WWDC 2023, Apple’s annual global developer conference, is just hours away, and rumors suggest it could be one of the most momentous (and perhaps longest) conferences we’ve seen in years.
This year, the hype machine is fueled by rumors that Apple will finally unveil the Apple VR headset at WWDC 2023. But even in the unlikely event that the mixed reality headset doesn’t arrive and Apple’s xrOS platform is also absent, there will still be plenty of reasons why to the excitement of Apple fans – other announcements are also possible, including a new Mac Pro and a 15-inch MacBook Air (2023).
The bread and butter of WWDC are software announcements across the entire Apple lineup, including the iPhone, Mac, iPad, and watch. Expect to see and hear a lot more about iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10 and tvOS 17.
If you own any Apple tech, it’s definitely worth tuning into. The speech will begin today (June 5) at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, which works like June 6th, 3am ACT. It’s time to set a reminder – and we’ll be on site at Apple Park in Cupertino to discuss it all in real time.
Our WWDC 2023 live blog is live, so check back for all the last-minute gossip ahead of the event and all the big announcements once it kicks off. We also have a full guide on how to watch the WWDC 2023 speech.
To the point
- What is this? Apple’s annual developer conference
- When it is? June 5-9, 2023. The keynote speech will take place on June 5 at 10:00 a.m. PST / 1:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. BST, which is June 6 at 3:00 a.m. ACT.
- How can I register or watch? Space for an in-person event is limited, but you can request from Apple’s developer site. The online version will be free for everyone.
How long does WWDC last?
Apple’s WWDC events vary in length and typically last between one and two hours. There are good reasons to believe this one will be longer than usual and could last as long as three hours.
These rumors come both from Twitter and the sheer amount of product rumors that include the Apple VR headset and the 15in MacBook Air, along with all the other software announcements. So fasten your seatbelts.
The latest news from WWDC 2023
May 31: Apple VR headset could have 4K displays that are 50 times brighter than Oculus Quest 2
26th of May: According to new rumors that suggest Apple may only ship 100,000 units in its first year, Apple’s mixed reality headset could be very hard to buy this year.
May 24: Apple has sent out invitations to WWDC 2023, and many have approached VR professionals, suggesting there will be some VR or AR announcements at the event.
17 May: Apple reveals the full WWDC 2023 schedule, including another visual hint at the mixed reality headset and presentation dates for June 5 (10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST / June 6, 3am ACT).
15th of May: A new report by Mark Gurman from Bloomberg suggests that we will not see MacBook Pros with new M3 chips at WWDC 2023, and that this equipment will appear next year. However, we expect a new 15-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip.
March 30: Rumors by credible Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggest that some delays in the production of Apple’s AR/VR headset have created “uncertainty” around the device that will appear at WWDC 2023.
March 29: Apple announces dates for WWDC 2023, which will start on June 5 and run until June 9. The speech, which historically contains all the major news, will take place on June 5.
WWDC 2023 dates
Apple announced that the developer conference will be held on Monday, June 5 till Friday, June 9 – so it starts today.
Apple regularly schedules its annual five-day conference for June, so it wasn’t a surprise to see WWDC again around this time.
If you’re mostly interested in big announcements, the WWDC 2023 keynote is today at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST / June 6, 3am ACT.
The latest rumors from WWDC 2023
Hardware rumors
Probably: Apple Reality Pro
Rumors about Apple VR goggles continue to grow this year – and an invitation to WWDC 2023 seems to hint at the lenses used in some VR goggles.
While a number of credible analysts have suggested that the Apple Reality Pro headset (as it is rumored to be called) will debut at WWDC 2023, other rumors have suggested that production delays could cause it to miss a major Apple developer conference.
Right now, its appearance alongside Apple’s new xrOS operating system at WWDC seems increasingly likely, but there’s a chance it could be a developer preview ahead of its full launch later this year. Given that rumors have been circulating for years, that would be fine with us.
Likely: Mac Pro (2023)
Last year, hopes for a new Mac Pro were high at WWDC 2022, which has traditionally been more of an industry conference than a consumer product event.
