What to expect at WWDC 2016: WWDC 2016 to kick off on 13 June, developer ticket lottery begins
WWDC 2016: When will WWDC 2016 take place
Apple has officially announced that its famous week-long WWDC event will take place on the week starting 13 June 2016, which didn't come as much of a surprise thanks to a number of leaks beforehand. Apple will host a press conference where it'll showcase the latest versions of iOS, OS X, tvOS and watchOS, with a week of developer training courses (and awards ceremonies) to follow. Those interested in attending can do so, but it's quite expensive and the tickets are distributed in an interesting manner.
WWDC 2016: How to get WWDC 2016 tickets
Back in 2012, all 5,000 WWDC tickets sold out within two hours of being released. The release of the tickets came as a surprise to developers who'd had no prior warning from the company and, understandably, many of those who missed out were far from happy about it. Particularly because Apple decided that 5:30am PDT was a good time to release them, so many developers woke up to find that the tickets had been and gone.
Then, in 2013, Apple decided to let developers know when the WWDC tickets for that year were going to go on sale in advance. The time would be 10am PDT/6pm UK time on 25 April, and everyone who wanted one knew that. Upon release, it took only two minutes for the tickets to sell out, which left even more developers feeling angry.
So, in 2014, Apple took a completely different approach to its ticket sales - one that, as we predicted, has become Apple's way of distributing tickets every year since. Instead of issuing tickets on a first come first serve basis, Apple offered everyone a chance to win a ticket by registering for a lottery. 5,000 (at least that's how many tickets there were in years passed) developers were randomly selected as attendees from those who apply.
So, how do you apply to Apple's WWDC lottery It's pretty simple really - those interested in attending should head over to Apple's WWDC 2016 website and apply for tickets before 10am PDT (18:00 to us in the UK) on Friday 22 April 2016. Apple says that attendees will then be selected via a random process, and the successful applicants will be notified by 5pm PDT on Monday 25 April 2016 (or 1am on Tuesday 26 April 2016 for those of us in the UK).
However, it's not a free-for-all - those selected to attend this year's WWDC event will be charged $1599 (around £1082) for the pleasure. Ouch.
We'll cover WWDC 2016 in exhaustive detail, and this page will host our liveblog on the night - so come back nearer the time for more details. But what will Apple announce at its keynote on 13 June 2016 Take a look at our predictions below.
WWDC 2016 predictions: iOS 10
Apple historically announces the next generation of iOS software at its WWDC events in June, and this year doesn't look to be any different - although some rumours believe otherwise. Our colleagues at Macworld US suggest that iOS 9 is the first in a new iOS lifecycle at Apple, with the company concentrating on more important 'point' updates rather than a completely new version of iOS. iOS 9.3 is a good example of this - iOS 9.3 came with a number of new features including NightShift mode, which many believe is more of a 'flagship' software feature that should be announced with a completely new iOS update. iOS 9.3 also went through a rigorous public beta testing period too, something (generally) exclusive to new iterations of iOS software.
However, if our colleagues aren't correct (sorry guys) then what could we see from iOS 10 One key feature of the software - according to current rumours - is that users will finally have the option to hide unwanted preinstalled apps. That means you can wave goodbye to default apps like Stocks and Compass, two apps that we can honestly say we've never used on our iPhones. Other significant software rumours include iCloud Voicemail where Siri handles all unwanted calls, and possibly some kind of 'Contact availability status' where your phone will tell you if your contact is available to speak at that time.
For all the latest iOS 10 rumours, take a look at the following: iOS 10 release date and feature rumours
WWDC 2016 predictions: OS X 10.12 Fuji
As well as announcing the latest iteration of iOS at WWDC events, Apple also showcases the latest version of its Mac OS X software, this year named 'Fuji' (according to reports anyway). Apple usually announces the software in June, then releases it in the Autumn after thorough beta testing, usually around September or October. What do we expect from Fuji Current rumours suggest that Siri will finally make an appearance on the Mac operating system in a bid to compete with OS-baked virtual assistants like Cortana in Windows 10. The report claims that Apple has been testing the feature internally for three years, and it's now finally ready to be rolled out to the public.
