Apple WWDC 2023: Keynote Highlights and 9 Major Announcements

The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is one of the most highly anticipated events in the tech industry. Each year, Apple unveils its latest innovations, updates, and software advancements during the Apple WWDC keynote. In 2023, Apple once again delivered an exciting and groundbreaking keynote, showcasing their commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology. Also, this is their 15th Anniversary of the App Store!

Let’s dive into the highlights of the Apple WWDC Event 2023 keynote.

Key Highlights from Apple WWDC Event 2023

1. Apple announced its long-rumored AR/VR headset with its “xrOS” operating system.
2. New Macs were announced, including a new MacBook Air and other Mac hardware.
3. Operating system updates were announced, including iOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17.
4. A new feature called NameDrop was introduced, which allows users to easily and quickly share files with others nearby using AirDrop.
5. New Interactive widgets and game modes designed to reduce distractions. 
6. The Apple Vision Pro headset was announced, which has an above-display 1080p camera in a notch, three microphones, and six speakers with force-canceling subwoofers.
7. Hideo Kojima announced that his future titles will be coming to Apple platforms.

These are just some of the highlights from the event. Now, let’s delve into the major highlights of the Apple WWDC 2023 event as we cover the nine major announcements.

1 Introducing the Macbook Air 15-inch 

The event kicked off with the introduction to Macbook Air’s latest model, “Macbook 15-inch”. This will be known for its pristine size of 11.5mm thin, and weighing only 3.3 pounds, along with the reintroduction of the headphone jack with this laptop. This is the thinnest 15-inch laptop in existence. It has MagSafe charging, Thunderbolt ports, and four different kinds of finishes. 

The exciting part about this Macbook 15-inch laptop is that it comes with a mix of six speakers, three-mic arrays, force-canceling woofers, and brilliant spatial audio. 

Compared to an Intel-based Macbook Air, it will be 12x faster. Furthermore, it will feature a fanless design and an 18-hour battery life. 

2 Major Update on Mac Studio

Earlier this year, Apple launched the M2 Pro and M2 Max as the M2 chipsets. Mac Studio is getting its first major update with the integration of M2 Max. This has a performance rate of 25% as compared to M1 Max,  it can render 4x faster than most Intel-based iMac systems, and 50% faster rendering in After Effects. 

Additionally, the M2 chipsets will see a new face in the Apple WWDC Event 2023. It has added the M2 Ultra that connects the two M2 Max chips.

This major Apple update consists of a 24-core CPU, 64-core GPU for 30% faster performance, a 20% faster rate of performance compared to M1 Ultra, and a 32-core neural engine making it 40% faster than the original chipset. It also has the capacity of storing 192 GB of unified memory.  

Apple WWDC 2023 has also portrayed that the ML workloads for Mac Studio will have the largest transformer models with the most powerful chipset created for personalized computers. Apple Silicon is coming with the Mac Pro which will consist of the most powerful chip with PCI expansions. This is going to be one of the biggest Apple updates with transitioning to Apple Silicon. 

3 iOS 17 – Major iPhone Haul in WWDC 2023

iOS 17 made a debut on the Apple WWDC 2023 event stage. There are new features coming to iOS that will simplify sharing and make communication more expressive.  The latest iOS update will have more intelligence input and new experiences for both iOS developers and users. 

There are new Apple updates for mobile devices, FaceTime, and Messages. The new contact pictures with “Memoji” and photos will now also include various kinds of Typography that will be appearing during calls. 

It is also a major iOS update for the address book. It is very similar to the personalization of the lock screen with iOS 16. 

The new Live Voicemail feature will be updated with live transcriptions in real-time settings when communication is in motion. This is like allowing users to pick up the phone amidst a voicemail like old-school call screening. The Live Voicemail Transcription is handled on-device. 

FaceTime updates will have video messages if calls are ignored and not answered. Messages will have additional search filters. In-line replies will be faster, and audio messages can be transcribed in real-time. 

In-line Location Sharing will allow users to update their location and let their people know when they are safely home, or update them regarding their whereabouts. Even if there is a delay, this Apple iOS 17 feature will check in with you and alert friends if there are no responses from users. 

