name for a much more substantial upgrade over the previous generation in 2023 to further enhance Apple silicon's brand image.
ShrimpApplePro previously claimed that Apple is working on the "final SoC of M1 series," featuring updated cores. The M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra chips use energy-efficient "Icestorm" cores and high-performance "Firestorm" cores – just like the A14 Bionic chip. Apple's final M1 variant will instead allegedly be based on the A15 Bionic, featuring "Blizzard" energy-efficient cores and "Avalanche" high-performance cores.
Kuo said earlier this year that the 2022 MacBook Air would retain the M1 chip rather than feature the M2, so it is possible that ShrimpApplePro's rumor relates to a new version of the entry-level M1. Offering devices with a mid-generation iteration of the standard M1 chip could help Apple buy time before releasing Macs with the M2 chip.
Based on this information, it may be the case that the "true" M2 chip does not emerge until 2023, with the chips in upcoming devices like the iPhone 14 Pro and redesigned MacBook Air bearing a strong resemblance to the A15. Moreover, the standard iPhone 14 models are rumored to retain the same A15 chip from the iPhone 13 lineup. As a result, 2022 may be a year of more minor, iterative Apple chip upgrades, with bigger upgrades on the horizon for 2023 thanks to the availability of more advanced fabrication processes.
Apple may unveil new Mac hardware at WWDC this year, with the redesigned MacBook Air being the most likely potential hardware announcement, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained his expectations for potential Apple hardware announcements at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
Signs of "realityOS," the long-rumored operating system believed to run on Apple's mixed-reality headset, were spotted in Apple source code earlier this year and there has been growing enthusiasm about Apple's AR and VR project finally "approaching liftoff" for launch this year. Rumors of Apple announcing its headset sooner rather than later were stoked earlier today when a trademark for "realityOS" surfaced, with a foreign filing date deadline of June 8, 2022, just two days after the main WWDC keynote. Despite these rumors, Gurman is wary of "a full-blown" announcement of Apple's headset at WWDC:
In terms of new hardware... though Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset is full steam ahead — underscored by the recent demonstration of the device to the company's board — I'd be wary of expecting a full-blown presentation for developers and consumers next week.
Gurman previously reported that the launch of the headset will likely be delayed until 2023 following a plethora of development problems, including issues with overheating from at least one chip on par with the M1 Pro, as well as camera and software challenges.
Mac-related announcements are reportedly more likely at WWDC this year, should Apple unveil any new hardware, according to Gurman. He believes that Apple planned to launch a new MacBook Air model with the M2 chip at WWDC this year, but supply chain issues seem to have complicated the timeline:
If there's any hardware at WWDC, it will likely be on the Mac side. The company has been aiming to launch the next MacBook Air with M2 chips at the conference. The recent supply chain crunch due to Covid-related closures in China has complicated that, but developers say that Apple employees are increasingly using next-generation MacBook Airs with their apps. That's a sign that the new Mac is close.
Beyond any potential hardware announcements, major new software updates for Apple's devices, including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, tvOS 16, and macOS 13, are expected to be previewed at WWDC on Monday, June 6.
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max may feature an always-on display mode for the Lock Screen, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman outlined some of the changes set to come to iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, tvOS 16, and macOS 13 at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this year. Among the new capabilities rumored for iOS 16 is an enhanced Lock Screen with "wallpapers that have widget-like capabilities." The Lock Screen improvements reportedly set the groundwork for future features, including an "always-on" mode. Indeed, Gurman said that iOS 16 actively includes "future support" for an always-on Lock Screen.
The iPhone 13 Pro models were rumored to feature an always-on display last year, but the feature was seemingly scrapped before the devices launched in September 2021. Gurman claims that Apple has continued to work on the feature and an "always-on mode" is now in development for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, providing "quickly glanceable information — similar to newer Apple Watches."