Other rumours suggest that Apple may rename the 'Mac OS X' operating system to 'macOS', bringing the Mac operating system branding in line with Apple's general operating system branding (iOS, tvOS, watchOS, etc). For all the latest rumours regarding OS X 10.12 Fuji or 'macOS' as it may be called, take a look at the following: OS X 10.12 Fuji UK release date and feature rumours
WWDC 2016 predictions: New Mac laptops
Here is where things get a little bit confusing. Apple usually updates its Mac laptop range around this time of year, and while Apple released an update to the 12in MacBook weeks after the iPhone SE and 9.7in iPad Pro event back in March 2016, the same can't be said about the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Rumours now suggest that the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines will be updated during WWDC 2016 in June. Why is that confusing Well
Some rumours suggest that the entire MacBook Air line may be discontinued, leaving users with a choice between the (already thinner than the MBA) MacBook and MacBook Pro, simplifying the Mac laptop range. However, counter reports suggest that only the 11.6in variation of the MacBook Air will be ditched, and will instead be replaced by a larger 15in model to sit along the more popular 13in model. Whatever you believe, those interested in the fate of the MacBook Air can take a look at our MacBook Air rumour roundup, where we discuss and debunk the latest MacBook Air rumours.
The 13in MacBook Pro could see an update at WWDC 2016, a laptop range that is over a year old at the time of writing. The larger 15in MacBook Pro could also see an update, but due to the company releasing an update at the back end of 2015, we're not sure that is true. Rumours suggest that the new MacBook Pro could have significant gains in graphical performance due to new AMD/NVIDIA GPUs, and of course will feature Intel's latest Skylake chipset. To keep up to date on everything to do with the MacBook Pro, take a look at the following: Retina MacBook Pro 2016 release date, spec and feature rumours
Head on to the next page to read about all the announcements from WWDC 2015, including iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan.
WWDC announcements: here's everything that Apple announced at its WWDC 2015 keynote including Apple Music, iOS 9, OS X El Capitan and WatchOS 2.
WWDC, or the Worldwide Developers' Conference, is a highlight of Apple's yearly calendar. It's a big annual get-together for the company's software partners (not to mention representatives of the world's media), and always sees Apple unveil a range of new products: traditionally new versions of iOS and OS X, in addition to new hardware (including, in the past, new Macs, and maybe even new iPads). See also: Android M vs iOS 9 comparison.
In this article we bring you the highlights of what was announced at WWDC 2015, which kicked off yesterday. The importance of WWDC shouldn't be underestimated: WWDC 2014 was when Apple's year got back on track after a quiet start, and the QQDC 2015 announcements have got everybody excited. What was announced Well...
WWDC 2015: Apple announces Apple Music
Apple finally announced the much-anticipated music streaming service called "Apple Music". It'll be available for iTunes on OS X and Windows, iOS and even Android (in the Autumn). The service enables you to stream everything available on iTunes, and will also offer many human-curated playlists as well as song and playlist recommendations. It's not just regulated to signed artists either - unsigned artists will also be able to share their music using the service. There's also a Connect area where artists can post anything from their latest tracks to video clips of them recording in studio.
With access to every song available on iTunes, some users may need help deciding what to listen to. That's where Beats 1 comes in, a 24-hour radio station that broadcasts worldwide and boasts popular radio figures including Zane Lowe. It'll be based in LA, New York and London and will automatically switch between them throughout the day for a 24/7 experience.
The Music app has had a slight redesign too, boasting a new MiniPlayer that appears above the tabs at the bottom of the app. You can tell Apple Music what kind of music and artists you enjoy and it'll suggest songs and playlists, similar to the iTunes Genius feature.
It's due to launch on 30th June alongside iOS 8.4. It'll come with a $9.99 US price tag (£9.99 in the UK we assume) or $14.99 (£14.99) for a family sharing plan. For those of you that aren't convinced, Apple are offering a free three month trial.
More on Apple Music here. Plus: How to use Apple Music in the UK
WWDC 2015 announcements: OS X El Capitan
Apple has also announced the latest version of OS X named El Capitan, an update that focuses on performance with only a handful of new features. With regards to new features, there are new gestures that include swiping to delete an email, improved Spotlight search with movable and resizable windows and you can also pin popular sites in Safari.
It also offers SplitView (similar to AeroSnap in Windows 8) and other window-arranging features to help you organise OS X, and a Spaces Bar to make it easier to create and manage multiple desktops.
As well as this, the Metal graphics technology announced with iOS 8 is making its way to OS X. It'll bring improved detail and game performance as well as improved performance in processor hungry apps. Adobe has said it's committed to adapting Metal for its Creative Cloud apps, for example. Apple added that it's possible to achieve 50 percent faster rendering, improving general performance for Mac users.