Other new features for iOS 17 include: 

• Introduction to Journal – Creating better experiences for people, places, music, activities, etc, in addition to the photos. This new app called Journal will be launching in the later half of this year. 
• Creating New Suggests – Using the on-device ML on iPhones, can help create new “Suggests” more intelligently through information curated from your iPhone. Users can control what can be included when enabling this Suggestion feature. This is a great new Suggestions API for iPhone app developers. 
• StandBy – Another iOS 17 update includes StandBy, which provides a horizontal full-screen view of the phone when kept sideways. It is designed specifically for MagSafe stands. 
• New Features for Siri – Now you can issue back-to-back commands, offline map support, and more. 

Adding SharePlay to Applications on Your iOS

With the new launch of iOS 17, apps can now discover the advantages of SharePlay. It can turn any activity into a shareable experience with friends and family. There will be added benefits and functionalities with a shared activity experience with the latest SharePlay upgrade.

4 NameDrop: Exciting New Update on AirDrop 

AirDrop can now be used to swap numbers with new users. “NameDrop ” when the phones of two individuals are brought close together,  sharing contact posters, and choosing the number or email addresses that you prefer to share. You can drop the content by bringing the phone together. 

When moving large files, using this new AirDrop feature, sharing can continue with a stable internet connection. SharePlay works the same way now too. It allows users to sync their live streams or music with its unique iOS update. 

The new “Transformer” language model makes autocorrect more precise and accurate. iPhones can run this model every time a key is tapped in. The refreshing new design helps users with better typing support, including the level of corrections for sentences. 

5 iPadOS – New Features and More

Apple WWDC Event 2023 always caters to the newest features coming not only for Mac or iOS but also for iPadOS. The new features and Apple updates for iPadOS have improved widget interactivity. Customized lock screens are coming to iPad with this new OS update. It will consist of slow-motion effects and optimized wallpapers. 

There will also be quick action support and Widgets coming to iPadOS in 2023. Adding Live Activities to iPadOS is something really cool to look forward to. There will be multiple timers to keep track. Health applications will now be available on iPads. Interactive charts, HealthKit and PDF handling on iPad will have their brilliance shine brighter with this new update.

6 Launch of MacOS – Sonoma 

Various features from iPadOS and iOS will be inaugurated with the new Mac. One of them will have new screensavers similar to the one on Apple TV. Floating screensavers can settle on desktops as well. 

The new widget support, which was previously on the Notification Center, can now sit on the Desktop. These widgets can be put anywhere. iPhone widgets can now be used on Mac. 

Mac Sonoma also introduces a plethora of gaming experiences where developers get unprecedented opportunities in bringing their games to a diversity of people. The new Game Mode will prioritize the GPU and CPU for the games. The new Game Porting ToolKit built for developers simplifies the process of game porting to other platforms. Apple WWDC 2023 brilliantly put quicker evaluation, shorter time of development, and simpler conversion process in place. 

A big game set to launch with Mac is Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding Director’s Cut. This will have great Metal and other Mac APIs and will be ready for pre-order in the Mac App Store soon. 

There will be new ways to present remotely. Presenter Overlay on Video effects puts on top of things when it comes to content sharing. 

Mac – Sonoma will also let you add video reactions along with depth, and focus. It will be able to recognize gestures on any app like Zoom, WebEx, Teams, etc. 

There are updates to Safari, more features will be introduced for WebKit, secure sharing of passkeys and passwords, and more updates to be announced on New Family Password features. Similar to the Fluid app, new web apps for Mac will enable the addition of websites to the Dock. Finally, developers can create a web app for any website with this new Apple update. 

7 New Features to Airpods 

The most popular headphone across the globe is getting its own upgrade in this Apple WWDC Event 2023. Airpods from henceforth will have Adaptive Audio, a combination of noise canceling and transparency dynamics to match the listening experience and conditions. 

Airpods will now have conversation awareness that will allow it to lower the music and have more focus on the voices, reducing background noise. Adaptive Audio also helps during calls with proactive noise reduction. There are improvements in automated switching experiences across the entire Apple ecosystem. There will be swifter transitions from conference calls on Mac to playlists available on iPhones. Meanwhile, new updates are being introduced to AirPlay. 

Airplay’s on-device intelligence helps to learn user preferences. Siri on HomePod can start Airplay Sessions when needed and it will be available in hotels. There will be more updates on CarPlay and Apple Music further this year. 