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max were the first iPhones to come with 120Hz ProMotion displays, enabled by the adoption of LTPO panel technology with variable refresh rates. The iPhone's current ProMotion displays are limited to screen refresh rates between 10Hz and 120Hz. On the other hand, LPTO panels used by the likes of Oppo and Samsung can drop to as low as 1Hz when viewing a static image or when the device is inactive.
Well-connected display analyst Ross Young recently said that he is "expecting" the ProMotion displays used in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max to be capable of dropping to the same low of 1Hz, effectively removing the hardware limitation that prevents Apple from offering an always-on mode on the iPhone 13 Pro models. Nevertheless, Gurman caveated that the feature may not make the final cut by the time the iPhone 14 lineup is announced in September.
Apple is planning to debut an enhanced Lock Screen with iOS 16, improved multitasking in iPadOS 16, refined navigation in watchOS 9, additional smart home features in tvOS 16, redesigned apps in macOS 13, and more, according Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman outlined his expectations for all of Apple's upcoming operating systems, including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, tvOS 16, and macOS 13. He believes that the updates will be "fairly significant."
Apple is reportedly planning to introduce a number of changes to the Lock Screen with iOS 16, including a new kind of wallpaper that displays information:
Apple is planning major enhancements for the Lock Screen, including wallpapers that have widget-like capabilities.
Further, I'm told iOS 16 builds in future support for an always-on lock screen, something Apple was originally planning for last year's iPhone 13.
With regards to iPadOS 16, Gurman expects "major changes to windowing and multitasking," while tvOS 16 will purportedly gain "more smart-home tie-ins."
Gurman expects the Messages app to gain "more social network-like functionality, particularly around audio messages." The Health app is not expected to expand to iPadOS or macOS, although "plenty of new features" are said to be on the way that work with the iPhone and the Apple Watch.
watchOS 9 will allegedly include "significant improvements to watchOS that affect day-to-day operating and navigation," alongside refreshes for existing Apple Watch faces and a new Low Power Mode.
Gurman claims that macOS 13 will overhaul System Preferences to bring it more in line with iOS's Settings app, including individual settings being organized by app, as well as other redesigns for default apps.
iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, tvOS 16, and macOS 13 are expected to be previewed at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, June 6, followed by a beta testing period before the updates are widely released in the fall.
Ahead of WWDC kicking off in a little over one week, interesting trademark filing details for "realityOS," the name for Apple's upcoming AR/VR headset operating system, have been resurfaced online, offering a clue as to what Apple may have in store to share at this year's conference.
The two separate trademark filings (1, 2) were resurfaced by Parker Ortolani on Twitter, who notes that while both were initially submitted on December 8, 2021, more interestingly, they're both listed with foreign filing date deadlines of June 8, 2022, just two days after Apple's main WWDC keynote. Another filing on the USPTO website lists a foreign filing date deadline of June 9, 2022.
The filings themselves are not labeled or marked as Apple trademarks, but several hints indicate the Cupertino tech giant owns them. The filings are under a company that goes by the name of "Realityo Systems LLC," and as noted by Parker, the corporate location used by this company is the same address Apple has used in past years to hold onto macOS California release names ahead of launch.
"realityOS" was accidentally referenced by Apple in App Store update logs earlier this year, confirming its existence in some capacity. rOS, short for realityOS, was first reported by Bloombergin 2017 with the internal codename "Oak."
realityOS will first run on a high-end, niche AR/VR headset Apple is planning to announce this year or early next year, according to Bloomberg. Apple recently previewed its mixed reality headset to its board, implying that the product is nearing completion.
Rumors have been quiet on whether or not Apple plans to announce hardware at WWDC this year, but the dates of the trademark filings hint that Apple may have more to share about its vision for the future of AR/VR. For the first time since September 2019, Apple is also inviting select members of the press and has invited developers from the App Store community to attend a special event at Apple Park on June 6.
Update: Since this article was published, both Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman and a practicing lawyer have claimed that the trademark filing date deadlines are actually a legal requirement and that their closeness to WWDC is likely mere coincidence.
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Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
