WWDC 2023: All the news from Apple

One of the most anticipated events of the year took place yesterday, with lots of news both in terms of hardware and software.

From the new MacBooks to the new operating systems, discover everything Apple presented at WWDC 2023.

The big news of the day

The great promise of the arrival of Augmented Reality at Apple: the Apple Vision Pro. It is a way of interacting with the various applications on an Apple device in a natural blend with the surrounding environment. All windows and programs respond to natural light, feature shadows and are resizable for greater organization and multitasking; all from equipment composed of Augmented Reality glasses.

Through an enlarged projection, the user can have access to a wider virtual environment, visually referring him to a completely different space. The extent of this virtual environment can be adjusted using a rotary knob, like the one on the Apple Watch.

The control of this whole system? Through gaze direction, hand movements and voice commands.

Whether for work or entertainment, Apple Vision Pro offers a new way of interacting with programs and applications, bringing them from the screen to a spatial plane.

Behind it, a dedicated operating system: VisionOS, with all the applications already available for iPad, iPhone, or MacBook. In terms of security, a new system has arrived. Optic ID allows you to unlock the Apple Vision Pro from the iris of the user's eye. The same mechanism allows you to make purchases with Apple Pay or download apps.

The Apple Vision Pro will be launched early next year in the United States, and will arrive in other countries throughout 2024.

Apple M2 Ultra: “a processor monster

The M2 family also received a new member, the M2 Ultra chip, in an architecture that joins two M2 Max, with a 20% faster CPU and a 30% faster GPU than the M1 Ultra. In terms of unified memory, the M2 Ultra offers a 50% increase when compared to the M1 Ultra as well.

The new models of MacBook 2023

As usual, WWDC is the presentation event for new Apple computers. For this year, a new 15-inch MacBook Air was presented, which is only 11.5 millimeters thick when closed. In terms of connectivity, the MacBok Air 15 2022 has a Lightning connector, two USB-C ports and a 3.5mm jack. The screen has Liquid Retina technology, with vibrant colors, and an internal camera capable of recording video at 1080 fps. To top it off, the M2 chip, with all the Apple power and a more efficient use of energy.

On the more premium side, the Mac Studio and Mac Pro get the M2 Max chip and the M2 Ultra. In terms of connectivity, the new 2023 Mac Studio now has a higher HDMI transmission bandwidth, and can now support 8K image transfer and 240 Hz refresh rate. The Mac Pro 2023 jumps out with connectivity improvements, now with 8 ThunderBolt ports, and six PCIe slots for expanding processing potential.

The New iOS 17

One of the most anticipated novelties of the event, in addition to the new computers, was iOS 17, the new operating system for iPhone, which will be available from September in its final version. These are some of the new features of iOS 17:

• New contact cards, customizable like Lock Screen.

• Live Voicemail: When you call someone, you can leave a message while calling; the voice message is converted to a text message, which is displayed on the caller's call screen.

• Facetime: When the call is not answered, you can leave a video message

• Messaging: Improved in-app search, transcription of voice messages or arrival verification messages to a secure location.

• AirDrop: By bringing two iPhones together, it will be possible to exchange contacts with other users, as well as files.

• Keyboard: Word prediction improvements.

• Journal: an app that works like a diary, where the user can use not only text, but also various multimedia resources to remember different moments of his life. Through suggestions, the user will also be able to use resources from other applications.

• Standby: A new screen on your iPhone when you leave it charging, with basic information that can be seen from a distance, ideal, for example, for a bedside table.

For bigger screens, the new iPadOS

See some of the news of the new iPad OS:

• Interactive widgets from the main screen

• Personalization of the Lock Screen and with live widgets, similar to the iPhone

• Working with PDF: automatic detection of forms with possibility to fill in and include a signature with Apple Pencil.

Do more with your MacBook, with the new MacOS

Hardware advances in Apple computers were also accompanied by announcements of news in the macOS operating system, macOS Sonoma:

• Possibility to move widgets from the control centerdesktop notifications. So that they don't become too distracting, they disappear when you open a new window. You can even access your own iPhone widgets, as long as both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

• Monitoring your computer's performance while playing.

• New videoconferencing functionalities, namely in the presentation conjugation while showing your screen.

• WebApps: Turns websites in Safari into apps accessible from the Dock.

Other news from WWDC 2023

The Apple event was also the stage for multiple presentations in terms of AirPlay, such as connectivity for hotels: with just the scan of a QR code, the user can connect to the television and Wi-Fi of the hotel, as well as resume the series I was watching on Apple TV.

TvOS received a new control center, with access to various connected objects such as surveillance cameras, AirPods settings, or user profiles. In addition, you can also use FaceTime with your television, using the camera and microphone on your iPhone or iPad, and you can even watch Apple TV series with other people via SharePlay.

WatchOS10 is 10 years old, and with this anniversary comes a series of new features:

• spinner to display the various most used widgets.

• What's new in apps like the appearance of icons in the corners of the watch face.

• Cycling App, which appears as a live widget on the iPhone's Lock Screen.

• Walk application.

• Mental Health Monitoring.

• Eye Health Monitoring

In September we will have Apple's next big annual event, where the new iPhone 15 will be officially presented, known for replacing the Lightning connector with USB-C, haptic volume buttons and a new side button.