2021 Worldwide Developers Conference
Apple's 32nd Worldwide Developers Conference was a digital-only event for the second year in a row, with no physical gathering in California due to the ongoing global health crisis.
The virtual WWDC event kicked off on June 7, and it was free for everyone. The online event gave developers around the world access to future versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, as well as the opportunity to engage with Apple engineers through sessions and labs.
Apple's keynote event took place on Monday, June 7 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The event was streamed directly from Apple Park and can be replayed on Apple.com, the Apple Developer app, the Apple Developer website, the Apple TV app on the Apple TV, or YouTube.
Apple provided a full digital WWDC experience with online keynote, a Platforms State of the Union for developers, technical and design-focused engineering sessions, Apple Developer Forums with Apple engineer participation, and one-on-one developer labs. Apple also hosted its annual Swift Student Challenge, with winners receiving WWDC-themed outerwear, pins, and a one-year membership to the Apple Developer Program.
Engineering sessions and videos can be viewed on the Apple Developer website or in the Apple Developer app, which is available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
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Everything Apple Announced at WWDC 2021
Apple's WWDC keynote event saw the introduction of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15, all of which have exciting new features that will make the Apple ecosystem better than ever. For those that did not get a chance to see the keynote event and don't want to spend close to two hours watching it later, we've condensed everything Apple announced into nine minutes, providing a quick overview of everything notable.
In addition to our video, we've also rounded up all of our coverage of Apple's announcements to give you a complete overview of everything new that's worth knowing about.
iOS 15
- Apple Announces iOS 15: First Look at New Features
- Apple Unveils New FaceTime Features Like Spatial Audio, SharePlay, Voice Isolation, and More
- iOS 15 Features Redesigned Notifications and New Notification Summary Sorted by Priority
- Apple Reveals Redesigned Weather iOS App With Dark Sky-Like Notifications and Full-Screen Maps
- You'll Be Able to Add Your Driver's License to Your iPhone in Select States Starting With iOS 15
- iOS 15 Compatible With All iPhones That Run iOS 14
- Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS and iPadOS 15 to Developers
- Apple Won't Make You Upgrade to iOS 15 and Will Continue to Provide Security Updates for iOS 14
- iOS 15 Includes Built-In Password Authenticator With Autofill, Replacing Google Authenticator and Authy
- Apple Temporarily Expands iCloud Storage in iOS 15 for Backing Up Data and Transferring to a New Device
- Apple Adds New Outfits, Glasses, Headwear and Accessibility Options to Memoji in iOS 15
- iOS 15 Brings FaceTime to PC and Android Users With New Option to Join on the Web
- iOS 15 Photos App Now Displays EXIF Metadata for Images
- New Separation Alerts in iOS 15 Let You Know If You Leave an AirTag or Apple Device Behind
- iOS 15 Find My App Lets You Find Devices That Are Turned Off or Erased
- HomeKit Secure Video Cameras Can Notify You When a Package Has Arrived Starting With iOS 15
- Apple Maps Lets You Set Leaving or Arrival Times When Getting Directions in iOS 15
- Redesigned Apple TV Siri Remote in Control Center
- iOS 15 Can Automatically Add and Remove Widgets to a Smart Stack
- iOS 15 Automatically Archives Expired Boarding Passes and Tickets in Wallet App
- iOS 15 Includes Secure Paste Feature That Hides the Clipboard From Developers
- Apple Aims to Lure Android Users to iPhone With Improved ‘Move to iOS’ Experience in iOS 15
- iOS 15 Lets Your Family Access Your Data If You Die
- iOS 15 and macOS Monterey Introduce Ability to Capture 15-Second Gameplay Recordings Using a Game Controller
- iOS 15: App Store Hides Screenshots of Installed Apps in Search Results to Improve Discoverability
- iOS 15 Tidbits: Text Cursor Magnifier, New Dial Picker, Custom Text Size Per App, and More
