Apple’s “biggest event in a decade” is happening in California right now. Here are the highlights of what’s been announced.
ADVERTISEMENTApple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 (WWDC) has been taking place in Apple Park, California over the past few days and is proving to be the biggest event the tech giant has hosted in a decade.
As anticipated, given the rate technology has been evolving this year, Apple has made some major announcements that will no doubt set the bar for its peers over the coming months.
Here are the updates you need to know about.
Vision Pro: Apple unveils its highly anticipated mixed reality headset
Apple has showcased a long-rumoured headset that will place its users between the real world and the virtual.
After years of speculation, the tech giant’s CEO Tim Cook hailed the arrival of the sleek goggles - dubbed "Vision Pro" - that Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs helped design.
The device will be capable of toggling between virtual reality, or VR, and augmented reality (AR), which projects digital imagery while users can still see objects in the real world.
"This marks the beginning of a journey that will bring a new dimension to powerful personal technology," Cook told the crowd.
The headset will be equipped with 12 cameras, six microphones and a variety of sensors that will allow users to control it and various apps with just their eyes and hand gestures.
The company also developed a technology to create a three-dimensional digital version of each user to display during video conferencing.
Although Vision Pro won't require physical controllers that can be clunky to use, the goggles will have to either be plugged into a power outlet or a portable battery tethered to the headset.
The headset will run on a new operating system called visionOS.
iOS 17 is coming soon
IPhone users brace yourself: another update is incoming.
The new iOS17 promises users “major updates to communications apps, easier sharing with AirDrop, more intelligent text input, and new experiences with Journal and StandBy” according to Apple.
Highlights include the new Journal feature, which has been designed with end-users mental health in mind.
It gives Apple device owners the opportunity to share their thoughts - without the worry of them being shared elsewhere. Apple promises “with the ability to lock the app, the use of on-device processing, and end-to-end encryption, Journal is built to protect a user’s privacy and ensure no one - including Apple - can access a user’s entries”.
In a huge step for accessibility, the new Live Voicemail feature translates incoming voicemail messages into a real-time transcription as the message comes through. Plus, calls which are identified as spam won’t appear and will be instantly declined.
MacBook Air is featuring a bigger 15-inch screen
Long-time favourite MacBook Air is set to add a new, bigger screen to its portfolio - without compensating on its slick, lightweight design.
“We’re thrilled to introduce the first 15-inch MacBook Air. With its incredible performance and striking design, the new MacBook Air is the world’s best 15-inch laptop. And it’s only possible with Apple silicon,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering.
ADVERTISEMENT“From its expansive Liquid Retina display and remarkably thin and fanless design, to extraordinary battery life and an immersive six-speaker sound system, the new MacBook Air has it all”.
The new generation of MacBook Airs will also feature the new M2 ultrachip, which has a 24-core CPU and up to 76-core GPU and is set to make Mac Studio a “performance powerhouse,” according to Apple.
