WWDC 2020, Apple’s biggest developer-centric event of the year, kicks off today. Apple isn’t holding any physical on-ground event this year due to the ongoing pandemic situation. Instead, WWDC 2020 is taking on an entirely new virtual or online format, which means all the proceedings will be streamed live directly from Apple Park to your homes.
There are a number of ways you can access the WWDC 2020 opening keynote. You can watch it on the Apple Events page on Apple.com. Or you can watch it on Apple’s YouTube page. Apple TV owners can watch the WWDC 2020 opening keynote through the Apple Events app. WWDC 2020 will also be accessible via the Apple Developer app and on the Apple Developer website. This is the first time Apple is giving you so many options.
The opening keynote generally focuses on software (announcements). Last year, at WWDC 2019, Apple had launched the Mac Pro refresh so you can’t say hardware is a total no-show. But software, as expected, will be the real star of the show. From iOS to tvOS, from watchOS to macOS, every piece of software that drives Apple’s products will take centre-stage.
We’ve already compiled a list of expected announcements, including Apple’s widely anticipated switch to ARM chips for Mac, in our WWDC 2020 preview piece here, so be sure to check it out.
For everything WWDC 2020, follow our live blog and stay tuned about everything that Apple has in store for you (and for the rest of the year).
And it’s a wrap. To refresh, Apple announced iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, tvOS 14 and ARM Mac processor today at its WWDC 2020 opening keynote event.
Apple, as expected, is building its own custom ARM chip for Mac.
Apple is updating its Safari browser this year with big focus on privacy and at the same time bringing extensions into the mix.
The next major update to macOS is called macOS Big Sur. It features a new design with a new unified notification space and big focus on content rather than complications.
Now you can choose to only share approximate location with apps, Apple said, adding that it will also require developers to show exactly how muchh data they’re collecting and it will make it easier to display them to users in app product pages.
Apple’s next major update to watchOS, aka watchOS 7, brings improved rich complications, face sharing, and cycling directions courtesy Apple Maps, new workout modes. And finally, sleep tracking is coming to Apple Watch with watchOS 7.
Apple’s AirPods are getting automatic switching ability between devices, AirPods Pro getting spatial audio.
As expected, Apple is deeply integrating the Apple Pencil with iPad with iPadOS 14. Apple is launching something called “Scribble” that would allow iPad users to convert hand-written text into type text.
Apple has announced iPadOS 14, the next major update to its iPad-specific OS. Apple is adding an improved side bar to iPadOS 14 to organize stuff like photos. It has a new streamlined and compact version of Siri (which is also being rolled out in iOS 14). Search has been rebuilt from ground up as well.
Apple announces Clips, its take on Google’s instants apps. Apple Clips will allow iPhone users to try out certain apps without even installing them. Some apps will support Apple Pay and Sign in with Apple Clips.
Pinned conversations are coming to iMessage, plus all new Memojis.
Apple is making Siri smarter with features like on-device dictation. Apple is also launching a new translation app so you can use your iPhone to translate your conversations in real time.
Apple has announced the next major update to iOS, called iOS 14. Main highlights are a new App Library, with automatically sorted apps and the ability to also hide apps. Apple wants you to make it easier to get to apps through App Library. iOS 14 will also bring newly designed widgets, which in simple terms means, proper widget support is coming to your iPhone. iOS 14 will also automatically suggest widgets for you.
iOS 14 will also bring picture-in-picture support (ala Android style) for videos.
Tim Cook starts keynote with an ode to George Floyd, says Apple is commited to be a force of change.
WWDC 2020 begins, right on schedule.
WWDC 2020 kicks off in 15 minutes.
2020 is the year that Apple will reportedly part ways with Intel and WWDC 2020 seems to be the perfect ground to announce its own custom ARM-based chips for the Mac. Apple’s ARM processors will likely be based on the next iPhone’s (iPhone 12) A14 chip but specifically tailored for MacOS.
With tvOS 14, Apple is expected to bring a kids mode to the Apple TV and support for third-party apps and services (like Spotify for instance) to work with Siri on the HomePod.
Will sleep tracking finally come to Apple Watch with watcOS 7? We will find out tonight.
Apple gave the iPad its whole new OS last year with iPadOS 13. With iPadOS 14, Apple is expected to expand upon those capabilities and add features such as better hand-writing recognition and the ability to convert hand-written words into text.
Last year, Apple rolled out iPadOS 13 which is basically iOS 13 with iPad-specific features. Rumour has it that this year, Apple will rename iOS (14) to iPhoneOS to set it apart from iPadOS (14).
Buzz has it that Apple will add a list-view to its home screen in iOS 14 in addtion to bringing proper widget support. Third-party wallpaper support may also be on the cards. And, Apple may finally also give iPhone users the flexibility to set third-party apps as system defaults with iOS 14.
Apple is expected to address how it deals with third-party apps and developers in the App Store, especially in terms of earnings and subscriptions. Apple has been under fire lately for its alleged restrictive App Store policies with third-party developers like Spotify and Hey. One of the areas of concern is the 30% cut Apple charges from app purchases from developers through the App Store.
The biggest update however will be the (expected) announcement that Apple is ready with its ARM-based custom processors for the Mac, though actual Mac computers powered by the new chips aren’t expected to be launched before next year. Remember, Apple had similarly announced its plans to switch to Intel processors (from PowerPC) for its Mac computers at WWDC 2005.
We know that Apple will announce the next major updates to the software that powers its entire portfolio of products from the iPhone to the Mac and more at WWDC 2020. This year we’re looking at iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, tvOS 14, and macOS 10.16.
As is usually the case, Apple CEO Tim Cook will kick off WWDC 2020 opening day keynote. The floor will then be opened up to other top Apple executives (and developers) to talk software (and hardware if any). You can also expect Tim Cook to make brief appearances throughout the keynote. It would be interesting to see how Apple pans all this out this year, since everything will be hosted in real-time from Apple Park and streamed around the world online. This a first for Apple.