- iOS 15 Finally Lets You Block Your Exes From Ruining Your Photo Memories
- FaceTime on iOS 15 Alerts You If You Try to Talk While Muted
- iOS 15 Lets Developers Hide Sensitive Information in Widgets on the Lock Screen Until iPhone Is Unlocked
- iOS 15 Allows You to Request Refunds for In-App Purchases Directly Within Apps
iPadOS 15
- Apple Introduces iPadOS 15: First Look at New Features
- iPadOS 15 Features Widgets Anywhere on Home Screen and App Library
- iPadOS 15 Allows You to Build iPhone and iPad Apps on an iPad
- iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 Gain New App Store, Find My, Contacts, Sleep, Game Center and Mail Widgets
- iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey Introduce System-Wide Translation, Translate App Expands to iPad
- iOS 15 Tidbits: Rearrange Home Screen Pages, Disable All App Badge Notifications, and More
- iPhone Apps on iPadOS 15 Now Run in Landscape
macOS Monterey
- Apple Announces macOS Monterey With Shortcuts App, Updated Safari Browsing, 'Focus' Do Not Disturb Features, and More
- Safari Browser to Get UI Overhaul and New Features Including Tab Groups
- Shortcuts App Coming to Mac, Automator Will Remain Supported
- TestFlight Finally Coming to The Mac
- Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS 12 Monterey to Developers
- Here Are All the Macs Compatible With macOS Monterey
- Apple Brings Low Power Mode to Mac and iPad With macOS Monterey and iPadOS 15
- Apple Highlights New Privacy Features in iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, Including Microphone Indicator on Mac
- macOS Monterey to Support All-New Mail App Extensions, Plug-Ins Will Stop Functioning in Future Release
- macOS Monterey Allows You to Erase a Mac Without Needing to Reinstall the Operating System
- Newer Macs Can Use Another Mac as an External Display on macOS Monterey
- Several macOS Monterey Features Unavailable on Intel-Based Macs
- macOS Monterey Automatically Resizes Windows Moved to a Secondary Display
watchOS 8
- Apple Reveals watchOS 8: First Look at New Features
- Apple Unveils New Health App Features Like Walking Steadiness, Trends, Lab Results, Health Sharing, and More
- Apple Watch Introducing New Tai Chi and Pilates Workout Types in watchOS 8
- Apple Bringing New Portrait Mode Photo Watch Face to watchOS 8
- Apple Seeds First Beta of watchOS 8 to Developers
- watchOS 8 Allows Users to Set Multiple Timers
tvOS 15
- Apple Announces Range of New Home Features for HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and Apple Watch
- HomePod Mini Launching in More Countries, Can Be Used as Apple TV Speaker Starting This Fall
- Apple Seeds First Beta of tvOS 15 to Developers
- With tvOS 15, You Can Sign Into Apps Using Face ID or Touch ID on Your iPhone
iCloud+
- Apple Announces iCloud+, Combines Paid Storage With Privacy Features Like Hide My Email
- iCloud+ to Let iCloud Mail Users Personalize Their Email Domain Name
Other Stories
- WWDC 2021 Apple Event Live Keynote Coverage: iOS 15, macOS 12, and More
- Apple Music's New Spatial Audio Feature Launches Today
- Redesigned Apple Maps Expanding to Spain and Portugal Today, Italy and Australia Later This Year
- Public Betas of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, tvOS 15 and watchOS 8 Coming in July
- Apple Updates App Store Review Guidelines, Says Developers Can Now Appeal Over Perceived Unfair Treatment
- Apple Makes Screen Time API Available to Third-Party Developers
- iOS 15 'iCloud Private Relay' Feature Won't Be Available in China, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and More
- Safari on iOS 15 and macOS Monterey Automatically Upgrades Web Connections to HTTPS on Compatible Sites for Improved Security
- Apple’s Crowdsourced Find My Network Will Soon Help You Locate Your Lost AirPods Pro or AirPods Max
- Apple Putting a Stop to Email Tracking Pixels With Mail Privacy Protection in iOS 15 and macOS Monterey
Past WWDCs
WWDC 2020
While WWDC didn't see the introduction of any new hardware, there were significant operating system updates across Apple's platforms, and we also heard about Apple's long-rumored transition from Intel processors to Apple Silicon for its Mac lineup.