8 WatchOS Update: Exciting Changes Ahead

The Apple WWDC Event 2023 so far has introduced magnanimous features coming to iOS, macOS, and more. The major overhaul of WatchOS is what we can look forward to if we are into keeping ourselves in perfect shape. 

WatchOS 10 is here! There will now be new ways to view information through the watch face. Additionally, there are comprehensive app redesigns across the WatchOS in this Apple keynote. The WatchOS 10 will have a new Snoopy face which can turn digital crowns to showcase widgets in smart stacks. The world clock will have updates through the introduction of new dynamic backgrounds reflecting the time. More upgrades on WatchOS 10 include:

• New activity redesign corners 
• New palette watch faces
• Introduction to Snoopy and Woodstock watch faces
• New cycling support for workout sessions. 
• New cellular connection waypoints record the last location and whereabouts. 
• Elevation view for 3D waypoints. 
• Workout APIs for developers.
• Motion data detection for golf or tennis serves. 
• Developers can create workout programs through the Workout application. 
• Introduction to Mental health features. 

The Apple WWDC Event 2023 has featured some major previews for the upcoming WatchOS 10. It includes updated user interfaces with a renewed focus on widgets and refreshed first-party applications. This is the first major update on WatchOS after many years and it will have access to Digital Crown and the digital World Clock. 

# WorkOutKit – Beta Framework for Synchronized Workout Sessions

The framework of WorkOutKit offers utilities and models that assist in creating and previewing compositions for a workout on iOS and WatchOS applications. It helps to synch and schedule compositions on the Workout app and it supports the following types of workout frameworks. 

CustomWorkout Compositions: Offers a structured interval during a workout with a combination and series of steps consisting of customized alerts and goals. 

GoalWorkout Compositions: Offers users to work out with a single strategic goal like distance, time, energy, and more.

PacerWorkout Compositions: Includes the workouts considering the distance and time goals of the user. 
SwimBikeRunWorkout Compositions: This framework allows triathletes and other sports enthusiasts to have a streamlined and seamless transition between biking, swimming, and running activities.

9 Finally – The AR Headset Vision Pro

Apple WWDC Event 2023 introduced its biggest launch of the century with an entirely new AR platform that will revolutionize the way we explore the world. That’s a new AR headset “Vision Pro”.

Vision Pro is the first and foremost headset with cameras, a digital crown, a headband, and speakers. It allows you to look through it and not at what you want to view. The digital content floats around the world and Vision Pro is here to help. Users can use their eyes, hands, and voice to keep the device in control. 

The Digital content you feed yourself from around you will be blended into the amazing AR headset. Apple’s Mac was the pioneer of personal computing, the iPhone revolutionized mobile computing, and the upcoming Apple Vision Pro is set to introduce the world to spatial computing.

The design has been created with 3 full dimensional interfaces. The Home view will float around you and it feels like it is truly present in your room. Vision Pro experiences are not constrained to any boundaries in correspondence to the display. It can help make any apps across Apple become more scalable and place them wherever you as a user want. 

The AR Headset Vision Pro enables you to watch tv and movies with dimmed surroundings, play Arcade games, and more. As Disney is celebrating its 100th year anniversary, they are bringing their fans closer to the characters which was not possible before. With its advanced technology, Vision Pro can be a transformational ground for developers. 

Other Major Announcements at Apple WWDC 2023 Event:

# Bringing Game to Mac with Render Metal

Metal and MetalFX have been a huge part of the Apple WWDC Event 2022 since the launch last year. With the new Mac OS 14, you can support Metal in rendering your code which has been discussed in a three-part series of bringing games to the new Mac. Once the existing Windows binary has been evaluated with the game porting toolkit and has been brought your HLSL shaders over to metal, you can learn to use the features optimally and include implementation features with high-end modern gaming requirements. It has shown how the GPU resources, bindings, synchronization, and residency will help gaming on Mac 14. You will also be able to optimize the GPU command submissions and render feature-rich visuals with MetalFX Upscaling, etc. 

# Learning to Create Documents with Swift-DocC

The latest in Apple WWDC Event 2023 was to introduce the advantageous features of creating swift, rich, and detailed documentation for apps and frameworks using Swift-DocC. It utilizes the Xcode 15 Documentation Preview Editor for efficient iterations of existing project documentation and explores expansive capabilities including video support, custom themes, and grid-based layouts. 