Read more: Complete guide to Metal, and what it means for Mac gamers
There's an OS X El Capitan beta available today for developers and a public beta will be available for consumers in July. See: How to join Apple's OS X El Capitan Beta Seed Program
Find out more about OS X El Capitan here.
WWDC 2015 announcements: iOS 9
iOS 9 enhances existing features rather than introducing new ones. Take Siri for example - Apple said that Siri has become 40 percent faster over the last year and handles over a billion requests per week. In iOS 9, Siri is more contextually aware and learns your habits to try and make your iOS experience a bit easier. Listen to music on the commute to work Siri will detect this and whenever you plug your headphones in at around that time of day, it'll automatically open the Music app for you.
See also: How to use Proactive in iOS 9
It'll also improve the battery life on your iPhone, with the iPhone 6 running for an extra hour on iOS 9. If that's not enough, Apple are including a battery saving mode that can shut down non-essential features and make your iPhone last an extra three hours.
iOS 9 also introduces true multitasking for the iPad. It enables you to split screen apps on the iPad, similar to features available on Windows and some Android tablets. It also introduces a trackpad built into the on-screen keyboard, accessible by putting two fingers on the keyboard and enabling fine control over the cursor. It also adds quick app switching similar to OS X when using physical keyboards.
Apple Pay is also coming to the UK in July with many banks supported from day one. Apple Pay will work with nearly 70 percent of all UK credit and debit cards, and will also be compatible with TfL so you can use your iPhone or Watch to travel around London. You'll also be able to use it at Boots, Costa, Starbucks, JD, Pret, Marks and Spencers and of course, McDonalds.
Read: How to use Apple Pay in the UK | Is Apple Pay safe Find out if you at risk by using Apple Pay | How to use Apple Wallet to pay for things with your iPhone
Apple Maps comes with much-needed transit directions for 10 cities around the world and gives you step by step info for commuting via public transport. It'll even give you walking times and will tell you which station entrance to enter and exit from!
News is a new iOS app to replace Apple's Newsstand app, which some are coining as a "Flipboard killer". Like Flipboard, articles are presented in a clean manner and offers gorgeous animations, photo galleries and videos. You can pick your favourite publications and you'll get a personalised feed. The initial rollout is limited to three countries; US, UK and Australia.
There wasn't much in the way of information on HomeKit apart from the fact that it'll have the power to control home automation devices including lights, locks, blinds and thermostats. It can also be controlled via Siri on both your iPhone and Apple Watch.
Find out if your iPhone/iPad will be able to run iOS 9.
WWDC 2015 announcements: WatchOS 2
The newly-announced WatchOS 2 is the new version of the Apple Watch software, which is faster, less buggy and will be available in Autumn. Apps will be able to access the microphone and accelerometer, play audio via the built-in speakers and even utilise the Digital Crown. HomeKit will also be available on the Apple Watch via Siri.
TimeTravel is a new feature that allows you to see upcoming events/weather on your watch face widgets by using the Digital Crown. WatchOS 2 also lets developers add custom widgets to watch faces and run apps natively on the Watch - a massive plus for developers and consumers.
You can also customise watch faces with a photo. If a single photo isn't enough, you can add a photo album and have a different photo displayed every time you check your Apple Watch. Apple is also adding time-lapse watch faces of famous locations worldwide and will display a time lapse of the current time of day.
Find out more about WatchOS 2 here. And here's how to update to watchOS 2 on your Apple Watch.
WWDC 2015 live blog: As it happened
The next page includes rumours and everything we predicted prior to WWDC 2015.
Plus: we now know that Apple will be streaming a webcast of WWDC 2015 live tonight. Read on to find out how to watch the WWDC 2015 keynote livestream.
WWDC 2015 live: When and where will WWDC 2015 take place
WWDC 2015 takes place from 8-12 June. It will kick off an Apple keynote on Monday 8 June. That's tonight!
Apple issued the WWDC invite on 14 April, announcing that it is hosting WWDC 2015, the 26th year of the annual conference, from 8 to 12 June at San Francisco's Moscone West. This is what the invite looked like (a strong hint that there may be a new Apple TV in the middle there).
The confirmation of the date didn't come as much of a surprise. A strong rumour did the rounds just after WWDC 2014 closed its doors, suggesting that WWDC 2015 would be held on those dates. This was based on a clever spot on the Moscone Center's website: five days had been block-booked under the suspiciously generic title 'Corporate Event' - a 'Mr and Mrs Smith'-style alias that Apple has used when booking WWDC in the past.
