The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is expected to debut new versions of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS, alongside a few hardware surprises that could..
The 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference ( WWDC) is set to kick off on Monday, and ahead of the event, Apple has started decorating the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, which is where the venue for the conference. At the event, the Cupertino-based tech giant is expected to debut new versions of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS, alongside a few hardware surprises that could include refreshed Macs and iPads. The annual event serves as a place for app developers to meet each other and learn about the future of Apple’s various platforms, and for Apple to discuss that future with them. Apple’s top execs preview the company’s upcoming operating systems and often reveal new services and products. Here’s what we expect to see this year: iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS The next version of iOS which is iOS 12 will focus more on stability and reliability than dramatic, sweeping changes. Apple may finally loosen the leash on the NFC chips in its iPhones and Apple Watches in iOS 12. iOS 12 will finally allow iPhones and Apple Watches to work with NFC-enabled transit systems, ID systems, car doors, and more. However, it is unlikely that Apple will allow developers to support NFC-enabled payment systems that could compete with Apple Pay. Apple may finally push for robust parental controls. Users have been asking for this major overhaul for years now and it may finally be here. The watchOS 5 may continue to push into health and fitness features. Some of the new features of watchOS 5 may be held back until the announcement of a new Apple Watch, likely at the iPhone event slated for September. Given Apple’s big investment in original programming, the TV app will eventually need a big update. Apple is likely to formally announce the video service that will give us access to all those original shows and series it’s producing. Siri With Alexa and Google Assistant taking over, Apple might need to give a big boost to Siri in order to remain competitive. Mac hardware The MacBook Pro line is due for a bump up to Intel’s eighth-generation Core processors, after all. A design change is unlikely, however, fans are desperately hoping for a replacement for Apple’s much-maligned butterfly keyboard, and the Touch Bar appears to be an experiment that has gone nowhere. The MacBook Air is due for a refresh, too, but the latest rumors suggest that has been pushed back to the fall. iPad Pro There may be a new iPad Pro in the works, with slimmer bezels and a TrueDepth camera with Face ID instead of a home button with Touch ID.
