According to Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to reveal many new features for the iOS 16 and watchOS 9 at its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference 2022 event in June. Apple first started hosting virtual WWDC in 2020, and this year will mark its third successful run. However, some special attendees, including students, select media members, and developers, will likely be invited to the Apple Park in Cupertino to watch a pre-recorded keynote.
Apple is doing tremendously well in terms of hardware sales. It scored $123.9 billion in profits scoring record Q1 2022 sales. So naturally, keeping millions of these devices running up to date is high on Apple's list of priorities. Recently, the iOS 15.4 and iPad OS 15.4 update caused a battery drain issue for iPhones and iPads. Thankfully Apple acted quickly and fixed it by releasing the iOS 15.4.1 software update.
The new update also contained improved security fixes, which made Apple devices more secure as well. And during the upcoming WWDC 2022, Cupertino is ready to make the iPhones, Apple Watch, and iPads even more feature-packed. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman details the new additions he expects to be added to the upcoming iOS, watchOS, and also to the iPadOS in his technology newsletter, Power On.
How Apple Plans To Improve The Upcoming iOS 16 And watchOS 9
According to Gurman, the iOS 16, codenamed Sydney is likely to include "fairly significant enhancement across the board." For example, Apple could bring an upgraded notification system in addition to a new health tracker with the upcoming iOS 16 update. However, Apple is unlikely to get an "end-to-end redesign to iOS," so expect the usual layout with some new additions. If Apple could also include an always-on display to the iOS 16 along with some other essential features, it'd be a highly welcome addition.
The newsletter further mentions that significant updates are on the way for watchOS 9, codenamed Kincaid. According to Gurman, Apple is likely to improve activity and health tracking in its smartwatches with the latest update. A rugged Apple Watch is also on the way, but it is unlikely to get any mentions during the WWDC 2022. Significant improvements to the iPadOS 16 are also on the horizon. Last year, users did see the iPad gain decent multitasking capabilities thanks to iPadOS 15. However, the upcoming iPadOS 16 could add something even the power users would appreciate.
A major complaint of every iPad user is often related to the iPadOS and how it holds the powerful tablet back. However, the latest leak potentially puts those concerns to bed for users who want to get the most out of their already overpowered device. Furthermore, Gurman also ruled out any possibility of the reveal of a mixed-reality headset. But its launch could happen within the iOS 16 software cycle, before iOS 17 launches, as the upcoming iOS update contains references to the Apple headset and information on its interaction with iPhones. Gurman also thinks that Apple will launch two new Macbooks at the WWDC 2022. Apple began its transition from Intel to M1 chips two years ago during WWDC, so it'd be a perfect avenue to launch some new Macs.
Source: Bloomberg