Dates and deets for WWDC, news around noise machines, and Apple Pay goes sleepy time.
Apple Announces Remote WWDC 2023
The wait is not nearly over, but it does have an end date. Apple issued a press release Wednesday announcing WWDC 2023 — and once again, most people can stay home for it. Right off the top the company said the entire conference will be available online for all developers, though they will do that day-one field trip thing again. “Free for all developers,” the release says:
…WWDC23 will spotlight the latest iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS advancements. As part of Apple’s ongoing commitment to helping developers create innovative apps, the event will also provide them with unique access to Apple engineers, as well as insight into new technologies and tools to help them realize their visions.
Quoted in the release, Susan Prescott — Apple’s VP of Worldwide Developer Relations, said:
WWDC is one of our favorite times of the year at Apple because it’s an opportunity to connect with the talented developers from around the globe who make this community so extraordinary… WWDC23 is going to be our biggest and most exciting yet, and we can’t wait to see many of you online and in person at this very special event!
Yes, We’ll Gather at the Donut
In person? That would be the aforementioned field trip. Just like last year, students and developers can apply through Apple’s Developer site or its associated app to attend a day-one day at Apple Park, where they can watch the video keynote and State of the Union.
On top of the presentations, Apple says WWDC23 will showcase winners of the Swift Student Challenge — submissions for which opened on Wednesday. Using Swift Playgrounds, the release says “students from around the world are invited to create an app playground on a topic of their choice.” Submissions are due in by April 19 — no pressure. More info on that is available on Apple’s Developer site.
For the Non-Developers
Sounds like a great time to learn how to solve serious (and fun) coding problems. But what about the rest of us? The people who like to throw money at such problems/solutions, rather than solving them ourselves? The Mac Observer has written up some of what’s expected. Info about iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS 17 is practically a given, as is info about macOS 14 and watchOS 10.
On the hardware side, the introduction of an Apple Silicon M3 Processor seems somewhere between possible and probable. That could find work powering a rumored, 15-inch MacBook Air.
Of course, the most anticipated hardware announcement is Apple’s mixed-reality headset. That should also spur the intro of a new software platform, as well as new developer tools because — you know… it’s a whole new thing.
And now, we wait — patiently or otherwise. WWDC23 is scheduled to run Monday, June 5 through Friday, June 9. Though Apple’s not set a time for the keynote, someone in Cupertino will likely push “Play” at 10 a.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Eastern — other times other places. Consult your local star chart.
Make Some Noise!
Apple Releases iTunes 12.12.8 for Windows
Software release news never stops. At least it doesn’t this week. On the heels of tons of OS updates from Apple on Monday and a new round of developer betas on Tuesday, a piece from MacRumors says Apple has released something for its customers on Windows.
Apple on Wednesday released iTunes 12.12.8 for the computing world’s other operating system. That is said by Apple to include security improvements and “support for new devices.”
New devices? Nothing to get excited about — unless Apple’s smart speakers still excite you. MacRumors figures the “new devices” mentioned probably pertains to the full-size HomePod, which Apple re-introduced in January.
HomePods Head to Singapore
Speaking of HomePod — Apple’s big smart speaker and its little sibling are hitting another market next week. Another piece from MacRumors says both HomePod and HomePod mini are sailing now for Singapore. Orders for the devices kicked off today. Delivery and in-store availability should begin on Friday, April 6.
Verdy + Beats = Girls Don’t Cry Flex Edition
For noise a bit more personal, a piece from AppleInsider has word of a new set of Flex earbuds from Apple subsidiary Beats. The piece says “Beats by Dre is collaborating with Verdy’s ‘Girls Don’t Cry’ brand on a special edition” pair of the stoppers. “The upcoming earbuds come in blue with the signature red script of Girls Don’t Cry,” according to the piece, as well as “a detachable heart charm.” AppleInsider says:
The Girls Don’t Cry x Beats Flex edition will be available on March 31 in the Girls Don’t Cry shop and Dover Street Market in the US, UK, and Japan for $69.99. [Japanese graphic artist] Verdy will also launch a pop-up retail shop at Rise Above Gallery in Osaka, Japan, to celebrate the release.
You can catch a promo video for the release now on YouTube.
Apple Pay Network Sees Wednesday Afternoon Outage
The Apple Pay network took a power nap Wednesday afternoon/evening. AppleInsider says a number of users reported being unable to use associated services.
I will say — I made a rare midday trip to the store on Wednesday and had a problem with it. I could not pay with my iPhone and — naturally — assumed that the problem was with the store, not Apple Pay. Not so. AppleInsider says the Cupertino-company’s status page showed off-and-on outages for Apple Pay, including Apple Card and Apple Cash.
While the problem was widespread, it was also relatively short lived. The problems began around 1:15 Pacific/4:15 Eastern. Apple listed the issues as resolved an hour and forty-minutes later.
Code in iOS 16.5 Beta Indicates Multiview Feature for Apple TV App
And finally today, folks have found another feature in this week’s iOS 16.5 beta. That landed in developers’ hot little laptops Tuesday — just one day after the release of iOS 16.4 and its ilk.
What’s new? A multifaceted, “multiview” experience for Apple TV, according to a piece from 9to5Mac. Picture-in-picture has been a thing for a bit. But, the piece says:
Code references first spotted by Steve Moser in the iOS 16.5 betas describe a new “Multiview” experience for the Apple TV app, supporting up to four simultaneous streams at once.
Are you ready for some football, and some other football, and some other football, and still more football? According to the report:
Quad-box [picture-in-picture] streaming is a feature already offered by some third-party apps, like ESPN and FuboTV on tvOS, so it would make sense that Apple wants to match that experience for its own sports streaming.
Major League Excitement! Assuming you like sports and assuming it happens. While hints in code are indicative, they’re not a guarantee. No word on the feature on the horizon from Apple.
Today on The Mac Observer’s Daily Observations Podcast
TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts and I talk over the remoteness of WWDC and what the world can expect. Plus — Glitches with Apple Pay and (maybe) Apple Podcasts. AND — our first impressions of Apple Music Classical. That’s all today on the Daily Observations Podcast from The Mac Observer.