iOS 14
- iOS 14 Features New Translate App With Support for 11 Languages and Offline Mode
- iOS 14 Includes Picture-in-Picture Mode for iPhone
- iOS 14 Adds Subtle Design for Siri That Doesn't Take Up Entire Screen
- iPhone and Apple Watch Becoming Digital Car Keys, Feature Rolling Out to BMW Customers Next Month
- New iOS 14 Feature 'App Clips' Lets You Access Small Part of an App
- iMessage in iOS 14: Mentions, Pinned Conversations, Inline Replies, and More
- Phone Calls Will Finally Stop Taking Up the Entire Screen in iOS 14
- iOS 14 Compatible With iPhone 6s and 6s Plus and Later
- Find My App Gaining Support for Third-Party Products
- Emoji Search Finally Coming to iOS in iOS 14
- Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS and iPadOS 14 to Developers
- iOS 14 Lets Developers Make Subscriptions Available for Family Sharing
- Third-Party Mail and Browser Apps Able to Be Set as Default in iOS and iPadOS 14
- iOS 14 Tidbits and Hidden Features: Privacy Updates, Emoji Picker, New Dark Sky Weather Forecasts and More
iPadOS 14
macOS Big Sur
- macOS 'Big Sur' Unveiled With Updated Design, New Features for Safari and Messages, and More
- Apple Previews Big Update to Safari on Mac, Featuring New Privacy Tools, Built-in Translation, Improved Tabs, and More
- macOS Big Sur Listed as 'Version 11.0' in System Preferences
- Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS Big Sur to Developers for Testing Purposes
- Apple Adds WebP Image Support in Safari 14
- List of Macs Compatible with macOS Big Sur
watchOS 7
- Apple Announces watchOS 7 With Enhanced Face Customizations, Handwashing Detection, and More
- Apple Watch Getting Hand Washing Feature With 20-Second Countdown and Haptic Feedback
- watchOS 7 Adds New Sleep Tracking Feature to Apple Watch
- Apple Releases First Beta of New watchOS 7 Update to Developers
- watchOS 7 Only Compatible With Apple Watch Series 3 and Later
tvOS 14
- Apple Seeds First Beta of tvOS 14 to Developers
- tvOS 14 Brings Apple TV Support for AirPods Audio Sharing and Watching YouTube Videos in 4K
Apple Silicon Chips
- Apple Transitioning Macs to Custom Chips With 'Incredible' Performance Within the Next Two Years
- Apple's $500 Developer Program Includes Tools and Resources for Transitioning to Apple Silicon, Plus a Loaner A12Z-Based Mac Mini
AirPods
Other Announcements
- Complete Transcript of Apple's Keynote
- Revamped Apple Maps App Expanding to UK, Ireland, and Canada Later This Year
- HomePod Gaining Support for Third-Party Music Services
- Apple's Digital Car Key Coming to Broad Array of BMW Models Manufactured After July 1, Requires iOS 13.6
- Apple Shares Teaser for Upcoming Apple TV+ Series 'Foundation'
- Apple Announces ARKit 4 with Location Anchors, Depth API, and Improved Face Tracking
- Apple's Craig Federighi Highlights iOS 14 and MacOS Big Sur Privacy Updates in New Interview
WWDC 2019
At WWDC 2019, Apple debuted new versions of iOS, iPadOS (now separate from iOS!), macOS, tvOS, and watchOS, all of which have a long list of new features, plus Apple gave us a peek at the new Mac Pro and 6K Apple Display.
iOS 13
Apple Unveils iOS 13 Featuring Dark Mode, Swipe Keyboard, Performance Improvements, and More
iOS 13 Gaining Revamped Reminders App and Enhanced Apple Maps
Apple Announces 'Sign in With Apple' for Signing into Apps Using Your Apple ID
Sign In With Apple Will Be Required for Apps That Offer Third-Party Sign-In Options
Apple Updating Messages in iOS 13 With User Profiles and Memoji Stickers
Apple Unveils New Photo Browsing and Editing Features Coming With iOS 13
iOS 13 is Compatible With iPhone SE and Later, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Not Supported
iPadOS 13
Apple Unveils 'iPadOS' Designed Specifically for the iPad's Larger Display
Apple's New iPadOS Software Includes Mouse Support as an Accessibility Option
Apple's New iPadOS Software Includes Additional Keyboard Shortcuts
macOS Catalina
Apple Announces 'macOS Catalina' With Separate Apple Music, Podcasts, and TV Apps
Apple's New 'Find My' App for macOS and iOS Can Find Your Devices Even When They're Offline
Apple Introduces Sidecar App for Using an iPad as a Mac's Secondary Display
Apple Reveals 'Voice Control' Accessibility Feature Coming to Mac and iOS
Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS 10.15 Catalina to Developers
tvOS 13
Apple Reveals tvOS 13 With New Home Screen and Support for Multiple User Profiles
Apple TV Gaining Xbox One and PlayStation 4 Controller Support
watchOS 6
Apple Unveils WatchOS 6 With Dedicated App Store, New Apple Watch Faces and Native Apps