DocC documentation compiler assists in converting Markdown-based texts into feature-rich documents for Objective-C and Swift-based projects. The DocC Syntax known as the Documentation Markup, is also a personalized variant that adds major functionalities for developer documentation-specific features (term definition lists, cross-symbol linking, code listing, and more). 

# Creating Immersive Experiences with ShazamKit

Apple WWDC Event 2023 introduced the ShazamKit which uses unique acoustic signatures of audio recording to find the perfect match. This particular signature captures the distribution of time-frequency of the audio-signal energy and it is smaller compared to the original audio. 

It is a one-way conversion, so the extracted audio cannot be converted back to the original recording. ShazamKit generates a specific reference signature for a searchable complete audio recording. It has a catalog that stores reference signatures, metadata, and/or media items. The query signature can be utilized when searching for a match, that can be generated by ShazaamKit for captured audio with reference signatures available on the catalog. 

# Machine Learning Enhancements with Create ML 

Discover different ways of “Create ML” that can help developers more with machine learning models for iOS. There are image-based and text-based understandings and tasks with multilingual BERT embedded in this new launch. 

This helps in training models that are capable of understanding image contents based on multi-labeled classifications. Information about interactive model evaluations and the latest APIs for custom training data augmentation has also been updated with the new launches. The Natual Language Multilingual Models and Improve Core ML integration were insightful in this WWDC Event 2023. 

# Building Spacial Experiences with VisionPro RealityKit

The introduction to RealityKit allows developers to tap into the world of new dimensions for app development. With the launch of RealityKit entities, developers can utilize its components and systems to start building spatial experiences for 3D models and effects for visionOS applications. The RealityView API also adds and demonstrates the immersive spatial experience with 3D objects added to volumes, windows, and spaces to make apps more interactive. There’s added spatial input with RealityKit including animations and spatial audio functionalities. 

# Expanding App Market with Localization

The localization process helps in adapting and translating applications to perform multiple languages ad regions. With localization, you can provide your apps with access to users who communicate using various languages and download different App Store territories. 

With the structure of internationalization, app structure processing for codes and localization UIs is considered the fundamental first step towards serving the global populace. With Apple’s wonderful tools and technologies like Xcode, Foundation APIs, Unicode Support, Auto Layout, and more, it will become easier to support multiple languages and regions. 

# Launching Continuity Camera for tvOS 

With the newest launch of tvOS, AVFoundation, AVFAudio, and Audio ToolBox can now be added to apps on tvOS which can help in creating microphone and camera experiences right in your living room. The iOS camera experience can be paired with Device Discovery APU and build applications using iPhone as the webcam or FaceTime resources. Developers can explore the special consideration when developing apps for tvOS including audio recording, echo cancellation, and immersive voice-driven experiences. 

# Swift OpenAPI Generator Collab with HTTP Server APIs

The extension of iOS applications or writing down a server in Swift can now be easily expired with Swift OpenAPI generator that collaborates with HTTP server APIs. this package plugin helps in streamlining the workflow and simplifies OpenAPI documentation with the codebases by generating. 

# AppleTV Introduces FaceTime

A new feature has been introduced on AppleTV. FaceTime on AppleTV will be using the Continuity Camera of an iPhone or iPad. It can be used as a double webcam and will also use Apple’s AI-powered Center Stage technology that adjusts comfortably with the iPhone’s and iPad’s frontal camera in video-based applications. It will help to frame your facial features while you look at the tv. This new feature on AppleTV will be a great way to communicate with friends and family. 

# Bringing Game to Mac with Render Metal

Metal and MetalFX have been a huge part of the Apple WWDC Event 2022 since the launch last year. With the new Mac OS 14, you can support Metal in rendering your code which has been discussed in a three-part series of bringing games to the new Mac. once the existing Windows binary has been evaluated with the game porting toolkit and has been brought your HLSL shaders over to metal, you can learn to use the features optimally and include implementation features with high-end modern gaming requirements. It has shown how the GPU resources, bindings, synchronization, and residency will help gaming on Mac 14. You will also be able to optimize the GPU command submissions and render feature-rich visuals with MetalFX Upscaling, etc. 

