WWDC 2023 is official! However wait, what’s that within the announcement picture?
This afternoon, Apple officially announced the dates for WWDC 2023, its worldwide annual developer convention. The corporate says that WWDC will kick off on Monday, June fifth, and run by means of Friday, June ninth. It additionally confirmed {that a} choose group of builders and college students (in addition to the standard flood of press and influencers) will be capable of head over to Apple Park in individual for a “particular expertise” on Monday.
Apple hasn’t mentioned what time the keynote will formally kick off, however each different current WWDC keynote occurred on the primary day of the convention at 1:00 PM EST, so it’s doubtless that we’ll comply with the identical schedule for this yr as effectively.
However wait. What does “particular expertise” imply? Why does Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice chairman of Worldwide Developer Relations, say that “WWDC23 goes to be our greatest and most fun but”? And most of all, what’s that within the announcement picture?! It’s time to placed on these tin hats and rant about how this occasion will DEFINITELY unveil the long-anticipated AR/VR headset.
It’s not arduous to take a look at the announcement picture and instantly assume, “these are undoubtedly lenses.” What has lenses? It’s an iPhone, for positive. However wait — Apple gained’t announce an iPhone at WWDC — that’s in September. What’s left for one thing that will be an enormous announcement that isn’t an iPhone? Oh yeah, Actuality Professional, Apple’s long-anticipated augmented and digital actuality headset.
To be sincere, I’d be shocked if Apple didn’t unveil at the least a preview of the headset at its developer convention. The iPhone is profitable due to the App Retailer, and the App Retailer is profitable as a result of builders make a ton of apps for the App Retailer. If the corporate desires to make its headset profitable, it’s going to wish to get the buy-in from builders, and what higher time to take action than WWDC?
Along with Actuality Professional, the corporate might want to announce and showcase realityOS, the software program that’s anticipated to energy the headset. WWDC not solely provides Apple a high-profile place to announce the headset however have a complete week to carry builders up to the mark on all the issues that they’ll construct for it. They’ll by no means have a greater probability to try to get the developer neighborhood excited to develop for the headset.
The rumors have additionally been ramping up in regards to the headset’s unveiling. Along with some recent parts leaks, there was additionally a report that the headset was lately demonstrated to the corporate’s executives at a gathering at Apple Park. That appears extremely well timed, contemplating that WWDC is Apple’s subsequent occasion — an ideal time to get ultimate approval and work on the announcement and eventual launch.
After all, I could possibly be mistaken. We might all be mistaken! I and many people have been mistaken loads of occasions earlier than. However I don’t know — this feels just like the one. The occasion is what units this one aside.
Whereas we may even see the headset at WWDC, there nonetheless isn’t stable proof that Apple will truly launch the headset shortly after and even announce pricing. It could possibly be a preview, like when the corporate introduced the brand new Mac Professional after which took months to lastly ship it. I wouldn’t blame them — it will give extra time for extra apps from builders to be prepared at launch.
We solely have slightly over two months to attend, however I’m betting we’re going to get to see Craig Federighi announce realityOS and Actuality Professional in June.