Apple Watch Getting New Health Features, Including Noise App and Menstrual Cycle Tracking
Apple Releases First Beta of New watchOS 6 Operating System to Developers
Here Are All the Apple Watch Models Compatible With watchOS 6
New Mac Pro and HDR Display
Apple Reveals All-New Mac Pro With Up to 28-Core Processor and 1.5TB of RAM, Starting at $5,999
Apple Unveils 32-inch 6K 'Pro Display XDR' Monitor Starting at $4,999
Adobe and Other Developers Are 'Incredibly Excited' About New Mac Pro
The Stand for Apple's New $4,999 Pro Display Costs an Extra $999
WWDC 2018
At WWDC 2018, Apple made the following software and hardware announcements:
Apple Reveals iOS 12 With Digital Health Features, Group FaceTime, Memoji, and More
Apple Creates 'Measure', an Augmented-Reality Measuring Tape App
Apple Announces New USDZ Augmented Reality File Format Coming in iOS 12
Apple Unveils 'ARKit 2' and Showcases New LEGO AR App That Interacts With Physical Sets
Apple Unveils New 'For You' Tab and Sharing Suggestions Coming to Photos in iOS 12
Apple Details Siri Updates Alongside 'Shortcuts' App to Create Customized Voice-Controlled Workflows
Apple Introduces Memoji: Personalized, Animated Emojis Coming in iOS 12
Group FaceTime Chats Coming to iOS 12, Supports Up to 32 Simultaneous Users
First Beta of iOS 12 Now Available for Registered Developers
Apple Revamps App Store Guidelines, Sets New Rules for Remote Mirroring Apps Like Steam Link
Apple's Mac App Store Updating With All-New Design Inspired by iOS
Safari Browser in iOS 12 and macOS Mojave to Feature Enhanced Privacy Tools
Apple Reveals tvOS 12 With Dolby Atmos Support for Apple TV 4K, Aerial Screensaver Updates, and More
Apple's watchOS 5 Adds Automatic Workout Detection, Walkie-Talkie, and More
Apple Watch Gaining New 'Walkie-Talkie' App in watchOS 5 so You Can Quickly Talk to Friends
Apple Watch Owners Can Compete in watchOS 5, Auto-Detection of Workouts Coming Too
Apple Releases First Beta of New watchOS 5 Operating System to Developers
Live From WWDC 2018: Coverage of Apple's Keynote with iOS 12, macOS 10.14, and More
Apple Launches New 2018 Pride Band for Apple Watch, Available to Buy Today
Apple Introduces Apple Watch Bands and iPhone Cases in Summer Colors
WWDC 2017
At WWDC 2017, Apple made the following software and hardware announcements:
iOS 11 Preview: Enhanced Siri, Voice Translation, Unified Control Center & More
Apple Reveals 'macOS High Sierra' With APFS, Metal 2, and Refinements to Safari and Other Apps
Apple Releasing 'ARKit' for iOS Developers to Fuel All-New Augmented Reality Apps
watchOS 4 Bringing New Interface, Apple News, New Music App & Gym Machine Support
Apple Announces New 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro Models With Advanced Displays
Apple Updates Entire MacBook Line-Up With Kaby Lake CPUs, Faster SSDs, and Graphics
Apple Reveals New 'iMac Pro' Built for Users With Demanding Workflows, Starting at $5K
Apple Unveils $349 HomePod Smart Speaker to be Available in December
WWDC 2016
At WWDC 2016, Apple made the following announcements:
Apple Announces iOS 10 With Overhauled Messages App, Rich Notifications, and More
Apple Announces watchOS 3 With Dock, Control Center, New Watch Faces and Apps, and More
Apple Debuts New tvOS Features Including 'Single Sign-On', Enhanced Siri and More
WWDC 2015
At WWDC 2015, Apple unveiled the following services and software:
Apple Announces iOS 9 With Proactive Siri, Maps Transit, iPad Multitasking and More
Apple Announces watchOS 2 With Native Apps, Third-Party Complications, and More
Apple Announces 'Apple Music' With 'Beats 1' Live Radio Station, Launches June 30 for $9.99/Month
WWDC 2014
At WWDC 2014, Apple unveiled the following services and software:
Apple Announces OS X Yosemite with Improved Cross-Device Connectivity and New User Interface
Apple Announces iOS 8 with Interactive Notifications, QuickType, More
Apple Announces 'iCloud Drive' and 'Mail Drop' Features for OS X Yosemite
Apple Updates iMessage with Improved Group Messaging and Video and Audio Messages
'QuickType' Keyboard for iOS 8 Offers Context-Aware Predictive Typing Suggestions
iOS 8 to Include Support for System Wide Third-Party Keyboards
Apple to Enhance App Store with 'Explore' Tab, App Bundles, Beta Testing, and More
WWDC 2013
At 2013's WWDC, Apple unveiled iOS 7, OS X Mavericks, iWork for iCloud, the Mac Pro, and new MacBook Airs.
WWDC 2012
2012's event saw the introduction of the MacBook Pro with Retina Display, iOS 6 and its standalone Maps app, OS X Mountain Lion, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air updates, and a redesigned AirPort Express.