The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple’s annual developer and software-oriented conference, is now less than two months away. As in previous years, Apple is likely to make major updates to all of its operating systems, including watchOS 9, iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, and tvOS 16, bringing new features and a more refined experience to existing devices.
While the rumors about macOS 13 and tvOS 16 are still purely speculative, there are growing indications from reliable sources that we can expect some specific features in watchOS 9, iOS 16, and iPadOS 16. Now MacRumors brings a summary of new features.
watchOS 9
watchOS 8 brings ID and keys, redesigned Home app, new exercise types, a Mindfulness app, sleep tracking updates, portrait mode dial, focus mode, and more in the wallet app. From what is currently known about watchOS 9, it seems that Apple will focus on several system features, as well as improvements to health monitoring, activity tracking, and exercise apps.
System characteristics
- update an existing watch face
- low-power modes can run certain applications and functions with less battery power
- COLLISION DETECTION, SIMILAR TO FALL DETECTION, IS CAPABLE OF IDENTIFYING CAR ACCIDENTS BY MEASURING SUDDEN CHANGES IN G-FORCE, CONTACTING EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND SENDING LOCATION DATA
Health monitoring
- improved health tracking
- improve atrial fibrillation detection by calculating the “load,” which is a measure of how long a person has been in a state of atrial fibrillation over a certain period of time
Apply improvements to activities and exercises
- improved activity tracking
- more types of exercise
- other indicators of running workouts
Kuo said watchOS 9 may abandon support for Apple Watch Series 3 because its computing power will not be able to meet the requirements of the new operating system. Therefore, watchOS 9 is only available for Apple Watch Series 4 or update devices in 2018.
The Apple Watch Series 3 was released in September 2017, nearly five years old. It is the oldest device to support the latest version of “watchOS 8”, but its S3 chip is significantly behind the Apple Watch SE’s S5 chip and apple Watch Series 7’s S7 chip in terms of performance. The Apple Watch Series 3 is also the only apple watch left with an older, thicker design that has large bezels and corners around the display.
Following last year’s iOS 14.6 and watchOS 7.5 updates, Apple Watch Series 3 users must unpair and re-pair their devices from their linked iPhones when updating watchOS because the Apple Watch doesn’t have enough internal storage to complete the update independently.
While major new versions of Apple’s operating system are usually released at WWDC in June, the update itself doesn’t usually release to the public until the fall, with Kuo arguing that Apple will stop apple Watch Series 3 and introduce new Apple Watch models.
iOS 16
iOS 15 introduces a redesigned notification system and focus mode, spatial audio and SharePlay in FaceTime calls, live text, ID in the Wallet app, and new privacy features, as well as redesigns for Safari, Maps, Weather, and Notes. iOS 16 is preparing to fix notifications again, while adding a number of improvements to the Health app.
system characteristics
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enhanced notifications
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Collision detection, same as watchOS 9
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initial support for apple mixed reality devices
health apps
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extended sleep tracking
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new medication management feature to scan pills and remind them to take them
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new features in women’s health
Apple Music
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Optional Apple Music app for classical music, specifically for classical music metadata
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Primephonic-based user interface UI
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improvements in “sight, hearing, and touch.”
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Redirect tracks from the Apple Music app to the Apple Music Classical option
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supports lossless and spatial audio
Signs of the Apple Music Classical app were found in the iOS 15.5 Beta code. Apple Music Classical will almost certainly appear in iOS 16, but it’s likely to debut on an earlier date. For example, Apple can launch a new app on WWDC, but make it immediately available by updating iOS 15.
iOS 16 will reportedly have built-in support for long-rumored Apple mixed reality devices, laying the groundwork for new devices. That means Apple “could theoretically preview the technical aspects of ar devices or their software on WWDC without having to show off the full device,” Gurman notes.
iOS 15 supports the same devices as iOS 13 and iOS 14, with the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and first-generation iPhone SE being the oldest supported devices. It’s unclear whether iOS 16 will eventually drop support for these older devices equipped with A9 chips.
iPadOS 16
Little is known about iPadOS 16 at the moment, but it’s likely to get most of the new features of iOS 16, as well as some iPad-specific enhancements.
system characteristics
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new multitasking interface
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Enhanced notifications, same as in iOS 16
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Apple Music Classic app, same as in iOS 16
In recent years, Apple has significantly improved the multitasking experience in iPadOS, enhancing features such as Slide Over, Split View, and dock. For example, iPadOS 15 adds a new multitasking menu to the top of the app, as well as a center window, a new multi-window frame, and a more intuitive split-screen browsing experience. Exact further improvements to iPadOS 16 multitasking are unclear.
release date
Apple is expected to preview watchOS 9, iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, and tvOS 16 systems at WWDC22, scheduled to open on Tuesday, June 7. The beta version is released to developers on the same day. Later in the summer, Apple may make it available to public beta testers.
After beta testing is complete, the new operating system will be released to the public in the fall along with new hardware products such as the iPhone 14/Pro. While watchOS 9, iOS 16, and iPadOS 16 may be released at the same time, new versions of macOS are usually released at a later stage.