Apple Officially Announces WWDC 2022 | New Software, Hardware, and More – Here’s Everything to Expect

Apple has officially announced its 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with the news that it’s once again going to be held as an entirely virtual event.

According to Apple’s announcement, WWDC22 will be held online from June 6 to June 10 — and it will once again be free for all developers to attend.

WWDC moved to a virtual format two years ago at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a sure sign that Apple knows we’re not out of the woods yet, and the company isn’t taking any chances. The virtual format will continue this year.

However, there’s also more to this approach than just the global health crisis. Over the past two years, Apple has discovered that virtual events have their benefits, and this is especially true with something with as far-reaching of an impact as WWDC.

When Apple held its second virtual WWDC last year, it hinted that it might continue doing this even after the need for social distancing and lockdowns had ended.

After all, an in-person event has to be limited, and for WWDC, that’s usually been capped at around 5,000 developers. While that may sound like a lot, it’s a drop in the bucket — Apple boasts a global community of more than 30 million developers, and there’s so much demand for WWDC tickets that even priced at $1,599 each, Apple has to run a lottery to be fair to everyone involved.

On the other hand, a virtual event provides room for a practically unlimited number of attendees — and it’s also allowed Apple to offer the entire conference at no charge.

When it comes to reaching developers, there’s no comparison between Apple’s traditional in-person WWDC events and the new all-online format, but this year Apple is inviting some folks to attend a special in-person event at Apple Park.

In addition to the online conference, Apple will host a special day for developers and students at Apple Park on June 6 to watch the keynote and State of the Union videos together, along with the online community. Space will be limited, and details about how to apply to attend will be provided on the Apple Developer site and app soon.Apple

It appears that’s only to kick things off, however. The remaining four days of the conference will be entirely virtual, and Apple plans to open up even more information sessions, more learning labs, and more “digital lounges” where attendees can hang out together online and toss around ideas. Apple is also adding more localized content “to make WWDC22 a truly global event.”

What to Expect at WWDC22

It’s not exactly a revelation when Apple says that “WWDC22 will showcase the latest innovations in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.” WWDC is where Apple always releases the first developer betas of its major operating systems every year.

This means we’ll see iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16. The only mystery here is what name Apple will give to this year’s macOS release. However, it’s a safe bet that it will stick with the names of landmark California locations, a trend that began in 2013 when Apple shifted away from species of big cats with the release of OS X 10.9 “Mavericks.”

On the software side, we’ve also heard that Apple will overhaul its Mail app and redesign its Music app. With Apple’s AR/VR headset coming soon, there’s also a chance that Apple will be showing off a new AR/VR app.

What About New Hardware?

Although WWDC is traditionally focused on software announcements, it’s not uncommon for Apple to unveil new hardware innovations during the opening keynote address.

Last year’s WWDC was devoid of any hardware announcements, even though we expected a few. However, that also made it something of an outlier. WWDC20 heralded the transition to Apple Silicon, which was a significant hardware advancement, even if we didn’t see the results of that until later in the year.

However, in 2019 Apple unveiled its beastly third-generation Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR, and there are some indications that history could repeat itself this year.

At the very least, reliable analysts predict a souped-up version of the Apple Studio Display announced last month alongside the groundbreaking Mac Studio.

Before last month’s event, many folks believed that Apple was working on a 27-inch iMac Pro that would feature a mini-LED screen. However, those same sources now admit that they mistook that for a new studio display — the so-called “Apple Studio Display Pro.”

Since the current Studio Display doesn’t use mini-LED technology, this suggests that a better one is on the way. That display would likely also feature the same 120Hz “ProMotion” technology added to last year’s 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro lineup and may even push the resolution up to 7K.

Whether this will come along with a new Mac Pro is another matter entirely. While the Pro Display XDR launched alongside the 2019 Mac Pro, that doesn’t mean Apple has to follow suit. The Mac Pro is still due to get the Apple Silicon treatment, of course, and there are conflicting reports of what’s going on here; we’ve heard late 2022; however other reliable sources have said it won’t happen until 2023.

However, when Apple announced the Apple Silicon transition two years ago at WWDC20, it said that the entire Mac product line was expected to take “about two years” to make the shift. With the 27-inch iMac now officially discontinued, the higher-end 2018 Mac mini and the 2019 Mac Pro are the only two remaining Intel Macs.

It’s a safe bet that the Mac mini will make the shift to Apple Silicon this year, likely straight to an M2 and M2 Pro lineup. If Apple wants to hit its two-year goal, the Mac Pro will have to join the Apple Silicon club by the end of 2022.

Even if Apple announces a new Mac Pro at WWDC22, it’s unlikely it will go on sale until much later this year. The 2019 Mac Pro arrived in December of that year, and a new 2022 Mac Pro would likely follow suit, and it could even be pushed into 2023, which would line up with some of the reports we’ve heard.

After all, the Mac Pro is a machine for serious professionals. It doesn’t have to follow the same release timeline as Apple’s consumer products. Nobody is buying a Mac Pro to put under the Christmas tree, so a holiday quarter release is irrelevant for a computer like this.