Apple WWDC 2024: date, keynote, event

WWDC is an annual event where software developers connect with the engineers who build Apple's products, services, and software. In this article, we tell you everything we know about this year's Keynote.

What is WWDC?

WWDC stands for Worldwide Developers Conference. It is an annually held conference that is used to showcase new software technologies, particularly regarding Apple's main operating systems macOS, iOS and watchOS. While WWDC is mainly about software, Apple often uses the event to tease some hardware plans as well.

During a week, the Apple developer community gets to know and learn about the new operating systems, and have access to their first betas and new tools in workshops and talks with Apple engineers. In this way, they will be able to make the most of the new options in their applications. Although WWDC focuses on software topics, Apple usually uses the event to also reveal some product releases or hardware-related plans that may be useful for developers.

Where is WWDC held and who can attend?

Since WWDC's inception in 1983, Apple has held the conference in different locations around Cupertino, California (USA). Some of these are the Moscone Center in San Francisco and the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose - with the capacity to host a large number of people, including developers and press agents - as well as Apple Park, where the opening keynote will be held.

The annual event is not open to the general public but is dedicated to Apple's developer community, i.e. those enrolled in the Apple Developer Program, which already has more than 30 million members around the world. However, we can all follow the keynote announcements online, through Apple's YouTube channel, its website, or the Apple TV app.

When is WWDC 2024?

WWDC 2024 will take place in early June, although exact dates are not yet known. Most of the conference will take place online, but Apple will also hold a special limited-seating in-person event at Apple Park. Until 2019, the conference took place in person in San Jose, California, with Apple inviting both developers and press; however, the event went digital starting in 2020 due to the pandemic, a trend that has continued with Apple events to date.

Where to watch Apple's Keynote?

Traditionally, the Keynote is the only part of the conference open to the public. You can follow it wherever you are, from Apple's website or its YouTube channel. It is also possible to watch the keynote on a delayed stream once the broadcast is over. You can also download the keynote speech from the Apple TV app.

Other important elements of the event, such as the Platforms State of the Union, as well as the Apple Design Awards are only available to registered Apple developers. To follow these professional events, you need to register via the Apple Developer app or its website.

What was released at WWDC 2023?

Vision Pro headset

The wait has been worth it, and the fact is that the last Keynote ended with the presentation of the most anticipated product: the Vision Pro virtual and augmented reality glasses. These glasses with a refined design, faithful to Apple's DNA, have a fully three-dimensional interface that you can control with your eyes, hands and voice.

When you put on the Vision Pro, you will clearly see the space you are in, after which you will see the icons of your apps appear in front of you, as if you were on the Home screen. The interface design seeks to create a sensation of physical presence of the objects that appear in the glasses to integrate them into your environment in an organic way, being able to even project shadows or adjust their light level according to the ambient lighting. You can also adjust the size and depth of the apps according to how you want them to be seen in the environment.

Another feature of the Vision Pro is that it allows you to keep several applications open simultaneously, and you can move them around at your convenience. If you want to change the environment, you can choose from a list of Environments, which can give you feelings of relaxation and well-being by showing you forests or other natural spaces. Thanks to its modulator button, you can zoom in or out within those landscapes, thus achieving a totally immersive experience.

Las nuevas gafas Vision Pro de Apple — © Apple

As we have mentioned, one of its greatest innovations is that you can control it with commands based on your voice, the movement of your hands or your eyes. You'll be able to select an app just by looking at it, and you'll be able to open it simply by pinching your index finger and thumb together. You will also be able to use voice commands or dictation functions within the applications.

Another interesting feature of these glasses is that they are semi-transparent, and can show your eyes when they detect that there is another person in front of you, thanks to their technology known as EyeSight. Similarly, when a person approaches you, you'll be able to see them appear in the glasses almost as if you weren't wearing them, which gives an awesome augmented reality sense.

The front of the product is a single piece of three-dimensionally created laminated glass that has been polished to an optical surface that allows it to serve as a lens. It also has a large number of lenses and sensors to detect light, depth and movement around. Its aluminum frame is lightweight and fits comfortably on your face. It also has a button at the top to take photos or video, as well as the Digital Crown that launches the home screen and regulates the depth of the images. At the bottom of the visor you will find small slots to regulate the temperature of the device, and its ergonomic strap is designed to be worn comfortably. The Vision Pro can be used by connecting them to the electrical current, although they have an external battery that gives them up to 2 hours of autonomy.

The camera and sensor system is joined by an Apple Silicon OLED micro plate that contains 64 pixels in a single iPhone pixel, thus giving a total of 23 million pixels, divided into two panels of microprocessors, barely the size of two postage stamps. Thanks to its M2 chip it offers great performance independently, while the R1 chip ensures that the experiences of the glasses feel completely integrated into your environment. Finally, its real-time execution engine ensures key performance tasks to support the Vision Pro virtual environment.

Its 3-layer designed lenses result in a fully immersive 4k experience, ideal for watching movies or playing games like never before. Audio capsules are housed on each side of the glasses, giving a crystal clear surround audio experience. If you want to use them to work more efficiently, you can also connect them wirelessly to a keyboard or trackpad. Its operating system is called VisionOS and has been designed exclusively for this type of device. This system is key to the development of new and better apps that integrate augmented reality elements for educational and entertainment purposes.

At the moment there is no official date for its launch, although we know that it will happen in 2024. The price is 3500 dollars, a high cost that could limit its sales.

15 inch MacBook Air

As we had anticipated, this was the occasion to present a new MacBook Air model with a larger screen than its previous models, but retaining the lightness that characterizes it. Thanks to the fact that it has the M2 chip, it will have greater processing power and battery life, making it one of the best fastest laptops on the market, specifically 12 times faster than the MacBook with Intel processor.

