WWDC 2018: What to Expect!

Another year, another Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC for short). At WWDC 2018, Apple has a lot to prove. They need to prove to us that they still have the software chops. Most people consider iOS 11 as the worst iOS version to date. Apple got a bad rap for the iMac Pro issues. They also got a bad rap thanks to the issues surrounding the MacBook Pro’s butterfly switch keyboard. The list goes on and on. With that in mind, here are the stuff to expect at Apple’s annual developer conference.

What to Expect at WWDC 2018

iOS 12

As I mentioned earlier, iOS 11 is the worst iOS update in its history. It’s the buggiest set of updates I’ve experienced since I got an iPhone. It’s insane to me that Apple would let all these bugs slide! I expect iOS 12 to be faster and bug-free at the expense of more new features. I would honestly rather have WAY LESS bugs than get new features but my iPhone keeps rebooting. Apple will also unveil new features for iOS 12 such as new NFC capabilities, and features to help you control your phone usage (called Digital Health). This version will focus more on performance improvements and general stability. Expect Apple to release the Developer beta shortly after the WWDC 2018 keynote and the Public Beta to release weeks after.

watchOS 5

There wasn’t much talk about what the future of watchOS would look like. The focus on WWDC 2018 may primarily be on iOS and making it more stable. Despite that, expect some love for the Apple Watch. If previous updates are anything to go by, expect Apple to show more Health and Activity features for watchOS 5. I kind of want more APIs to be open to third-party developers as well. This would give them more flexibility to make the Apple Watch a better product. Like iOS, expect Apple to release the Developer beta shortly after the WWDC 2018 keynote.

macOS 10.14

I’m starting to believe in Apple less and less when it comes to their Mac updates. The Mac App Store is largely ignored. Recent Mac features are just ports of iOS features. I want to get back to a time when the Mac has unique features that no other part of the Apple ecosystem has. Rumors suggest that the newest version of macOS will get a dark mode, a dedicated Apple News app, Hey Siri support, and more.

tvOS / audioOS

Out of all of the software I mentioned here, I have no idea on what to expect for these two. tvOS and audioOS are the software that powers the Apple TV and the HomePod. Both are not exactly the successes that Apple expected. AirPlay 2 and stereo pairing for the HomePod just came out with iOS 11.4. There are no rumors so far as to the state of the Apple streaming service. I hope that Apple brings something meaningful to the next versions of both tvOS and audioOS. My fingers are crossed.

New Hardware?

Many people tend to expect new hardware at every WWDC and this year is no different. I don’t see any new hardware launch during WWDC 2018 though. I think Apple would silently launch the AirPower and the AirPods wireless charging case. It’s also likely that Apple will launch refreshed MacBook Pro models with the latest Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. Beyond that, I don’t expect Apple to put out anything until September. That’s all I expect from Apple’s WWDC 2018! What do you think Apple should put out during this keynote? Do you think Apple still has surprises up its sleeve? Sound off in the comments below!