Apple is back with its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), and like every year there's a lot of anticipation around the event this time too. The WWDC 2017 keynote is set to begin at 10 am PDT (10:30 pm IST) on Monday and the event will conclude on June 9.
So the WWDC 2017 countdown begins. With only a few hours to go, here's a quick rundown of everything we expect to see at the conference. If you could not be a part of the WWDC 2017 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, you can still watch every bit of the event live on Apple's official website.
A few announcements are almost guaranteed, such as new updates for MacOS, iOS, watchOS and tvOS, along with some surprise launches that most developers and consumers are keen to find out about. Let's take a look at what's going to set the floor on fire over the next five days.
The software
It is pretty much confirmed that Apple will release new software at the WWDC 2017. Of all the new software, iOS 11 is of particular interest as it is expected to come with a series of improvements, which will hint at what we can expect from the new iPhones later this year.
Other software updates expected to follow are new MacOS update, watchOS and tvOS. The features of these new software remain a mystery for now, but we can expect the watchOS to get significant health and fitness focused features, while tvOS will bring some new partners onboard (Amazon Prime Video perhaps?).
The Mac line
While Apple's WWDC 2017 is going to be mainly about the software, the company may use the stage to launch some new models to existing Macs. For instance, Apple might bring some new processors (Intel's Kaby Lake) for its MacBook Pros and even launch a new 12-inch MacBook Pro Retina.
We are not hopeful on other Mac-related announcements as there haven't been any major leaks or rumours about iMac, Mac Pro or even the Mac Mini.
Expanding horizons
There's been a lot of chatter about a Siri speaker to be announced at the WWDC 2017. Apple has borrowed the Mac Pro design for its rumoured smart speaker, which will directly compete with Google Home and Amazon Echo. It will be an interesting thing to watch at the WWDC 2017.
Google may not have found the success it dreamt of with Google Glass, but Apple is optimistic. Rumours suggest Apple AR smart glasses are in the works and due for release in 2019. Will the upcoming WWDC keynote present us with some early treats on the new wearable? Let's hope so.
Augment and virtual reality (AR/VR) have been Apple's focus lately, especially after CEO Tim Cook publicly expressed his interest in AR. WWDC 2017 could be a great platform to see some early developer-level AR prospects.
