WWDC is one of the large result in Apple ’s yearly calendar , second in grandness only to thenew iPhonereveal in the fall . In this article , we round up everything announced at the opening tonic of WWDC 2021 , from WatchOS 8 development to macOS Monterey and everything in between .
When was the WWDC 2021 keynote?
WWDC 2021 runs from 7 - 11 June 2021 and kick off with a keynote effect , at which Apple revealed its plans for the Mac , iPhone , iPad , Apple Watch and other operating systems , at 10 am ( PDT ) or 6 pm ( BST ) on 7 June 2021 .
you may rewatch the intact tonic at the top of this article .
What is WWDC?
WWDC stands for Worldwide Developers Conference . It ’s an effect Apple holds every year for the benefit of its developer partner – the people who create the software , apps and experiences that run on the Mac , iPhone and other Apple political program .
WWDC lasts for a calendar week , but on the first morning ( or evening , if you ’re watch out from a area like the UK ) Tim Cook and other Apple staff feature in a keynote presentation announce the major software update for the year : the new features and other change coming in the next variation of iOS , iPadOS , macOS , watchOS and tvOS for the iPhone , iPad , Mac , Apple Watch and Apple TV , severally .
This is obviously crucial entropy for the developer , but owners of Apple twist watch the presentation with bang-up stake too , since many of the new features fate for Apple product launching later on in the year will also grace mint of live devices too .
Apple has bring out raw hardware products at WWDC keynote in the past , such as the unexampled iMac Pro in 2017 , and the young Mac Pro and a new exhibit in 2019 , however , WWDC 2021 focused rigorously on package .
As unsatisfying as that might be for some , it does at least have in mind we can gestate more products from the society by and by in the year . Mac fans will have to wait a footling longer to see brand new Macs with AppleM1X or M2 processor , though .
The respite of the week of WWDC is occupied by workshop and internet events for developer , although like last year , these sections of the effect are very different to the received musical arrangement , namely as they ’re being held entirely online .
What did Apple announce at WWDC 2021?
Apple previewed the software program updates planned for the autumn at the upshot , give developer and fans alike a first smell at the novel features total to various Apple merchandise later this year .
iOS 15
The newfangled operating system for iPhones brings a raft of new features , tweaks to the interface and all - important protection locating .
Craig Federighi and the quietus of the team walk through a miscellanea of young feature that come as part of iOS 15 , including FaceTime Links , interactive Memories within Photos , keys and ID board coming to Wallet , a new dark mode for Apple Maps , Notifications Summary , Live Text , Focus , richer offline Siri support and more ; all of which we cover in more contingent across ouriOS 15news hub .
As expected , a pre - release beta was made usable to developer directly after the initiative WWDC keynote conclude , while the first public beta is promised for sometime in July . funny users can gain access to the genus Beta by followingour how - to guideon the subject .
If you ’ve get an iPhone 7 or by and by – here ’s alist of compatible equipment – you should be able-bodied toinstall the updatefor innocent when the final release appears in September .
iPadOS 15
iPadOS is in an interesting point of development – having break off from iOS relatively recently ( in 2019 ) . The two platforms still have much in common , but the changes demonstrate in the iPadOS 15 segment of the keynote were clearly geared towards defining the disjoined aesthetics and drug user experience that better suit the belittled and medium - sized cover of an iPad .
We were introduced to a new bombastic widget sizing that capitalises on the additional screen tangible land of iPads , as well as new widgets for apps like Find My , Photo and Files .
App Library is now on iPad , as is a new multitasking control menu that allow for faster switching between disunited view and Slide Over . Quick Notes can be pulled in and flick off from the recession of the sieve practically anywhere within the OS , while Swift Playgrounds will now allow users in reality code apps for iPad on iPad .
It should be said that we found iPadOS 14 considerably crackers than its iOS tantamount , and it continues to be far less user - friendly ; here ’s desire that as well as these fresh features , iPadOS 15 also placed a greater emphasis on stability .
Here’show to update iPadOS on your iPad . We also have a rill through ofall the fresh features in iPadOS 15 .
macOS Monterey
We know Apple has been testing macOS 12 since at least 11 January , so while what we were shown at WWDC was n’t earth - smashing , some of the melioration were undeniably slick .
Despite the references previouslyspotted in WebKit codification , Apple never formally call this build of macOS on show “ macOS 12 ” but expose the new name for the update as “ Monterey ” .
In terms of features , while we did n’t get everything we ’d hoped for – like being able to customize what appear in the Control Centre , and for the comer of the Health app on Mac – there are still a wealth of features to look forward to .
Shortcutsiscoming to macOS , along with AirPlay to Mac ( both audio and video ) , Spatial Audio musical accompaniment from compatible sources with AirPods Pro , a revised Safari experience with more compact and elastic tab management ( and synchronise across devices ) and perhaps , most impressively of all , Universal Control ( jump to 1:25:00 in the video at the top of this patch to see it in natural process ) .
Federighi demonstrated with seemingly effortless fluidness the power to use a MacBook ’s trackpad and keyboard to move across off the cover and onto the display of the iPad next to it , allow for keyboard shortcuts and trackpad gesture on iPadOS instantly . Universal Control goes further , however , accommodating pull - and - drop file cabinet deal across multiple gadget in a exclusive action .
