This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET’s full coverage of and about Apple’s annual developer conference.
What is happening
Apple is expected to announce new software for its iPhones, iPads and Macs at its annual WWDC developer event starting Monday.
Why it matters
The new software offers Apple the opportunity to upgrade their devices without relying on manufacturing, which has been severely affected by the pandemic.
What does this mean for you?
Software updates can extend the life of a device, giving people flexibility during economic uncertainty.
The most important part of Apple’s upcoming announcements on Monday may include an iPhone already in your pocket.
At the company’s annual World Developers Conference, or WWDC, as it is called, Apple is expected to announce a series of software updates for its iPhones, iPads, and Macs, as well as potentially a new one. performance-focused Mac Pro computer and a new TV. – Related features.
For iPhones, the new software is expected to include small “widget” apps on the lock screen, according to reports from Bloomberg and others. Apple is also expected to add features to improve multitasking and running applications side by side, especially on the iPad. These changes to Apple’s tablet would be welcomed by CNET reviewer Scott Stein, who has criticized the device for its lack of computer-like features.
“The hardware looks almost perfect,” Stein wrote in his review of last year’s iPad Pro, which now runs on the same M1 chips as the company’s MacBook laptops. “If Apple starts updating its iPadOS to add new features, more multitasking and monitor support, more Pro apps and maybe even some sort of Mac compatibility mode using the M1 chip it now shares with all new Macs , this could be an amazing machine. “
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.
While Apple may show some hardware at this year’s WWDC, the event focuses primarily on the company’s plans for the future. It’s an opportunity for Apple to come up with ideas that will drive key new features for its devices. In the past, the company has used WWDC to announce revamped aspects of its iPhone software, new coding languages for its devices, and new initiatives such as its transition to home chips to power its Mac computers.
Apple has also expanded its subscription offerings over the past two years. They now include the $ 5 a month Apple TV Plus for movies and TV shows, the $ 5 a month Apple Arcade gaming service, and the $ 10 a month Apple Fitness Plus. So far, people have responded well, Apple said, pointing to the 825 million accounts with paid subscriptions on its platform in late March. This is an increase of 17% over the previous year.
“The pandemic has further underscored how much we trust these things,” said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies.
Apple’s next big iPhone software update is expected to be called iOS 16.
CNET
More, more, more
There is a possibility that Apple will announce new computers at WWDC this year, in particular, its upcoming Mac Pro performance desktop already introduced. But even if the company does not produce a moment of surprise, Milanesi said, it will be aware of the seemingly small software changes that Apple will no doubt announce that, over time, will add to major changes in the operation of your devices.
For example, the company started experimenting with widgets, or small apps, in 2014 with iOS 8. At the time, these widgets were limited and only visible in the Notification Center. After six years of refinement, Apple added widgets to the home screen with iOS 14.
These software updates, which Apple has been making available for free for iPhones and iPads produced for the past five years or so, are unusual. Most other companies do not continue to add features years after the sale of their devices.
The new software also offers Apple a chance to introduce something new that doesn’t depend on manufacturing, that has struggled to keep up with demand, and that isn’t affected much by the costs of inflation.
“With software, Apple has a unique ability to update products in a way that others don’t,” Milanesi said.
Apple has been steadily increasing the number of devices with which its products can interact.
James Martin / CNET
Big Apple
Another set of changes that Apple has increasingly offered for its smartphones, tablets and computers is how well they work with other devices that the company does not. Over the years, Apple, for example, has added software technology that allows your Apple Watch to communicate with training equipment. The company has also expanded its near-field communication technology, built primarily for Apple Pay wireless credit card payments, to serve as keys to entering a car and soon also driving licenses to use them. at an airport.
“All of this translates not only into Apple playing better with its devices, but also with other devices,” said Bob O’Donnell, an analyst at Technalysis Research.
This year in particular, O’Donnell will be on the lookout for any mention of industry initiatives that Apple will support. Over the past two years, Apple has partnered specifically with Fast Identity Online, or FIDO, to improve web login security. He also joined Matter, a consortium of device makers including Amazon, Samsung and Google, who hope to make it easier for smart home devices to talk to each other.
“That’s where you go beyond the basics: ‘Here’s a new version of iOS with X, Y and Z features,” O’Donnell added.
There is always the possibility that Apple may make a surprise announcement of its long-rumored AR glasses, which may go on sale next year. But analysts say that at a time when manufacturing is struggling and the overall economy is volatile, it’s a good opportunity for Apple to focus on software that helps its devices stand out.
“With an unmatched installed base of 1 billion iPhones worldwide and 1.8 billion iOS devices for Cupertino, this remains Apple’s unique advantage over other unconditional technology,” he wrote. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives in a recent message to investors, referring to Apple’s hometown of Cupertino. California.
Ives added that while a quarter of these phones haven’t been updated in more than three years, demand for Apple devices is still strong, in part due to these regular software updates. “The stiffness of the iPhone update cycle is being underestimated,” he said.