Apple WWDC 2023: All announcements in one place

Apple Vision Pro is Apple’s latest AR reality headset which it likes to call the spatial computer, that can seamlessly blend digital content with the physical world, according to the company. Once the user wears the headset, they are introduced to a fully three-dimensional user interface controlled by the user’s eyes, hands, and voice.

The headset runs on the all-new visionOS, the world’s first spatial operating system. Vision Pro allows users to interact with the digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space. The headset features an ultra-high-resolution display system that packs 23 million pixels across two displays, and custom Apple silicon in a dual-chip design to ensure every experience feels like it’s taking place in front of the user’s eyes in real time

The headset starts at $3,499 (approx Rs 2,90,000) and will be available early next year on apple.com and at Apple Store locations in the U.S., with expansion in more countries later next year.

Next in line is iOS 17, the next major software update for the iPhones. Apple has mainly focused on improving the communications experience across the device, including updates to Phone, FaceTime, and Messages. The update also improves sharing with AirDrop, such as the ability to share contact info with NameDrop; and provides more intelligent input that improves the speed and accuracy of typing.

iOS 17 also introduces new experiences with Journal, an app that makes it easy for people to practice gratitude. There’s also a new StandBy mode, which shows glanceable information when iPhone is set down and charging. A bunch of other features such as change of Siri trigger command from ‘Hey Siri’ to just ‘Siri’, privacy updates, security updates and a lot more.

The new software features will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone Xs and later. The update should probably roll out alongside the introduction of iPhone 15 series later this year.

Read More: Apple Music Classical arrives on Android: All details

Next announcement at WWDC 2023 was the iPadOS 17 for Apple iPads now receives Lock screen customisation that was introduced with iOS 16 for iPhones last year. Further, there are new interactive widgets, live activities support and more. Further, users get AutoFill support for PDFs, which intelligently identifies and fills fields in forms, such as for your name, address, phone number, etc. Then, Notes app brings a new experience for marking up and collaborating on PDFs.

Messages gets significant updates, including a new stickers experience, and users can now leave FaceTime video and audio messages. The Health app has now been optimised for the iPad with interactive charts, and HealthKit enables developers to create innovative experiences designed for the iPad display. Other improvements for Safari, new privacy updates, are also a part of the update. iPadOS 17 is available as a developer beta today, and will be available as a free software update this fall.

The MacBook Air has now been released in a new 15-inch variant, with a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, the M2 chip, and up to 18 hours of battery life. Apple claims it is the world’s thinnest 15-inch laptop. It is equipped with an all-new six-speaker sound system, Spatial Audio support, Fanless design along with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, MagSafe charging, and more.

The 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 is available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray colours, and starts at Rs 1,34,900 and Rs 1,24,900 for education. It is available to order today via the Apple Store website. It will begin arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, beginning Tuesday, June 13.

Apple also announced the refreshed Mac Studio and Mac Pro devices. The Mac Studio features M2 Max and the newly unveiled M2 Ultra. Apple claims that Mac Studio is up to 6x faster than the most powerful Intel-based 27-inch iMac, and is up to 3x faster than the previous-generation Mac Studio with M1 Ultra.

Mac Pro, also featuring M2 Ultra, is up to 3x faster than the previous-generation Intel-based model. It can be equipped with up to a whopping 192GB of unified memory. The new Mac Pro now also completes the Mac transition to Apple silicon. Mac Studio and Mac Pro are available to order today, with availability beginning Tuesday, June 13.

Mac Studio starts at Rs 2,09,900 and Rs 1,88,900 for education. The Mac Pro (Tower Enclosure) starts at Rs 7,29,900 and Rs 6,87,900 for education. Mac Pro (Rack Enclosure) starts at Rs 7,79,900 and Rs 7,27,900 for education.

Apple has updated its watchOS software, bumping up the version to WatchOS 10. It features a new Smart Stack to show relevant widgets, new watch faces, new metrics, Workout Views, and Bluetooth connectivity for power meters, speed sensors. Cadence Sensors arrive for cyclists, while new Compass Waypoints and Maps capabilities further help hikers.

The Apple watch can now also track your mental health, thanks to the new Mindfulness app that offers additional tools to support mental health. watchOS 10 is available as a developer beta today, and will be available as a free software update this fall.

MacOS is now being bumped up to a new version which is called Sonoma. MacOS Sonoma brings new screen savers and widgets to the MacOS. Users can now place widgets right on the desktop, interact with them with just a click, and also sync widgets between their iPhone and Mac, thanks to the continuity feature.

Video conferencing also gets new features to help users present remotely, such as Presenter Overlay, which places a presenter on top of the content being shared, and Reactions, which enables gesture-triggered video effects in cinematic quality.

Significant updates have also been introduced for Safari, such as Profiles that keep the browsing separate between multiple topics or projects, while web apps provide faster access to favourite sites. Apple also introduced Game Mode along with new titles, and a new game Porting toolkit that makes it easier for developers to bring more games to Mac. The update will be available for free this fall.

The new tvOS 17 for Apple TV 4K comes with an all-new Control Center, along with other enhancements. The tvOS now gets FaceTime, which can also take advantage of Continuity Camera support to wirelessly connect to the user’s iPhone or iPad, and leverages the device’s camera and microphone to bring participants together on the TV.

Further, users can launch the Apple TV remote inside Control Center on iPhone to find their Siri Remote (2nd generation or later). There’s also third-party VPN support and Dolby Vision 8.1 support. tvOS 17 will be available this fall as a free software update for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.

There are new features that are being introduced for the AirPods lineup as well. The AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) get three new features: Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, and Conversation Awareness. The entire lineup also gains new and improved features that make calls and Automatic Switching even more seamless.

The Adaptive Audio mode is a new listening mode that dynamically blends Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation together based on the ambient sounds around a user to deliver the best possible sound in the moment. This new listening mode will seamlessly tailor the noise control experience while users move between environments and interactions that are constantly changing throughout the day.

Then there’s the Personalized Volume that uses machine learning to understand environmental conditions and listening preferences over time to automatically fine-tune the media experience. AirPods Pro (2nd generation) users can simply start speaking and Conversation Awareness feature will lower the volume and enhance the voices in front of the user, all while reducing background noise. 

AirPods now also get Automatic Switching, so the connection time between a user’s Apple devices is significantly faster and more reliable. For added convenience, using AirPods on calls is enhanced with a new Mute or Unmute feature across AirPods Pro (1st and 2nd generations), AirPods (3rd generation), and AirPods Max. Users can press the stem — or the Digital Crown on AirPods Max — to quickly mute or unmute themselves, so multitasking is effortless.

That is it for all the new announcements at Apple’ WWDC 2023 annual event. With so many updates coming, it is going to be an exciting time for the users to experience new features on their Apple devices this fall.