After months of anticipation, the wait is finally almost over for Apple fans as the tech giant’s annual tech event is about to kick off.
Apple says the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), which begins today at Apple Park in California, will be an “extraordinary week of technology.”
The tech giant is expected to announce a slew of AI features at the “momentary” event, including a chatbot built into its iPhones.
It is also slated to shed light on the next major mobile operating system called iOS 18, which is also likely to get an AI overhaul.
Ahead of the event, MailOnline provides a round-up of everything you need to know about WWDC, including how to tune in and when the big products will be unveiled.
What is WWDC?
The Worldwide Developer Conference is an annual event held by Apple since 1983, although it was not originally intended for hardware announcements.
It’s only in the last 20 years that Apple has used the conference as a major launch pad for new devices, including the HomePod speaker in 2017 and the iPhone 4 in 2010.
Probably the main event on the calendar for Apple fans is the event that took place in the first two weeks of September when it announced its new iPhone.
But this year’s WWDC could be one of the biggest events in recent history, as the company teased a “huge AI announcement.”
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives called WWDC 2024 “Apple’s most important event in more than a decade.”
“At the forefront is the push to bring a generative set of AI technologies to developers and consumers,” he said.
When is WWDC?
This year’s event starts today and runs until Friday, June 14, although a major announcement is expected on the first day.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook will deliver a keynote to kick off the event today at 18:00 BST (10:00 PT) – an opportunity to lift the lid on Apple’s work in artificial intelligence.
The five-day event will be presented online and streamed via Apple’s YouTube channel and website.
Although largely an online streaming event, there will be a special “in-person experience” on the first day at Apple Park, the company’s circular headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Apple says it will “give developers the opportunity to watch keynotes at Apple Park, meet Apple team members and participate in special activities.”
Apple’s invitation to the event features a series of round colored circles – potentially a reference to the shape of Apple Park.
But it certainly reminds one of the famous AIs of all time – HAL from Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’.
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What will Apple announce at WWDC?
This year, Apple is expected to focus overwhelmingly on generative AI, the technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
At the heart of the announcement will be an update to Apple’s iPhone operating system, iOS 18, which is expected to feature artificial intelligence.
Apple tipster Mark Gurman thinks iOS 18 will be “relatively groundbreaking” with “major new features and designs” and “a bunch of new AI features.”
iPhone apps including Safari, Fitness, Mail and Maps will be smarter and more intuitive, helping users get to what they need faster.
In Messages, new AI-based transcription and translation tools could mean users spend less time typing messages.
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According to Gurman, Apple is also expected to bring AI-generated emoticons to the Messages app.
Similar to AI tools that only need a few words to create strange works of art, this tool could come with unique emojis like a fried octopus or a violin with a sad face like on Google Emoji Kitchen.
“Suddenly, you’ll have a whole new emoji for every occasion, beyond the catalog of options Apple currently offers on iPhone and other devices,” says Gurman.
Meanwhile, the AI-based photo editing that rival Google is pushing with its Pixel line could also come to the fore in the Photos app.
There are also reports that Apple will use the event to announce a deal with ChatGPT maker OpenAI that will see the chatbot integrated directly into Apple software on iPhone, iPad and Mac to help with more detailed and complex tasks.
Ben Wood, principal analyst at CCS Insight, thinks this could give the tech giant’s current voice assistant, Siri, a big boost.
Currently, interacting with Siri is “like talking to a ‘preschooler’ compared to the latest generative AI chatbots,” Wood said.
“I’ve used ChatGPT’s voice interface and its understanding of questions and requests is the best I’ve experienced so far,” he said.
“If Apple signs a deal to integrate GPT-4o with Siri, it could bring about a remarkable transformation in Siri’s performance – and the event is likely to become the biggest story.”
Apple may also announce further availability of the Vision Pro, its mixed reality headset, which costs a whopping $3,499 (£2,749).
The Vision Pro launched in the US in February, but shipments are on the way to the UK, France, Germany, China, Japan and Singapore, says Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
How can I watch WWDC?
Apple will stream the event on its YouTube channel, as well as the Apple TV app, its website homepage and its dedicated developer website.
If you’re watching at home, make sure you’re in front of your screen at 6pm BST (10am Pacific Time) today, as that’s when the keynote will begin.
MailOnline will be bringing you all the latest news from Apple Park.
“It feels like a significant WWDC,” Mr Wood said.
“As artificial intelligence overtakes the tech industry, Apple is probably on the back foot for the first time in a long time.
“However, the company is no laggard, and we expect it to struggle as it seeks to demonstrate how it can use AI to deliver meaningful improvements to its apps and services.”