Apple has announced dates for its annual WWDC developer conference, which should include announcements for iOS 15, macOS and other software.
Revealed via an Apple Newsroom post, the Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from June 7 to June 11, and will use the same all-online format that debuted with last year's conference.
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The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC for short) is a venue for developers working on various parts of the Apple ecosystem to meet up and exchange knowledge. But more importantly for the average user, the WWDC keynote presentation is where Apple reveals the latest features for its operating systems.
Almost all of the talks that make up WWDC are for attendees only. It's not the most consumer-friendly conference, as it's aimed squarely at developers with jargon too advanced for the average Apple fan. However, the keynote is always available to watch live, and we'll tell you how you can watch it when Apple releases the necessary details.
WWDC 2021: What to expect
The headline acts at WWDC are always the various members of Apple's software family. This year, we expect Apple to focus on iOS 15 (and the related iPadOS 15), macOS 12, watchOS 8 and tvOS 15.
iOS 15 largely remains a mystery at this point. The current iOS 14 introduced huge changes including home screen widgets, the App Library and App Clips. But with much of the focus on the upcoming iOS 14.5 update at the moment, nothing as major about iOS 15 has been rumored so far.
It's a similar story with macOS 12, watchOS 8 and tvOS 15. For the time being, there have been no leaks of these operating systems' new features or upgrades. At least in the case of macOS, we can safely assume it will have a new landmark-related subtitle, taking after Big Sur, Catalina and others used by Apple since 2013.
Although WWDC traditionally doesn't focus on hardware, Apple may still have some news to share about its devices. At WWDC 2020, we learned of Apple Silicon and how Apple was transitioning its Macs from Intel-made chips to its own M1 chip. The year before, we saw the debut of the Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR, while 2018 saw most of the Mac line get a revamp, along with a refreshed iPad Pro and the launch of the now-discontinued HomePod.
Currently there are whispers of a new iPad Pro, iMac and 16-inch MacBook Pro, though some — if not all — of those could show up at a rumored Apple April event. Whatever Apple doesn't announce in the spring could find its way to the stage at WWDC.
