What You Can Expect From Apple WWDC 2018: Everything From iOS 12 To The iPhone SE 2 And More

Next week is one of the biggest Apple events of the year, the company¡¯s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Jose, California.

So the big question is what new goodies and gizmos are we going to see? New hardware or updated software? Here¡¯s what you can expect.

iOS 12

Whatever else may or may not be lined up for a WWDC event, we always know for sure that it¡¯s going to debut a new iOS version like clockwork. Rumours surrounding iOS 12 have already begun to emerge. Where iOS 11 brought a major revamp to the control center, as part of an overall push to more accessible options, iOS 12 will instead focus on smoothening out the entire experience and fixing bugs.

For one, iOS 12 is expected to let you unlock a number of other things like your car and home with NFC tags. New security and parental controls are also expected (the latter being something the industry has been leaning towards as a smartphone-addiction solution. Other expected features include a more granular Do Not Disturb mode, support for multiplayer augmented reality experiences, multi-person FaceTime, and perhaps even Animoji during video calls.

Image courtesy: Benjamin Geskin

iPhone SE 2

Though Apple¡¯s new crop of iPhones usually pop up at its launch event in September, there¡¯s been talk the company will be launching an updated version of the more budget-friendly iPhone SE. According to leaks, the SE 2 might receive the immensely popular notch (possibly allowing for an overall smaller size than the original) and a glass back, though not everyone can seem to agree on either. It¡¯s also expected to carry the new A10 Fusion chip, 2GB RAM, 32GB/128GB storage options, 12MP rear and 5MP selfie cam, and possibly even wireless charging.

iPad Pro

Base on rumours, there¡¯s a new iPad Pro incoming, which will also feature the iPhone X¡¯s design aesthetic of narrow bezels and no home button. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s possible it¡¯ll also use FaceID to unlock the device. In addition, you can look forward to the Apple Pencil getting new upgrades too.

macOS 10.14

Also due for an update, the new macOS is rumoured to possibly have something similar to Microsoft¡¯s ¡°universal platform¡±. With this, apps will be able to sync across iOS and macOS with minimal effort. Additionally, there¡¯s also been talk of Siri being deeper integrated into app and email management, and perhaps changes to the Dock as well to align it with the iOS control panel.

MacBook Pro

Internet sleuths have recently spotted clues that point to Apple releasing a 13-inch version of the laptop at WWDC 2018, though nothing is confirmed at this point. After all, there are a variety of laptops available running the latest Intel 8th Generation Core i chip, so it¡¯s about time Apple put something competitive out on the scene. It might be a chance for the company to rectify its faulty key switch design (which has been failing lately) and perhaps even get rid of that god-awful LCD touch bar. Indeed, other rumours point to a more entry-level MacBook, one priced at less than the MacBook Air. Frankly, it could go either way.

watchOS 5

While it isn¡¯t likely to be the debut of a new Apple Watch, we should still see an updated watchOS version. Aside from the obvious addition of more watch faces, expect to see better Siri integration and health-focused features.

tvOS 12

There won¡¯t be a lot of buzz around a new tvOS, but expect to see one anyway. With tvOS 12, Apple is expected to include the Home app for HomeKit, and possible even announce more partners for the Apple TV.

New HomePod

Last year, at WWDC 2017, Apple came out with its HomePod smart speaker, at a whopping price of $350 (Rs23,600). This time around, talk is the company is launcher a cheaper, possibly smaller, version priced at around Rs 13,500. Think of something along the line of the Amazon Echo Dot, or the Google Mini. Then again, seeing as how far behind Apple has fallen in the smart speaker market it could just decide to call it quits entirely.