The WWDC is Soon! What Can We Expect from Apple?

Apple’s WWDC is today! What does that mean? It means that Apple will be unveiling tons of news about software, probably. It seems unlikely that any news of a new iPhone or really any hardware will break at WWDC. This event tends to focus more on the software side of things. With that in mind, what can we expect to hear from them? Here are some of our predications. 

iOS 12 

Unless something absolutely unpredictable happens, Apple will be unveiling iOS 12 today. What kinds of things can we expect? We ran an article a few weeks ago on our biggest hopes for new features, here’s a quick recap. We would love a universal dark mode, updated messenger app and smart orientation locking. Another much-requested feature is app multitasking and side-by-side app viewing on iPhone.  

However, the most needed feature, in our opinion, is a full overhaul of Siri. Sadly, at the moment, Siri is dumb. Alexa is a quick-witted, responsive and helpful assistant. Siri has a hard time executing basic functions. It’s kind of embarassing, actually. 

Siri and HomePod 

Changes to Siri are all but guaranteed, thanks to Apple’s emphasis on HomePod. If Apple intends to seriously content with Amazon and Google in the smart speaker market, they need to give Siri some serious upgrades. As it stands, Amazon and Google are winning that race buy a mile. Another focus for the HomePod would be releasing a more affordable, mini-sized version for entry-level smart speaker users. 

Service Subscriptions 

According to Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, Apple’s fastest-growing revenue source is their subscription services. Apple Music, Apple Pay and and the App Store are incredibly lucrative for the company at the moment. As smartphone sales begin to finally cool off and slow down, emphasis on these sources of revenue will doubtless increase. Expect announcements related to these types of services at WWDC. 

Apple’s Most Likely Focus at WWDC: Smartphone Addiction 

Ways to combat smartphone addictions are a hot topic at the moment. Android P is set to unveil a dashboard that tells users how long they’re spending on various apps. Apple is set to unveil a similar functionality. Experts have been very focused on the problems of smartphone addiction in recent months. To be fair, it is an insidious beast to combat.  

When you’re in the business of selling a phone, isn’t it against your business model to tell people to use that phone less? Well, sort of. If Apple wants to remain relevant, they need to appear responsible. The responsible thing to do, to be sure, is pay attention to the growing issue of teens and adults who spend way too much time scrolling through various feeds. 

In any event, we’ll know more about Apple’s focus for this upcoming year very soon. Stay tuned!