The location is no surprise either - Apple has been running WWDCs there since forever. (When the Campus 2 headquarters are finished, all that might change, of course, but it's not quite there yet.)
In Apple's announcement email, the company wrote: "At WWDC, Apple's renowned developer community will come together to learn about the future of iOS and OS X, helping them continue to create the most innovative apps in the world. WWDC will feature more than 100 technical sessions, over 1,000 Apple engineers, hands-on labs to help developers integrate new technologies and fine-tune their apps, as well as the Apple Design Awards which showcase the best new apps in the last year."
"We've got incredible new technology for iOS and OS X to share with developers at WWDC and around the world, and can't wait to see the next generation of apps they create," said Apple SVP of Worldwide Marketing Philip Schiller.
Apple has already started to decorate the venue, as you can see from this image taken by MacStories, you can see more images over on their site.
WWDC 2015 live: How to watch the WWDC 2015 livestream, and other live coverage
If you want to watch WWDC 2015 live (the webcast livestream, or a liveblog of the announcements), you've got a number of options. Apple has announced that, as usual, it will stream live coverage of the keynote presentation on its site - the WWDC 2015 keynote livestream will appear on apple.com/live on Monday night shortly before 6pm UK time.
This is easy: in the Safari browser, go to apple.com/live on Monday night and take in the show. You'll need Safari 6.0.5 or later on OS X 10.8.5 or later, or the version of Safari that comes with iOS 6.0 or later.
It seems appropriate, given our suspicion that the Apple TV will take pride of place at WWDC 2015, to watch the announcements live on that device.
Start up your Apple TV and go to the WWDC channel. Streaming via Apple TV requires second- or third-generation Apple TV with software 6.2 or later.
Officially, the WWDC 2015 keynote livestream can only be viewed by those using Apple products: it'll run on a Macs, iPad or iPhone, as well as on the Apple TV, but not on Windows PCs and Android smartphones and tablets. However, the canny folk at 9to5mac have pointed out that the universal media player software VLC can decode the livestream quite happily.
You'll need to download and install VLC from www.videolan.org/vlc, go to Media > Open Network Stream and paste in the URL:
http://p.events-delivery.apple.com.edgesuite.net/15pijbnaefvpoijbaefvpihb06/m3u8/atv_mvp.m3u8
Finally, press Play.
You don't necessarily have to watch the WWDC 2015 livestream to find out what's being announced. In our WWDC 2015 liveblog (posted near the top of this page) we will report all of the news and product announcements and (unlike the official livestream) analyse their interest and significance for Apple fans.
You can't expect detached perspective on the announcements from Apple itself, of course, and nobody should blame the company for that. WWDC is an event where, as well as speaking to its software partners about important changes to its platforms, Apple celebrates its own successes and sells itself to the world.
But we won't be afraid to point out stats that hide less impressive truths, or to say when product announcements leave us underwhelmed.
WWDC 2015 live: What products will Apple launch at WWDC 2015
Judging by the invite, an Apple TV update looks very likely. We can't help but think that the rounded-square shape in the centre of the invite looks just like an Apple TV. (Or it could be an iOS app icon - but there's something about the colour, shape and size that strongly recalls the Apple TV box to mind.)
In addition, we expect Apple to share its plans for the next versions of Mac OS X and iOS 9. We may also see new versions of the 21in iMac, and the Mac Pro. And we are also hoping to see new displays from Apple.
Other rumours hint at a new Apple music streaming service, and even an Apple TV streaming service to take on Netflix. Plus we expect to hear more about Home Kit and Apple Pay.
Read on to find out what we think about all of the above products and what Apple might have up its sleeve...
WWDC 2015 live: What products has Apple launched at previous WWDC events
Before we get into what Apple might launch at WWDC 2015, it's worth looking at what Apple has launched at previous WWDC events...
WWDC tends to be more about software than hardware - nearly every version of iOS and Mac OS X has had stage time at WWDC. But there have been some incredibly significant hardware unveilings too, including the second, third and fourth iPhone models, the redesigned Mac Pro and a load of MacBooks.
