WWDC – Apple’s global developer conference – is always a big highlight in the annual tech calendar. Although Apple, as its name suggests, is ostensibly aimed at developers, it has previously announced major new hardware lines like the Vision Pro, the HomePod and the iPhone SE, giving the keynote a big advantage over consumers.
WWDC is also where the first beta versions of the software hit the market, and with the upcoming iOS 18 this is particularly significant as Apple is expected to make major strides in artificial intelligence.
This is what we expect from WWDC 2024.
When is WWDC 2024?
WWDC 2024 will almost certainly take place sometime in June. While it has been part of the Apple calendar since 1983 with a wide range of dates, it has taken place every June since 2007 and there is no reason to expect a big change now.
The exact date won’t be announced until closer, but with the big keynote opening the event on a Monday, keep an eye on the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th (with the earlier dates even more so are). probably from the set).
Will we get new hardware at WWDC 2024?
In the past, Apple has unveiled some exciting new hardware at WWDC, including the Vision Pro and the first-generation HomePod.
It’s entirely possible that we’ll see hardware again this year – although probably with generational updates rather than entirely new product lines, as both new MacBooks and iPads are due to launch at that time.
But it’s just as possible that they host their own events and that this could be one of those years where it’s all about the software. This is particularly plausible considering that Apple is expected to make major advances in artificial intelligence this year with iOS 18.
What to expect from iOS 18 at WWDC 2024?
Typically, Apple releases the first developer beta of its next iPhone operating system at WWDC, and according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, iOS 18 is shaping up to be “one of the biggest iOS updates – if not the biggest – in the company’s history.” “
While we know that part of this update will include the introduction of the RCS text protocol for better communication with Android devices, the more significant update should include the buzzword of 2024: artificial intelligence.
According to Gurman, Apple’s Craig Federighi issued an “edict” to the team to ensure iOS 18 was “packaged with features that run on the company’s large language model.” And since Apple has reportedly offered publishers millions of dollars for AI training purposes, it’s possible that the results will be significantly different in terms of reliability than the ChatGPTs of the world.
What does this mean in practice? Well, according to code found in the latest iOS 17.4 beta, it looks like the AI - codename Ajax – will be able to summarize content and answer questions based on user input.
There also seems to be hints of integration with iMessage in the code. This makes sense as Gurman previously stated that Ajax would work with the messaging app to “answer questions and auto-complete sentences.”
In other words, it sounds like Siri is getting a significant and long-overdue upgrade in terms of intelligence. The big question, however, is whether it requires new hardware to work.
While Apple prides itself on bringing the latest versions of iOS to its older iPhones, artificial intelligence may be a bridge too far for older generations, especially since the company reportedly prefers on-device AI over cloud-based solutions. In other words, this may require the grunt of the upcoming A18 processor.
However, with the iPhone 16 not releasing until September and an early beta coming as early as June, it would make sense for Apple to offer some cloud-based versions for older iPhones – and one rumor suggests that’s how things will pan out. with on-device AI for the 2024 models and a cloud-based version for older models.
We’ll find out in a few months.
