Apples Worldwide Developers Conference is almost here and the anticipation is palpable. This is a crucial event for the Cupertino-based tech giant as it is expected to unveil its integration plans. generative artificial intelligence in iOS.
Unlike hardware events typically held in the fall, WWDC focuses on Apple's software ecosystem. However, past surprises like Vision Pro reveals remind us to stay tuned for any unexpected announcements.
Here's what to expect:
AI takes center stage
As AI continues to dominate tech industry news, Apple is expected to make substantial progress in this area. According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, Apple collaborates with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18. This partnership marks an important milestone as Apple aims to compete with Google, Microsoft and Samsung, which have made substantial progress in AI.
Although Apple doesn't yet have its own AI chatbot ready to launch, discussions with Google to integrate its Gemini AI assistant into iPhones are underway. Siri is also expected to receive significant upgradesusing Apple's large language models to perform more specific tasks within apps, such as open documents and send emails. However, these Siri improvements should be deployed in early 2025.
Crushable speed of light
For iOS 18, Apple is expected to introduce AI features that improve user experience. According to Bloomberg, expected features include:
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Voice memo transcriptions: AI-powered transcription for quick and easy voice memo management.
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Faster search: Enhanced search capabilities powered by AI.
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Conversational Siri: Improvements to Siri to make interactions more natural and intuitive.
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Smart Summary: AI summaries of news, documents and notifications.
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Custom emojis: On-the-fly creation of emojis based on text content.
RCS Messaging
Beyond AI, Apple could talk about its decision to adopt Rich Communication Services (RCS). Apple is configured for RCS to replace SMS – offering iMessage-like features like typing indicators, high-resolution media sharing, and end-to-end encryption.
This change will improve cross-platform messaging, particularly between iPhone and Android devices, although it is unclear whether the green bubble issue might persist.
RCS adoption comes at a good time as Apple faces a Justice Department antitrust lawsuit. The suit claims that Apple is harming competition by not making iMessage available on Android. Highlighting RCS adoption at WWDC would demonstrate Apple's efforts to address these concerns and bridge the messaging gap.
macOS 15 and hardware expectations
MacOS 15 will reflect many iOS updates, including changes to the Apple Music, Notes, and productivity apps. The Calculator app is also set to get a significant overhaul, with Notes integration and improved unit conversions.
On a material level, no significant announcements are planned this year, following last year's WWDC heavy on equipment. Processor advancements are a staple of WWDC, and this year will be no different. However, the introduction of M3 or M4 chips in office systems could be the order of the day.
The upcoming A18 chip for iPhone is expected to offer improved AI performance, aligned with the new M4 chips in the latest iPad Pro models.