Here are the highlights of WWDC events since 2006:
WWDC 2006 (7-11 August, Moscone Center, San Francisco): Mac Pro; revisions to Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' (which had already been announced) and Mac OS X Server WWDC 2007 (11-15 June, Moscone Center, San Francisco): Feature-complete beta of Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard'; Safari for Windows WWDC 2008 (9-13 June, Moscone Center, San Francisco): iPhone 3G; iOS App Store; iPhone OS version 2.0; Mac OS X 10.6 'Snow Leopard'; MobileMe WWDC 2009 (8-12 June, Moscone Center, San Francisco): New MacBook Pro models: a new 13-inch MacBook Pro and updates to the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros; iPhone 3GS; release of iPhone OS 3.0 (which had already been announced) WWDC 2010 (7-11 June, Moscone Center, San Francisco): iPhone 4; FaceTime and iMovie for iPhone WWDC 2011 (6-10 June, Moscone Center, San Francisco): Mac OS X 10.7 'Lion'; iOS 5; iCloud WWDC 2012 (11-15 June, Moscone Center, San Francisco): New MacBooks: updated MacBook Airs and MacBook Pro with Retina Display; Mac OS X 10.8 'Mountain Lion' (sort of - it had previously been announced on Apple's website, but this was its showcase demonstration); iOS 6 WWDC 2013 (10-14 June, Moscone Center, San Francisco): New Mac Pro; New MacBook Air models; Mac OS X 10.9 'Mavericks'; iOS 7; iWork for iCloud; iTunes Radio WWDC 2014 (2-6 June, Moscone Center, San Francisco): Mac OS X 10.10 'Yosemite'; iOS 8; Swift programming language
For a closer look, visit our History of Apple's WWDC product launches article.
WWDC 2015 live: New Apple TV at WWDC 2015
No sooner has a new product launched (the Apple Watch) and we are scrambling over the next new product on the horizon: The Apple TV. It's been a long time since Apple has updated its set top box and it looks very likely that we will be hearing more about Apple's take on television at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.
How can we be so sure Apple has issued an invite to WWDC that has a shape in the middle which is identical to an Apple TV. And inside this shape are the words: "The epicentre of change", see above for our tweaked image.
This fits in nicely with all the rumours about the Apple TV, which state that the Apple TV is going to become the central hub of everything relating to HomeKit - Apple's API that will let us control all our gadgets and gizmos (aka The Internet of Things) around our house. We'll have to wait until June to find out exactly why Apple needs the Apple TV in order for us to control our devices in the home, but it seems like there is part of the equation missing as we have been waiting since last June for Apple to introduce its HomeKit solution, which it spoke about at WWDC In 2014 but hasn't really 'launched' to the public.
There are even more exciting things coming in relation to the Apple TV, if you believe the rumours. We're hearing about an Apple TV App Store, not only opening up the Apple TV to the iOS apps we love, but also games. Currently gaming on the Apple TV is a clumsy extra screen for a few multiplayer iPad games. How games developers might translate their iOS games for a TV screen remains to be seen - with the control mechanism being the biggest question - but we have no doubt that this will be a popular addition to Apple's box. And there are so many games on iOS it surely won't take long to see many of them appearing on the Apple TV. We think Apple could be onto a winner with this. See: 7 games we want on Apple TV
We also hope that opening up the Apple TV to the App Store means an end to the ridiculous situation where you can watch all the UK On Demand channels on your iPad or iPhone, but the only way to watch those on demand channels on your Apple TV is to stream via AirPlay from your iOS device. The inability of the Apple TV to plug directly into iPlayer, 4OD and the other UK channels is all the more embarrassing when you consider that the competitor products from the likes of Roku and Amazon give users access to these channels.
The only thing the Apple TV has going for it in the UK right now is Netflix. In the US Apple has forged many more deals with TV companies, and there are a lot more channels on offer. But here in the UK Nothing.
That may all change - at least it looks set to change for the better in the US anyway. Apple is said to be planning to launch a subscription service that will enable it to offer streaming TV shows from a number of sources.
One of the criticisms of the Apple TV right now (in the US where there is an abundance of content, at least) is that if you want to watch something specific you have to hunt around to find which of the Apple TV 'channels' is showing it. The theory is that Apple will be solving this somehow, offering one place to search for the content and one place to stream it from. Will we see this new streaming service in June Probably not, all the rumours are pointing to the autumn for Apple's streaming service. Will we ever see it in the UK We really really hope so but we don't hold a lot of hope. We can't help but think that this is exactly what YouView is doing already, and that Apple is a little late to the party.
Find out everything we know so far about the new Apple TV here.
WWDC 2015 live: iOS 9 rumours
Put your money (and other people's money, if you can get hold of it) on a preview of iOS 9 at WWDC 2015.
iOS 9 preview | iOS 9 release date rumours
iOS 9, the next operating system software for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, has been popping up in the rumoursphere for some time, and looks sure to be announced properly at WWDC 2015.