# Learning to Create Documents with Swift-DocC

The latest in Apple WWDC Event 2023 was to introduce the advantageous features of creating swift, rich, and detailed documentation for apps and frameworks using Swift-DocC. It utilizes the Xcode 15 Documentation Preview Editor for efficient iterations of existing project documentation and explores expansive capabilities including video support, custom themes, and grid-based layouts. 

DocC documentation compiler assists in converting Markdown-based texts into feature-rich documents for Objective-C and Swift-based projects. The DocC Syntax known as the Documentation Markup, is also a personalized variant that adds major functionalities for developer documentation-specific features (term definition lists, cross-symbol linking, code listing, and more). 

# Creating Immersive Experiences with ShazamKit

Apple WWDC Event 2023 introduced the ShazamKit which uses unique acoustic signatures of audio recording to find the perfect match. This particular signature captures the distribution of time-frequency of the audio-signal energy and it is smaller compared to the original audio. 

It is a one-way conversion, so the extracted audio cannot be converted back to the original recording. ShazamKit generates a specific reference signature for a searchable complete audio recording. It has a catalog that stores reference signatures, metadata, and/or media items. The query signature can be utilized when searching for a match, that can be generated by ShazaamKit for captured audio with reference signatures available on the catalog. 

# Machine Learning Enhancements with Create ML 

Discover different ways of “Create ML” that can help developers more with machine learning models for iOS. There are image-based and text-based understandings and tasks with multilingual BERT embedded in this new launch. 

This helps in training models that are capable of understanding image contents based on multi-labeled classifications. Information about interactive model evaluations and the latest APIs for custom training data augmentation has also been updated with the new launches. The Natual Language Multilingual Models and Improve Core ML integration were insightful in this WWDC Event 2023. 

# Building Spacial Experiences with visionPro RealityKit

The introduction to RealityKit allows developers to tap into the world of new dimensions for app development. With the launch of RealityKit entities, developers can utilize its components and systems to start building spatial experiences for 3D models and effects for visionOS applications. The RealityView API also adds and demonstrates the immersive spatial experience with 3D objects added to volumes, windows, and spaces to make apps more interactive. There’s added spatial input with RealityKit including animations and spatial audio functionalities. 

# Expanding App Market with Localization

The localization process helps in adapting and translating applications to perform multiple languages ad regions. With localization, you can provide your apps with access to users who communicate using various languages and download different App Store territories. 

With the structure of internationalization, app structure processing for codes and localization UIs is considered the fundamental first step towards serving the global populace. With Apple’s wonderful tools and technologies like Xcode, Foundation APIs, Unicode Support, Auto Layout, and more, it will become easier to support multiple languages and regions. 

# Launching Continuity Camera for tvOS 

With the newest launch of tvOS, AVFoundation, AVFAudio, and Audio ToolBox can now be added to apps on tvOS which can help in creating microphone and camera experiences right in your living room. The iOS camera experience can be paired with Device Discovery APU and build applications using iPhone as the webcam or FaceTime resources. Developers can explore the special consideration when developing apps for tvOS including audio recording, echo cancellation, and immersive voice-driven experiences. 

# Swift OpenAPI Generator Collab with HTTP Server APIs

The extension of iOS applications or writing down a server in Swift can now be easily expired with Swift OpenAPI generator that collaborates with HTTP server APIs. this package plugin helps in streamlining the workflow and simplifies OpenAPI documentation with the codebases by generating. 

# AppleTV Introduces FaceTime

A new feature has been introduced on AppleTV. FaceTime on AppleTV will be using the Continuity Camera of an iPhone or iPad. It can be used as a double webcam and will also use Apple’s AI-powered Center Stage technology that adjusts comfortably with the iPhone’s and iPad’s frontal camera in video-based applications. It will help to frame your facial features while you look at the tv. This new feature on AppleTV will be a great way to communicate with friends and family.

Final Thoughts,

The Apple WWDC Event 2023 keynote was filled with exciting announcements, showcasing Apple’s dedication to innovation and enhancing user experience. From iOS 17’s redesigned interface to the powerful new MacBook Pro and Air lineup, Apple continues to raise the bar in the tech industry. With advancements in health and fitness, Siri, and augmented reality, Apple is positioning itself at the forefront of technology, delighting users and inspiring developers to create groundbreaking experiences. The future looks promising as Apple continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

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