WWDC 2023 Live blog: From MacBook Air 15 to AR/VR headset, the latest news

Apr 14, 2023

WWDC 2023, Apple's annual developer conference is almost here and the excitement is rising to a fever pitch. The conference kicks off on Monday, June 5 (at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) with the opening keynote. The Laptop Mag team will be covering up-to-the-minute news from the keynote throughout the rest of the conference so be sure to bookmark this blog.

In the lead up to the event, rumors have been flying about some exciting products, such as the highly anticipated Apple AR/VR headset, which could set the course of both augmented and virtual reality. Then there's the MacBook Air, which is rumored to get bigger to the tune of 15 inches. And while the hardware is definitely compelling, we can't forget the software with expected news on the MacOS, iOS and watchOS fronts.

It's an exciting time for Apple fans and the tech world at large.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Hideo Kojima just showed up at the Apple Event! This is part of Apple trying to convince us that they do in fact care about gaming.

You may already know that I'm always the skeptic when it comes to this. It seems that every time Apple takes a step forward in gaming, like announcing Resident Evil Village, no other movement is made to support developers.

Now however, there are some more significant steps. In fact, Death Stranding coming to Mac is the more insignificant story here (sorry Hideo). There is a new Game Porting Toolkit coming to Metal 3, which means developers can transfer their games to Apple's development platforms a lot quicker and easier.

Craig has just confirmed the new version of macOS will be named after one of the nation's most popular wine regions — Sonoma.

Interactive widgets are making the jump over to macOS Sonoma. They can be placed wherever you want them to go, as well as sent over from your other Apple devices via continuity.

Craig Federighi just used the force to pull an iPad towards him (no, I'm not kidding) to tell us all about iPadOS 17. Here's what is coming to it

The deluge of iOS 17 information continues with a new journalling app. Rather than just being an updated version of the notes app, Apple has done some work on integrating some key parts of the user experience into it.

For example, you'll get a prompt to update your journal with any photos you've taken on the day, music you've listened to and exercises you've done - with questions like "how has this made you feel today?"

AirDrop is already one of the best ways to share content between devices seamlessly. Now, it's getting updated with new features including NameDrop, where you just need to bring two phones together to exchange contact information.

Not only that, but AirDrop transfers will not cancel when you are out of range, as the other device will send the remainder over the internet.

Here we go! Craig Federighi is here to tell us all about iOS 17 - starting with a couple of fascinating updates to the phone app.

First, you are able to create your own caller poster, which will appear on phone calls or on third party VOIP apps via the app API.

And probably my favorite announcement so far - live voicemail that transcripts someone's voicemail message in real time. You can choose to pick up or ignore during this time.

Blindsiding all of us watching along, Apple just randomly announced the Mac Pro, and it is a monster! Both the Mac Pro and Mac Studio is available to pre-order today, with a full launch next week.

The Mac Studio has got an update to M2 chipsets, which ups the performance dramatically with up to 18 8K feeds! But then Apple decided to flip the script...

Apple's first announcement of WWDC is the highly anticipated 15-inch MacBook Air! Check out our full news story for the latest info. But to break it down. It's the M2 MacBook Air but with a 15-inch display.

You can pick one up for $1,299 — pre-orders start today and the full launch is next week.

Here we go!

Our Editor-in-Chief, Sherri L. Smith is on her way into the auditorium for WWDC! Look out for a full hands-on of whatever Apple is set to announce from her real soon...

If the Apple AR/VR headset really doesn't ship until early 2024, we will remind you of our earlier advice to wait for the second-generation Apple headsets that some believe could be here as early as 2025. Particularly given that one of them may be vastly cheaper than the first model.

The mere prospect of a larger MacBook Air M2 shouldn't have us this excited, but not having to pay over $2,500 to have a MacBook with a screen over 13-inches is a thrilling notion. That extra space also could set it up to have otherworldly battery life if Apple uses it wisely.

預測更新：1. Apple AR/MR頭戴裝置的大量出貨時間為4Q23底或2024年初 (vs. 先前預期的3Q23)。2. 2023年的出貨量可能將低於市場預期。不過，對投資人而言，現在的觀察重點已非出貨量，而是新產品發布能否說服人Apple的AR/MR頭戴裝置是下一個消費電子的明星產品。--Forecast updates:1. Mass…June 5, 2023

While the Apple AR/VR headset is still expected to be revealed during the keynote in just over 30 minutes, the most recent rumor from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is that "mass shipments" of the headset won't be coming until the end of the year or early next year.

Apple Store is down

Well in support for new hardware coming at the event the Apple Store is now down with the keynote for WWDC 2023 just over an hour away.

