Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2022 kicked off on Tuesday. The theme of this event is “code in place”. In addition to the release of major systems and software ecosystems such as iOS/iPadOS 16, Apple is also expected to Launched a small number of hardware products such as the MacBook Air equipped with the M2 chip.
iOS 16
It is reported that iOS 16 will greatly improve the interactive experience, including adjusting the notification center, introducing the much-anticipated screen display and satellite communication, and improving health tracking. There may even be new actions in the AR/VR field.
On-screen display
This may be the most anticipated feature of iPhone users. Through the AOD screen display, users can check the time, weather or notifications without lighting the screen, which for some users will also improve the daily use experience.
Display analyst Ross Young broke the news that the ProMotion display used in the iPhone 14 Pro will be able to drop to the same 1Hz. According to the data, although the current iPhone 13 Pro series also supports the 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate adjustment, the minimum can only be 10Hz.
The 1Hz limit frame rate will minimize the power consumption of the screen so that the AOD screen display function can be realized through simple lines and low-brightness pictures.
Satellite communication
According to various channels, Apple has reached cooperation with a number of low-orbit satellite service providers to support low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication technology on iOS16 devices.
With the support of this technology, when the iPhone is not within the coverage of the 4G/5G network, it can also communicate through low-orbit satellites, including functions such as surfing the Internet and making calls. However, satellite communication is mainly used to send SOS emergency help information through satellite when a major emergency occurs in areas without network signal coverage.
Improved health tracking
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, iOS 16 will bring several new features to the Health app, including “drug management” and “food tracking” features. This feature can record, track and manage medicines and food using mobile phones, which is very helpful for daily medication and weight loss.
Vehicle collision
“Crash detection uses data from sensors built into Apple devices, including accelerometers, to detect the occurrence of a car accident, for example, by measuring the sudden surge of gravity, or “g” force, on impact,” the report said. The iPhone can use this data to automatically call 911 if it detects a vehicle crash.
This sounds really helpful and reminds me of how Apple uses accelerometers for fall detection on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer. Automatic collision detection would be very helpful and potentially save lives.
Larger Widget
LeaksApplePro reports that iOS 16 will introduce “big widgets,” and the screenshots were shown in the tweet also show app widgets displayed in larger squares and rectangles.
Optimized notification experience
Gurman said that iOS 16 will bring significant changes to the “Notification Center”, but he did not share details of the changes. Foreign technology media 9to5Mac found in the code of the macOS 12.4 beta that Apple is planning to make a major adjustment to the focus mode.
Focus Mode is a feature introduced by Apple on iOS/iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey that helps users control the frequency and intensity of notifications so they can focus more on certain tasks and challenges.
In the upcoming iOS 16 and macOS 13 systems, Apple will introduce more customization features for Focus Mode, which will not be compatible with iOS 15 and macOS 12. A new string added in the iOS 15.5 beta shows a warning message telling the user that the selected Focus mode requires a software update to be enabled.
iPadOS 16
iPadOS 16 is expected to launch in the second half of 2022. Considering that the current iPad Pro and iPad Air both feature the powerful M1 chip, iPadOS 16 may be the most important update for the iPad to date.
We haven’t heard a lot about what’s new in iPadOS 16. The latest gossip comes straight from Bloomberg reporter and Apple expert Mark Gurman, who claims to have heard from credible sources(opens in a new tab) that Apple plans to make iPadOS more like a full laptop operating system. According to Gurman, that could mean new ways to resize windows and organize them on the screen to facilitate multitasking.
New Apps
According to a report by iDropNews(opens in a new tab), xCode, Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro are coming to iPad soon. It’s important to note that these apps are only expected to run on iPads with the M1 chip, namely the iPad Pro 2021 and iPad Air 2022.
While we can’t say for sure whether Apple will take this approach, bringing these long-requested apps to iPadOS would be a welcome move that could help creators be more productive with just an iPad.
Lock screen and home screen
It is reported that iPadOS 16 will have the same lock screen and home screen as iOS 16. Widgets are also available on the lock screen.
Floating application windows
Majin Bu, a well-known whistleblower, also said in a tweet that Apple is developing a smart system called Apple Mixer that can introduce floating application windows like desktop systems such as macOS and Windows.
The app opens in full screen by default but shrinks when the iPad is connected to a keyboard and trackpad. While the source isn’t sure if iPadOS 16 will have this feature at launch, they seem confident that it will be exclusive to iPads with the M1 chip.
Developer Steve Troughton-Smith also found evidence of this window functionality in WebKit, Apple’s engine for making iOS/iPadOS browsers for developers. This still doesn’t prove that Apple is specifically preparing the feature for iPadOS 16, but it does appear to be actively working on it.
Interactive Widget
A leaker by the name of @LeaksApplePro(opens in a new tab) said on Twitter that iOS 16 may introduce interactive widgets, allowing you to interact with the widget’s shortcuts without going into the actual app. The leaker is talking about iOS 16, but we wouldn’t mind the introduction of interactive gadgets in iPadOS 16. Widgets on the lock screen would also be nice.
Smoother Magic Keyboard experience
Apple’s Magic Keyboard turns the iPad Pro and iPad Air into laptops.
iPadOS 16 makes using the Magic Trackpad (especially its on-screen cursor) feel more intuitive and more laptop-like.
watchOS 9
There is not much information about watchOS 9 at present, but Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman gave some expectations about this year’s watchOS based on rumors about the Apple Watch Series 8.
Here’s what he can expect from the next-generation Apple Watch smart system:
- Atrial fibrillation burden detection
- Ability to monitor how often the user is in atrial fibrillation over a specific period of time.