As early as January this year, some sites (including Macworld) had spotted 'iOS 9.0' signatures in their web analytics, leading to speculation that it was already at the testing stage. We weren't convinced - it's actually quite easy for jailbreakers to spoof their OS version number - but it'll be well advanced in the testing process by now.
So we expect iOS to get its customary WWDC outing where developers are let in on the upcoming new features - and version 9 ought to be a bit more exciting than iOS 8, which was worthy but dull. (If it was a cricket match you'd call iOS 8 'one for the purists'.)
The latest rumours suggest that iOS 9 will focus its efforts on stability and optimisation improvements rather than going all-out for new design and fancy new features, potentially at the expense of slower performance on older devices. It's been reported that iOS 9 will support devices as old as the iPhone 4s, and that such devices may even see a speed boost back to the days of iOS 7.
This doesn't mean there won't be any new features, of course. Currently the anticipated highlights include: public-transport directions in Maps; a Google Now-esque predictive personal assistant codenamed 'Proactive'; new Wi-Fi security measures when using non-trusted routers; updates to the Swift programming language and iCloud Drive, including a new dedicated iCloud Drive app; and a new system-wide typeface.
For more on the imminent iOS 9 update, take a look at our article: iOS 9 release date & new features rumours, one week to go.
We don't expect iOS 9 to launch until September when Apple is likely to introduce the new iPhones: iPhone 7, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6c.
WWDC 2015 rumours: New Mac OS X at WWDC 2015
As for Mac OS X 10.11, the follow-up to Mac OS X 10.10 'Yosemite'... well, we don't know anything about it at all. (Although we've been having fun thinking up good names for it.) It's just that WWDC wouldn't be WWDC without an update to OS X. Read our article in which we round up all the rumoured features coming in OS X 10.11 for more information about what to expect.
We expect that Apple will spend a lot of time in its WWDC presentation addressing new features coming in the next version of OS X, below you will find a summary of a few of the most likely new features:
New look: Not so much a redesign as a new font. Rumour has it that San Francisco, the font found on the Apple Watch, will soon appear on Mac and iOS as the system font.
Stability improvements: OS X 10.11 will apparently focus on stability rather than flash new features, so expect bug fixes, optimization and security enhancements.
Improved WiFi and networking: We hope that Mac users will not experience the same issues with WiFi that plagued the release of Yosemite, Apple is likely to be paying close attention to this area.
Better security features: Apple is said to be working on a Trusted WiFi feature that will allow Macs and iOS devices to connect to trusted routers without requiring security measures. If you connect to a non-trusted routers data will be heavily encrypted. Apple is also said to be developing a new security system called Rootless, a kernel-level feature that should prevent malware as well as protect user data.
Control Centre: Control Center was a feature that many expected to see in OS X Yosemite - it even showed up in an early beta of that software, but when Yosemite launched it was no where to be seen. Hopefully not for much longer. It is thought that verious controls will move from the Menu Bar to a Control Centre pane that slides out from the left side of the Mac's display.
Force Touch: Expect to see some new Force Touch features arrive with Mac OS X 10.11.
Launch Date: In 2014 OS X Yosemite launched in October, so expect that the next version will arrive around that time. Although we think that Apple would benefit from launching it in tandem with iOS since so many features rely on the other operating system.
WWDC 2015 live: Apple Pay rumoured to launch in the UK (or other locations outside the US)
Apple Pay is unlikely to be the lead attraction at WWDC 2015, but here in the UK we are moderately optimistic that Apple might announce when the service will roll out on this side of the pond.
Recent hints have pointed to imminent Apple Pay launches in Canada and (surprisingly, perhaps) Belgium; but a job advert a few months back made it clear that Apple has big plans for Apple Pay in London. It would make a lot of sense, early in the WWDC 2015 keynote, for Tim Cook to speak briefly about the statistical successes that Apple Pay has enjoyed, and to then modestly announce that it will rolling out in Canada, Europe and China, say, in the autumn.
We can but hope. Read more about this theory in our separate article: When will Apple Pay come to the UK, and the rest of your Apple Pay UK questions answered.
WWDC 2015 live: New Macs at WWDC
Apple has pulled Macs from its sleeve at WWDCs in the past so we are expecting to see something. The Macs that are usually unveilled at WWDC tend to have more of a professional focus, for example at WWDC 2013 Apple unveilled the Mac Pro (although that model wasn't available until that December).