The Mac Pro, which is a billion-dollar (okay, not literally) industry-class workstation, is perfectly suited to debut in front of any developers who might reasonably work on such a workstation, or at least develop it with that workstation in mind.
It’s also the last major Apple product not to switch to Apple’s in-house chip, so it makes sense to finally cut ties with Intel and release the new 2023 Mac Pro Workstation.
Probable: 15-inch MacBook Air (2023)
After initially dismissing rumors of a 15-inch MacBook Air as an unlikely WWDC 2023 launch, we’ve started to change our minds – a larger version of our top-of-the-range laptop now looks to be on the cards, according to recent rumors.
This speculation, picked up by MacRumorssuggests Apple is stockpiling a new MacBook, with the 15-inch MacBook Air being the most likely candidate. It will likely feature the same M2 chip as the 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2, 2022) and of course a larger screen which could be perfect for people who like to edit videos and photos on the go.
Of course, these are just rumors and there’s a chance the new Air won’t arrive until later this year, but right now the rumors sound convincing – so we’ve put it in the “probable” column.
Probably: Apple M2 Ultra
In addition to the new Mac Pro, we expect the M2 Ultra SoC to be unveiled at WWDC 2023. Apple has already revealed the M2, M2 Pro, and M2 Max chipsets, with the M2 Ultra the last remaining silicon tier to debut.
If it’s anything like the M1 Ultra, it will be two M2 Max chips coupled together to effectively double the power of that chip, making it suitable for a PC workstation such as a high-end Mac Studio. The latter device uses the M1 Ultra, but it’s unclear if this type of chip is powerful enough for the kind of stuff that industrial users need.
The 2019 Mac Pro had a maximum storage capacity of 1.5TB. The M-series chips use unified memory, and if the M2 Ultra is two M2 Max chips linked together, its maximum unified memory will only be 256GB. It’s not enough to edit a big Hollywood movie or score an orchestral piece with hundreds of samples, all of which require a lot of memory.
Still, if the M2 Ultra is to come, WWDC 2023 makes the most sense.
Possible: a new iMac
Finally, on the computing side, it’s really just an iMac.
The iMac (24-inch) debuted two years ago with the new M1 chip, so it definitely needs to be upgraded. Its bold color options definitely made it a hit, especially for me, but this color trend seems to have all but disappeared.
We’d love to see a purple iMac (M2), but this one is less likely than the Mac Pro in our book.
Software rumors
iOS17
Apple will almost certainly unveil iOS 17 at WWDC 2023, which will be the next leap forward in the iPhone operating system.
It looks like iOS 17 could be a bigger update than we initially thought, with one analyst saying it will deliver some of the “most requested features” by Apple fans.
Exactly what it is remains to be seen, but expect significant updates to existing iPhone staples like CarPlay, Siri, and Messages. For a deeper analysis of how your iPhone could change soon, check out our seven wishes for iOS 17 guide.
macOS 14
Every year for the last decade, Apple announces a new version of the software that powers its Macs – and we expect the same to happen at WWDC 2023.
While macOS often lags behind iOS when it comes to new features, it means we have some clues about what might be coming to Apple’s operating system. This could include more comprehensive desktop widgets that can free you from the Notification Center, and maybe even a version of Dynamic Island for Apple laptops.
The macOS 14 rumors are still early days, but we expect to hear more as we get closer to WWDC 2023 and the likely full release date of the OS in October or November 2023.
xrOS
You can’t have an Apple Mixed Reality headset without a brand new operating system to power it – and rumors suggest that Apple has settled on the name “xrOS” for its next major software platform.
The arrival of a new Apple operating system would be a big deal, and WWDC 2023 is a good place to introduce it, given that it will be filled to the brim with excited app developers. The xrOS platform will likely be designed to take advantage of the huge array of chips, cameras, and sensors that Apple has apparently put into the Reality Pro (a similar name for the headset).
Expect familiar apps (like Freeform, FaceTime, Apple TV Plus, and more) to be reimagined for mixed reality.