SAN JOSE, Cali. - For many Apple fans, the annual June Worldwide Developers Conference is a holiday fest of many, many new software updates that bring new features to their beloved iPhones and iPads.
To others, it's an, "Oh no, Apple's going to make me download this update and it's going to destroy my phone."
Just ask all the folks who saw their iPhones intentionally slow down, on purpose, with iOS 10's update that tried to compensate for aging batteries. Apple caught a lot of flack for that once it was revealed at the end of 2017, apologized, updated the software and offered replacement batteries at a discount.
But here we go again, iPhone world. Monday, Apple will sneak peek many of the new features, via software updates, that will be coming to most existing iPhones and iPads, as well as the new models that will be out later this year. The software update, expected to be called iOS12, is traditionally released in September.
WWDC kicks into gear. (Photo: Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY)
Some highlights of what to expect:
Batterygate
This will be the first gathering where Apple CEO Tim Cook addresses the app developer community since the blow-up with the batteries last year. Analyst Tim Bajarin, the president of Creative Strategies, says Cook already apologized and "owns" the problem, but needs to "clarify" what Apple will do with iOS12 that can convince iPhone owners their units won't become inoperable with an update.
Siri
Apple's personal assistant is the most used in voice computing, thanks to the size of the 1 billion plus iPhone owner universe, but it loses in accuracy in survey after survey to rivals Amazon and Google and their smart speakers. Gene Munster, an analyst and investor with Loup Ventures, expects Apple to once again showcase updates its making to improve the Siri experience. He predicts Apple will add more information categories to Siri for app developers both on the phone and the HomePod smart speaker, and have more artificial intelligence tools to smarten up Siri. "They have to open it up," Munster says of the info disparity between Siri, Amazon and Google. "This is a painfully obvious hole," for Apple.
Augmented reality
The software update to bring animation into live action was a huge push by Apple at last year's WWDC, but it has yet to take off. A few apps (notably the IKEA app that let you visualize furniture in your home before you buy it) got attention, but developers didn't sign on in a big way. Bajarin expects Apple to double down on AR, showcase some new examples of great work, and try to entice the community to join in.
Digital health
Apple is expected to introduce new tools to convince users to put their phones down a little more often, ones that tell them how much they've used the phone that day, or adjust their screens in the evening to be less addictive. "This will catch a lot of attention," Munster says.
Photos
More people take pictures on smartphones than cameras, with 1.2 trillion snapped in 2017, according to InfoTrends, mostly on smartphones. Which presents my plea: help me organize them! Bajarin believes Apple will spend a good deal of time at WWDC on new tools to find them. "You'll see AI applied to the photo library to make it easier to organize," he says.
Attendees at WWDC 2017 in San Jose. (Photo: Jefferson Graham)
In contrast to last year, when Apple introduced new iPads and Macintosh computers, this year's WWDC is expected to be all about software, with little hardware announced. Apple is also expected to update operating systems for Mac computers, the Apple Watch and Apple TV.
The event begins at 10 a.m. PDT, and will be live-streamed on Apple's website.