We are quietly hopeful that Apple will update some of its Macs at, or maybe even before WWDC. Top of our wishlist is the iMac without Retina display which hasn't been updated since 2013. Read about our hopes for the iMac here.
We're also thinking it's about time that Apple unveiled a new Mac Pro - that model was last updated in 2013 and the new processor that woudl suit that model was launched in Septembner 2014, so we can't imagine what the hold up is! Read about what we expect from the 2015 Mac Pro here.
But Apple has already hosted one event this year. It launched the Apple Watch during an event on 9 March and also surprised us with an all-new MacBook, alongside updates to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, and an update to the iMac and 15in MacBook Pro recently, so it's possible that there won't be any Mac updates in June.
WWDC 2015 live: New displays at WWDC
There's one more thing we are hoping for: A new range of displays. Apple launched its Apple Thunderbolt Display back in July 2011 so it is looking very long in the tooth now! We wonder if Apple will update the Thunderbolt display to offer 4K, or some form of Retina resolution. Read: New Apple monitor release date, when will Apple update the Thunderbolt Cinema Display
WWDC 2015 rumours: iTunes Radio streaming service
Following Apple's aquisition of Beats last year, rumour has it that Apple is working to relaunch iTunes Radio (which still hasn't arrive in the UK, by the way) using Beats Music technology.
The new iTunes Radio streaming service would be a new rival to the likes of Spotify, including curated playlists, cloud-based libraries and customised radio stations to match the musical tastes of individual users.
The new service is expected to be built-in to the iTunes Music app on iPhone and iPad, and into iTunes on the Mac and PC, and rumour has it there will even be an Android app available.
For all of the rumours, take a look at our iTunes Radio streaming rumours round-up.
WWDC 2015 live: Apple TV streaming service
There's been speculation that Apple would launch its own streaming service stretching back to 2009, that rumour is hotting up right now. Apparently instead of providing hundreds of channels to consumers like current paid TV offerings, Apple intends to put together bundles of popular TV channels and stream them directly to your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV using the internet.
This service may not appear until later in the year though, apparently there are the usual delays signing deals with TV production companies...
Read more about it here: Everything you need to know about Apple's rumoured streaming service
WWDC 2015 live: Will Apple launch any new iPhones at WWDC 2015
We don't think so. Apple tends to follow a pretty strict yearly schedule for its smartphone refreshes, and we think the iPhone 6c, iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 will appear in September 2015. (That's what we're calling them, at any rate. By the 6c, 6s and 7 we mean Apple's next 4-inch, 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch smartphones. Who knows what they'll be called)
Even if Apple went against recent type and launched an iPhone in June rather than September, it would be strange for it to roll something as hypable as an iPhone update in with a WWDC event and its additional software news. Apple likes to give the iPhones their own events.
But as you can see above, it wasn't always thus: the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 all got their start at a June WWDC event along with various other announcements. It's a... possibility. (Just an extremely faint possibility.)
WWDC 2015 live: What about new iPads
As with the iPhones, it would be a bit of a surprise if Apple showed off new iPads at WWDC 2015. But it's not quite as much of a long shot, for two reasons.
First, Apple doesn't seem to be quite as rigid when it comes to the iPad release schedule. It used to be an early-spring update, and changed to October when Apple upgraded from the iPad 3 to the iPad 4 - meaning the iPad 3 was the top-end iPad for only eight months.
And the iPad Pro is another factor to consider. It may not even exist (as we must continually reiterate) but would be an ideal candidate to be this year's Mac Pro-esque hardware surprise. I believe the exact words were "Can't innovate, my ass."
WWDC 2015 live: What else can we expect at WWDC 2015
Jokes. Banter. Craig Federighi being funny. Everyone making jokes about Craig Federighi's hair (including Craig Federighi himself).
Stats. Graphs. Sly digs at Google.
More pertinently, expect a fair bit of the information to be aimed at developers rather than civilians: it's a developers' conference, after all, and we in the media are effectively guests.
Apple will be aware that the rest of us are watching, but it won't be afraid to get technical. At WWDC 2014 there was a long segment devoted to the new Swift programming language, complete with jokes and cheers that referred to highly technical aspects of app coding.
(In the video below, the Macworld team discuss their hopes for Apple launches in 2015; hopefully some of our wishes will be fulfilled at WWDC. For more Macworld videos, visit our YouTube channel.)
