Happy WWDC Day. Apple’s annual developer conference begins today, with the traditional presentation at 10pm PST (watch it here). In general, WWDC focuses on software features and development tools, not consumer hardware. But for WWDC 2022, Apple could unveil new consumer hardware that will be available for purchase after the presentation, that’s what rumors say, at least.
And now the Apple Store is down. The last time Apple withdrew its online store before WWDC, the company introduced the second-generation iPad Pro in 2017. When the Apple Store returned after the conference, the new iPad Pro with its then new Apple Pencil, it was immediately available for order and shipped the following week.
The state of the Apple Store has long been seen as a sign of an upcoming product launch.
For this year’s event, there are rumors that Apple will unveil hardware with its next-generation processor, the M2. This chip could power an upgraded MacBook Air or Mac Mini – both products were among the first to carry the M1 chip and now need to be upgraded. The iPad is another M2 target. Apple is expected to introduce a new version of iOS that will bring a new user interface to the iPad to make it more like a desktop instead of a giant smartphone.
Expect the Apple Store to return to normal operation after today’s WWDC Keynote. The show starts at 10:00 am PST and usually lasts between one and two hours.