As for its dimensions, its thickness is only 11.5 mm, and it weighs 1.5 kg. The screen is 15.3″ Liquid Retina with 1,000 million colors. It also has 6 speakers for a spatial audio experience. One of the most important aspects to consider when buying a laptop is the autonomy of its battery; In this sense, Apple has not disappointed us, since this model offers up to 18 hours of continuous use on a single charge.

The design is similar to previous models, and it will be available in 4 colors: midnight, star white, space gray and silver. This model can be reserved on the Apple website for $1299, and will hit stores on June 13.

MacStudio

The new Mac Studio model incorporates the M2 Max chip and the new M2 Ultra, making it up to six times faster than the most powerful 27″ iMac. The CPU features a higher-bandwidth HDMI input, which will enable up to 8K resolution and frame rates up to 240Hz. Additionally, it can connect to up to 6 Pro Display XDR monitors. This model has 192GB of memory, and a storage capacity of up to 8TB. Its price has not changed much compared to previous years, and stands at approximately $1999. Like the new MacBook Air, this model will be available starting June 13.

Mac Pro

When it comes to professional computers, the new Mac Pro also integrates for the first time the Apple Silicon processor (with the M2 Ultra and M2 Pro chips), making it up to 3 times faster than the previous model with Intel processor. It has a 192 GB memory, connection capacity of up to 6 monitors, 6 PCIe ports plus 2 HDMI and the same design as the previous version. Like the other Apple computers, it will be on sale from June 13, with a cost that starts at $6999.

iOS 17

The iPhone operating system will take a leap with its new version. Among the most interesting changes compared to previous versions we find these:

Phone: Now you can customise the call interface with photos of your contacts, as well as edit their initials. In addition, thanks to Live Voicemail you will be able to see a transcription of the voice message that is being left, to know if it is an important call that you must attend to immediately.
Messages: Apple's messaging app has also undergone major improvements. Its search engine is now more efficient, it has arrows to indicate which messages you have not read, transcription of audio messages, smart emojis and the new Check In function that will allow selected contacts to know when you have arrived home and what is the level battery of your phone.
AirDrop: Apple has decided to extend the capabilities of sending files thanks to NameDrop, a function that will allow you to send photos, videos, etc. to another of your contacts even if they are not nearby, using the Internet.
Wallet improvements: now you will have the possibility to make deferred payments from your Apple wallet.
Journal: Apple implements an app in which you can write your personal journal with the help of suggestions from your iPhone.
StandBy: This new mode is ideal to avoid distractions, since it will allow you to see the time on the locked screen of your phone without other notifications appearing.
Maps: Now you can download maps and itineraries to consult them without using your mobile data.
FaceTime: one of the novelties of the app is that it will stop being just an app for calls; now you can leave text messages to your contacts.

iPadOS 17

Even as iPad updates are increasingly being integrated into iOS, they are still being released independently. This is what's new:

New Widgets: The lock screen is now more customizable thanks to widgets and templates. You can also follow the activities of an app live and interact with it without having to unlock the screen.
Greater compatibility with third-party apps: This version promises to have a better user experience with third-party apps.
Health App: The Health application will no longer be exclusive to the iPhone, since now you can consult it from your iPad, keeping the information synchronised between devices.
Editing PDF documents: Now you can modify PDF files from your iPad, as well as allow other contacts to make changes to the document through the Notes application.

macOS 14 Sonoma

The Mac operating system also comes with several interesting changes:

Widgets: One of the main changes that comes with the new update of the operating system for computers is the presence of widgets on the screen; Thanks to the success they have had in other portable devices, it was a matter of time before they were integrated into laptops and desktop computers. The Continuity feature allows you to see widgets from apps you have installed on your iPhone or iPad, without the need for them to also be installed on your Mac.
Presentations: The app for making professional presentations has been enhanced with an innovative feature. Now you can put your presentation in the background and appear superimposed by the meeting camera, something similar to what happens on television with weather presenters.
Safari: Apple's native browser is now more secure than ever, with options like blocking private browsing windows when not in use. You will also be able to share the passwords of your favorite sites between devices in an easy way, forget about remembering them all! You can also share passwords with other users in an encrypted way. Finally, thanks to the creation of Navigation Profiles you will be able to personalise your favorites, block certain sites (for example, to avoid distractions), and more.

watchOS 10

The operating system for the brand's smart watches has also presented several changes that are worth knowing:

Improved Apps and Widgets: As in the other devices, this update would bring functionality improvements with the arrival of widgets and the update of compatible applications. Using the side button you can switch between widgets to interact with your apps easily.
Siri: Apple's assistant would be more organically integrated into the Apple Watch for faster searches. Just like on other devices, now you just have to say "Siri" to activate it.
Health: With the introduction of Mindfulness, you can now also track your mental health, indicating your moods and describing how you feel.
Keychain: The Keychain app could be integrated into this device to manage your passwords more easily.
Training: The app implements new tools to monitor cycling training, connecting to specialized accessories. You will also have the possibility to suggest new hiking routes, and more options related to sport.
Third-party apps: Now it will be easier for developers to make apps that integrate with Apple Watch, especially those related to sports and health.

AirPods, HomePods and Apple TV

Apple audio and entertainment devices also bring new improvements:

AirPods: Now have noise-canceling technology and Ambient Mode, which can automatically switch to match your surroundings.
AirPlay: Because it's connected to Siri, it's now easier than ever to use it on your HomePod.
tvOS17: The Control Center has been completely redesigned and introduces FaceTime for the first time so you can see your video calls on a bigger screen and with better audio.
CarPlay: It's now easier for iPhone users to log into a SharePlay-enabled car to start sharing their music in seconds.