Get the late info in ourmacOS 12news hub . Plus , here’show to add the macOS genus Beta .
watchOS 8
We did n’t see theBattery and hike appsthat 9to5Mac predicted but watchOS 8 will boast a reworked Health experience , which includes a newfangled Mindfulness app that integrates the existing Breathe app ( albeit with a novel UI ) with a new Reflect experience , which suggests mindful construct to practice .
By Apple ’s own admission , the Photos watch face is one of the most popular among drug user , so in watchOS 8 the new Portrait watch face will be capable to apply the deepness data from portrait shot taken on iPhone / iPad and use it to dynamically insert the clock between foreground subjects and the background , creating a more cohesive overall face .
Speaking of Photos , Memories and characteristic exposure now appear in the watchOS Photos app , and sharing along with subject matter composition has also been made easy on - view too .
Keep up to date with all the feature article coming to an Apple Watch near you with ourwatchOS 8news hub .
tvOS 15
There ’s a pile of centering on the Apple TV at the moment ( Apple only lately launch anew Apple TV ) , there are also hearsay that the company may have an Apple TV that doubles up as a games console in the kit and boodle . Read the hearsay aboutApple ’s game console table .
With no fresh ironware in muckle during WWDC 2021 , however , tvOSwas shown in more of a stand role throughout the keynote , gaining a raft of unexampled feature designed to complement other product and experiences within Apple ’s hardware and software ecosystem .
We see to it new multi - window security measure photographic camera perspective when paired HomeKit - enabled cameras , Spatial Audio with compatible AirPods is now possible , Watch Together and screen sharing are support on tvOS as part of iOS 15 ’s part romp rising slope and more .
AirPods
One of the briefer talking points during the WWDC keynote implicated additional functionality coming to AirPods .
Conversation Boost will make it easier for those who are hard of hearing to follow along in literal - world conversations by helping reduce background signal noise and amplifying speech , while AirPods Pro and AirPods Max now also exercise with Apple ’s obtain My internet .
If you were hoping for new audio products , check out our feature onnew AirPodstoo .
iCloud+
Less of a raw servicing and more of a rebranding , Apple has changed the name of its paid iCloud programme to iCloud+ and with that derive a few additional perquisite .
New hardware products we were hoping for at WWDC 2021
For all the software that Apple was keen to show off during the tonic , it remained schtum on possible new computer hardware .
As you could read in ourhistory of WWDCarticle , some of the troupe ’s biggest products have been announced or bring out at WWDC , such as the iPhone 3 g-force , 3GS and 4 , various iPads , the HomePod , legion MacBook Pro and zephyr model , and the iMac Pro and Mac Pro . But other WWDC events , including this year ’s , have n’t played horde to any consumer hardware launch whatsoever . It can go either path .
With that in mind , the following products had potential to arrive during the WWDC tonic and will likely debut in the coming months , most likely alongside the next iPhone :
14in MacBook Pro
The 2.0GHz MacBook Pro is apparently set to get an Apple Silicon upgrade and a firebrand new design – it just did n’t get it at WWDC . Rumours suggest it will have a 14 in display and come with the M1X Chip .
Read about the new14 in MacBook Pro here .
16in MacBook Pro
An update to the 16 in MacBook Pro fashion model , which launched in November 2019 , is long overdue . We bear Apple to employ a more powerful processor than the M1 , which is being used for consumer Macs . This could be theM1X or the M2 scrap . It just was n’t an announcement for WWDC .
study the latest data about thenew 16 in MacBook Proin our news round up .
Mac mini
When it establish the M1 Mac mini in November 2020 , Apple continue an Intel - powered Mac mini role model in the card . However , it seems that Apple intends to update this with a more herculean Apple bit , just not yet .
say more about the2021 Mac mini .
32in iMac
The smaller iMac has just seen a big update . But what of the larger iMac ?
It ’s potential that the 27 in iMac will get a similar redesign to the 24 in mannikin and a big 30 in or 32 in display , but perhaps not for a few more months .
record about the32 in iMacin our news round up .
Mac Pro
WWDC could have been a in effect moment to discourse the next looping of theMac Pro , although we do n’t look this model to launch until 2022 . Sadly Apple did n’t name it at WWDC .
Beats Studio Buds
Nothing on the Clarence Day but reports had suggested that these new earbuds will set in motion sometime in June , so we do n’t have long to hold back , regardless . More here : Beats Studio Buds spotted in wild ahead of launch .
New subscription services
Last but not least , have ’s discuss Apple ’s range of paid subscription services . Apple is work out to pin from being primarily a vendor of premium hardware to being a seller of services – TV+ , News+ , Apple Music , Apple Arcade – to proprietor of that hardware , and it would have made sense for the launch of any newfangled services to chance at WWDC , however , the only change to a subscription serivce was iCloud+ mentioned above .
The analyst who predicted that has also reason that Apple will set up araft of new Plus servicesincluding Stocks+ , Mail+ , Maps+ and Health+ . These are all plausible additions to the portfolio . Such services would also , of course , make it easier to transfer subscription toApple One .
Further reading
And that ’s it for WWDC 2021 . More info about Apple ’s forthcoming plans can be found in our guide toNew Apple products coming in 2021 .
If you ’d rather make saving on the product available right now , visit our roundup of thebest Apple deals .