- Low power mode
- A low power mode that works with apps and functions to expand the range of power reserve switching.
- Satellite connection
- Text messages and SOS alerts can be sent to emergency services when away from a mobile phone connection.
- The new sleep tracking feature
- Health adds women’s physical health and medication tracking
- New ways to exercise
- Improved and new Apple Watch face
macOS 13
Every year before the opening of WWDC, many Mac fans will have such a question: what is the name of the next-generation macOS system. This pattern can be traced back to the Mac OS X system when Apple named it after various big cats, and on the OS X Maverick launched in 2013, Apple began to choose the name of California.
Back in the early days after the debut of OS X Mavericks, we found more than 20 California-themed trademark applications filed by various LLCs, all of which could be identified as shell companies created by Apple to hide their identities.
Over time, some of these trademarks such as Yosemite, Sierra, Mojave and Monterey were indeed used by Apple for its major Mac OS updates, while trademark applications for other names such as Rincon, Redwood, Pacific and Skyline were all but abandoned.
Foreign technology media speculate that it should be called Mammoth. Mammoth is reminiscent of Mammoth Lake or Mammoth Mountain, a popular skiing and hiking area in Sierra Nevada. A trademark application for the name was approved in March 2019, and since then, its extended use application has been approved five times, most recently in November 2021. macOS 13 has the potential to be macOS Mammoth.
Widget moves freely
Widgets first appeared in iOS 14 in 2020 and are gradually migrated to iPadOS. Users can move anywhere on the home page according to their needs, but they are still locked in one column in macOS.
macOS 13 should allow you to move gadgets anywhere on the screen. Some people forget that widgets first appeared on macOS back in 2004 with Dashboard in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, as a way to manage widgets in an app that would overlay your screen.
It would be tempting to have Dashboard back in macOS 13, or the ability to place gadgets anywhere on the desktop. This will help beautify your monitors and eliminate the need to go to columns to view them.
System Preferences
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman claims that macOS 13 will feature a comprehensive System Preferences that makes it more consistent with the Settings app on iPhones and iPads, including personal settings organized by app.
Gurman also believes we’ll see a redesign of other default apps, which enables updates to Mail, Notes, Reminders, Podcasts, Safari, Messages, Music, and more.
Weather app
Last year, the Weather app got a huge redesign in iOS 15, largely thanks to Apple’s acquisition of the weather app Dark Sky. While the app hasn’t moved to iPadOS yet, the next logical step would be to macOS.
Having easy access to weather forecasts, plus precipitation and storm notifications could be useful for many Mac users — especially if gadgets could be displayed on the desktop instead of the bar they’re currently locked in.
App Library
While Launchpad and Finder give you a handy overview of installed applications and let you add them to folders, they’re your only view. This can be tricky if you have hundreds of apps, especially since Launchpad’s full-screen view can get in the way of whatever you’re working on.
The App Library on Mac makes it easy to categorize your apps and change some folders based on the time of day or your location, just like it does in iOS. This would be more useful for Mac users as having a full-screen view on an iMac or an external monitor seems like too much.
Time Machine and iCloud Backups
The time machine is a feature that has been phased out in recent years, no matter how useful it has proven to be in the past. It takes multiple snapshots of your macOS machine in a day, and if you lose a file, you can “go back in time” and restore it.
Backing up your iPad or iPhone via iCloud is a second option that lets you save photos, messages, lock screen wallpapers, and more to your iCloud account. You can also restore these backups to the device if you ever need to reset the device.
macOS doesn’t have such a feature; there’s only the option to back up to an external hard drive or directly on the Mac, which may be moot if your Mac refuses to boot. Bundling iCloud backups with Time Machine feels like an easy win for Mac users because it’s safe and familiar.
tvOS Screensaver for Mac
Many of tvOS’ great screensavers are expected to be introduced in macOS 13. While there are third-party apps like Aerial that already do the job for Mac users, it would be great for macOS 13 to have a native option for those who just want a screensaver in System Preferences, without having to download an additional app.
Hardware Update: MacBook Air
Appearance design
The MacBook Air has maintained the same overall aesthetic since its introduction in 2008, but that may change with the M2 model. Like the redesigned 24-inch iMac, the new MacBook Air is expected to feature a thinner, lighter chassis and brighter color schemes. Renderings by AppleInsider show off-white bezels, a notched display, and a white keyboard.
The tapered shell design has always been a hallmark of the MacBook Air, but its thinness is an illusion due to the convex bevels that house its internal components. Now, Apple might be able to fit everything into a case wide enough to accommodate a Thunderbolt 4 port.
The aluminum chassis will likely take on the more rounded shape of the 14-inch MacBook Pro design, but with a wider range of color options. Apple will likely mimic the colors of the 24-inch iMac, including blue, green, pink, silver, yellow, orange and purple.
Leaker Jon Prosser previously shared renderings based on images of disassembled parts given to him. These renders show a case without a tapered outer shell, presumably to ensure there’s room for internal components in the thinner design.
Performance
Thanks to improved I/O, the M2 is said to allow the MacBook Air to have two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a MagSafe connector for charging. While not confirmed, we expect this laptop will be able to drive multiple external monitors.
The M2 is rumored to have better performance than the M1, but not the M1 Pro or M1 Max. It will likely include more technologies, such as the Media Engine and the faster Neural Engine.
Release date
Mark Gurman said the release has been pushed back to the third or fourth quarter of 2022, with an announcement likely at WWDC in June.
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