Apple is gearing up to address the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), commencing with the keynote on June 10th and extending through June 14th. Traditionally, the company unveils its fall software updates and introduces new hardware during this event. However, there’s an air of mystery surrounding Apple’s stance on generative artificial intelligence this year.
Rumors suggest that Apple has been investing heavily in training its own AI models and may be in talks with various entities, including Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Baidu (for China), to provide cloud-based AI features. Alternatively, Apple might opt to keep its generative features strictly on-device. There’s even speculation that Apple could open its ecosystem to all AI developers for deeper integration into its devices.
While Apple has long emphasized on-device machine learning, the surge in interest in generative AI seems to have prompted the company to spotlight its capabilities in this domain as well. Notably, the M3 MacBook Air, dubbed “the world’s best consumer laptop for AI,” has been touted in this context.
In addition to AI, WWDC attendees can anticipate the usual barrage of feature announcements across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and other operating systems. Speculated updates include the ability to customize app icon placements on iPhones, the introduction of “scenes” in Freeform, and new accessibility shortcuts. There’s also chatter about the potential unveiling of two new AirPods models and updated AirPods Max headphones with USB-C compatibility.
Reflecting on last year’s WWDC, Apple introduced the highly anticipated Vision Pro headset, alongside notable updates such as a widget-centric revamp of WatchOS, iOS 17’s StandBy Mode, and desktop widgets for macOS. Additionally, Apple marked a milestone with the completion of its Apple silicon transition, showcasing a revamped Mac Pro featuring the M2 Ultra chip, which also found its way into the new Mac Studio. The MacBook Air lineup also received attention with the introduction of a 15-inch model.