Tim Cook is similarly excited for things to kick off today, which is understandable as if the Apple AR/VR headset launch happens this could mark one of the defining moments of his era at Apple.

WWDC is always one of my favorite moments of the year — and this one is going to be our best ever! Tune in for our special event at 10 a.m. PT pic.twitter.com/SmkLT3VXldJune 5, 2023

Just 2 hours to go!

We're getting ready to head over to the event soon, but we're keeping our eyes peeled for any last minute leaks ahead of the keynote.

M2 Ultra?

While most sources are indicating that the M3 won't be announced at WWDC 2023 today, we may still be getting some updated chips from Apple. No, not in the MacBook Air 15-inch, but Apple's desktops may get some love. A Bloomberg report indicated that an M2 Ultra and a pair of new M2 Max chips could arrive at WWDC inside an updated Mac Studio and perhaps updated iMacs.

Excited about the forthcoming announcement of the Apple AR/VR headset? Not sold on the device that could define Tim Cook's legacy as CEO? Puzzled and bemused by Apple's all-in approach to augmented and virtual reality? Dismayed by the purported premium price tag it's paired with?

You're not alone! Apple's AR/VR headset has caused a great many number of us here at Laptop Mag to cycle through a range of emotions; from gleefully excited, to downright anxious. With a good few hours left to go, why not spend that time catching up on some of our ongoing thoughts about the headset and the current state of VR:

With all the talk of OS updates heading our way with today's annual WWDC, we'd be remiss not to highlight the likely debut of Apple's newest operating system specifically designed for the Apple AR/VR headset — xrOS!

Both insider sources at Apple and a recently surfaced New Zealand Intellectual Property Office trademark application confirmed the name of Apple's new OS — something that the company went to great (yet familiar) lengths to keep hush-hush.

There's not a great deal we know about how Apple's new OS differentiates itself from others (aside from its obvious requirement for handling hand/gesture inputs relating to the AR/VR headset,) however we have heard rumors about what to expect, and we do have an idea about what kind of apps may feature!

MacOS Ventura was announced at last year's WWDC, and we are set to get our first look (and potential hands-on demonstration) of MacOS 14 today. Are we set for a maintenance update or a more extensive upgrade? Time will tell!

However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman did note during a recent appearance on "The MacRumors Show" that he believes Apple's latest OS release won't quite as "groundbreaking" as many would hope.

Instead, Apple are likely to follow up on it's push to promote further synergy across its devices. Gurman said: "The dream scenario is that you own an Apple Watch, an iPhone, a MacBook, an iPad, an Apple headset, and all five of those devices are capable of doing the same things, just in different use cases and at different times of the day."

So while we might not see anything truly world-changing in terms of features, today's announcement could still be impressive stuff for users of the wider Apple ecosystem.

Apple's wearable wonder the Apple Watch could get some much-needed attention during today's show, with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believing that the smartwatch is set for a "fairly extensive upgrade."

Small and subtle updates have been the smartwatch's bread-and-butter for some time, but we could be seeing something entirely different from watchOS's next major milestone unveiling today.

Don't expect too much on the hardware front though, Gurman also believes that much of the changes coming to the Apple watch will be on the software side of things. However, the future looks bright for the wearable as recent Apple patents have suggested that the Cupertino-brand is working on strap-based health sensors and a built-in camera.

🍏 https://t.co/D0DSBqCZgLMay 29, 2023

So we basically know a VR headset is set to be announced by Apple today. But beyond the apps and xrOS, what games will you be playing on it?

Well one that is being teased by the creator is No Man's Sky, as Sean Murray has been tweeting Apples on the run up to WWDC. Now, this could just be an announcement of the game coming to MacBook and iOS. However, given it's been playable on VR for a while now, it's not entirely out of the question to see it get a big ovation on Apple Reality Pro.

It's #WWDC23 time! You know what to do... (hint: ❤️ this tweet) pic.twitter.com/svNkQt1GQJJune 5, 2023

It's Monday. You know what that means. WWDC is a few hours away, and Apple has got the custom like animation on any tweets that mention #WWDC23!

While everyone is getting hyped for the Apple Reality Pro, some analysts are speculating that the Apple Glasses will make an appearance. No word on if they'll make an appearance at WWDC 2023, but here's the skinny on the teched-out spectacles.

Another device we're expecting to see is the big screen MacBook Air — increasing that size to 15 inches. Here's what we've heard about it so far:

So, let's get into what will likely be the biggest news coming out of tomorrow's WWDC — the Apple VR headset. There has been a deluge of leaks and rumors about this device, which we'll break down here:

Here is everything we are expecting to see at the event:

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