Apple WWDC 2023: All You Need To Know

Apple delivered a typically understated WWDC 2023, featuring updates across the board.

In addition to the flamboyance surrounding the Vision Pro augmented reality headset, Apple delivered a typically understated WWDC 2023, featuring updates across the board for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and even its suite of audio and home products. Notably, they provided fresh enhancements to the Mac Pro, now powered by Apple Silicon, unveiled the 2nd generation Mac Studio, and introduced the 15” MacBook Air, touted by Apple as the world's best laptop of its size.

Introduced last year, the MacBook Air already showcased the strength of the new M2 processor. This latest iteration has successfully transplanted the favourable features of its 13-inch predecessor into a more expansive 15-inch screen laptop, without diluting hardware specifications. Launched in India at a slightly elevated Rs 134,990, it nonetheless boasts the accolade of being the thinnest 15-inch notebook in the world, sporting a sub-12mm thickness and a weight of only 1.5 kg. It further claims a laudable 18-hour battery life.

Furthermore, the Mac Studio has been refreshed, now harnessing the power of the M2 Max and M2 Ultra processors. These represent Apple's most powerful chipsets to date, built upon a 2nd generation TSMC 5nm fabrication process. The M2 Ultra notably features a 24-core CPU, a 60-core GPU, and a 32-core neural engine. These upgrades result in performance gains of 20%, 30%, and 40% in their respective departments compared to the formidable M1 Ultra. Furthermore, Apple has hyped up the extraordinary peak bandwidth of 192 GB, contending that it makes the Mac Studio an ideal solution for training transformer models. The M2 Max-powered Mac Studio begins at Rs 2,09,900, and there's also a new Mac Pro on offer featuring the same chipset.

Maintaining its distinctive 2019 design, a nod to a cheese grater motif, the new Mac Pro boasts enhanced I/O capabilities and support for PCIE cards, including graphics and sound cards. Interestingly, Apple announced that the M2 Ultra can replicate the functions of seven additional afterburner cards that users previously had to purchase separately for the Intel Xeon processor-powered Mac Pro. The starting price for the Mac Pro is a staggering Rs 7,29,900 for the tower enclosure model and Rs 7,79,900 for the rack enclosure model, each with basic specifications.

iOS 17 received a substantial update, with Apple revising the phone, FaceTime, and messages apps, introducing personalised contact posters, enhancing Home Screen customisation options, and adding a real-time transcript feature for voicemails. FaceTime now enables leaving video messages, and message searching has been improved with a voice message transcription feature.

AirDrop functionality has been extended with a new feature called NameDrop, allowing in-person sharing of contact details. Apple also announced a novel journaling app that uses machine learning to suggest writing topics based on daily events, as well as a standby screen that transforms the iPhone into a digital photo frame.

The previously named 'Hey Siri' now responds to 'Siri', and can handle back-to-back queries. Furthermore, the iPhone keyboard now utilises transformer models, enhancing its intelligence, alongside a revamped emoji interface and improved speech-to-text capabilities. CarPlay also received a minor enhancement building on top of updates to Airplay. Apple has added SharePlay inside CarPlay which means other iPhone users can start playing their music or run their apps that support SharePlay within a car.

WatchOS 10 witnessed perhaps the most significant software update. By twisting the Digital Crown, users now have access to a Smart Stack of widgets. Key apps like fitness, compass, maps, and timer received updates, with new complications. There are also new Watch faces like Palette, Snoopy, and Woodstock.

macOS Sonoma essentially incorporates the features introduced to iOS but with two major unique additions: a revealed widgets paradigm, and the ability to transform Safari websites into web apps, each with their own dock space and an almost native interface featuring a minimal toolbar – all without additional coding required from developers.

IPadOS received an update that allows for enhanced lock screen customisation, a feature first introduced in iOS last year. It also features a revamped stage manager interface. Lastly, Apple is bringing adaptive audio to the AirPods Pro, a fusion of transparency mode and noise cancellation. Leveraging Apple's machine learning capabilities, this mode adapts to user needs, helping to isolate or highlight sound as needed, and tailors personalised audio.

And of course, apart from this, there are minor updates to tvOS which involves the addition of FaceTime and the new Vision Pro headset which will be launching next year for $3,499.