And if you're interested in reading what products were launched at WWDC 2014, stay tuned: the next pages features got full coverage of that event, which saw the first public sightings of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite.
Here's the original article we wrote last year to cover the new products - iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, along with a range of new developer tools - launched at Apple's WWDC 2014 event. On the first page of this article we discuss what we expect to see at WWDC 2015.
Apple's WWDC 2014 (Worldwide Developers Conference) kicked off with a keynote on 2 June 2014, during which the company unveiled iOS 8 and OS X 10.10, as well as new tools for developers that are going to completely change the way apps work on iOS.
Apple CEO Tim Cook took to the stage during the event, joined by the likes of Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi and other Apple executives who each showed off what Apple has been busy working on behind the scenes.
There were no hardware announcements at WWDC this year, which came as a bit of a surprise, but the software announcements certainly made up for the absence of physical products.
Apple unveiled OS X 10.10 Yosemite (another name that follows the new Californian theme for Apple's Mac operating system), which takes some design inspiration from the iOS 7 redesign, including translucency and more minimalist icons.
In a change of strategy for Apple, the company has announced that the OS X Yosemite beta will be available to the first one million non-developers that register for the OS X Beta Program, who'll be able to download and use the pre-release version of the software for free, and provide feedback to the company.
This is the first time since 2000 that the company has let large numbers of outsiders get an early look at an upcoming Mac operating system.
Find out more about OS X 10.10 Yosemite here.
Will your Mac be able to run Yosemite Check the list of requirements here.
Apple went on to show off the new operating system for its iPad and iPhone devices, which is called iOS 8 - no surprise there.
New features in iOS 8 include a Health app, as well as lots of improvements to the Notification Centre, Safari, Messages, Camera and more. There's also a new iCloud Drive feature, as well as Family-Sharing for those of us with iOS-loving children. There's lots more information about iOS 8 here. Plus, read all the latest information about iOS 8 in our massive iOS 8 preview.
Bringing the two operating systems closer together is Apple's new 'Continuity' features, which we talk about more here.
For developers, Apple is offering some extremely exciting new tools that'll mean apps are able to do lots more than they previously could. The new SDK (Software Developer Kit) for iOS 8 gives developers access to lots of Apple's apps, so their own third-party apps can communicate with the default apps like never before. Plus, features such as the Touch ID fingerprint sensor will be able to work with third-party apps, as will the iPhone's camera.
WWDC 2014 in numbers
As with any Apple keynote, CEO Tim Cook shared lots of numbers at WWDC 2014, designed to demonstrate Apple's continued might in the mobile and PC markets. So, for example, Cook boasted that iOS 7, which debuted at WWDC 2013, is now installed on 89 per cent of all iOS devices in existence; by contrast, he pointed out that just 9 per cent of Android devices are running the latest version of the Android operating system. Cook said that iOS 7 has earned a 97 per cent overall satisfaction rating from its users.
"We've now sold well over 800 million iOS devices," Cook said during the event. The iPad has passed 200 million units, the iPhone 500 million units and the iPod touch 100 million units.
According to Apple, more than 130 million customers who bought an iOS device in the past 12 months were buying their first Apple device. "Many of these customers were switchers from Android," Cook pointed out.
iOS devices are prominent in the enterprise, too, Cook highlighted, noting that 98 per cent of the Fortune 500 companies now use iOS. "And we're going to get the last two," Cook added confidently.
Plus, with more than 1.2 million apps in the App Store - which 300 million people are visiting each week - more than 75 billion apps have been downloaded in total.
Apple also talked a bit about the Mac's numbers during the keynote. Cook pointed out that, while overall sales in the PC market declined by 5 per cent in last year, Mac sales grew by 12 per cent. The Mac now has an installed base of 80 million units, and over 50 per cent of Mac users are on the latest version of the Mac OS. By contract, Cook pointed out, Windows 8 is on just 14 per cent of PCs, despite being available for a year longer.
When talking about the numbers for WWDC itself, Cook said that there were 5,000 engineers at WWDC from 69 countries, and 70 per cent of those were there for the first time. The youngest developer at the conference was just 13 years old, and in the past year, registered Apple developers have doubled to 9 million.
Here's a complete recap of the live feed from WWDC (if you are on an iPhone rotate you phone to landscape for a better view of the live feed below). See: How to watch Apple's WWDC 2014 video
This live blog is brought to you by the team at Macworld.com.
Read Next:
Have some geeky fun with this guide to using terminal on the Mac