Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
M2 MacBook Air Said to Be Among Most Likely WWDC Hardware Announcements, Apple AR/VR Headset Unlikely
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I can’t see $3k VR goggles selling well. The big question is, can Apple create something that will offer consumers a game-changing experience from what’s already on the market today? Recent history says not likely.
And every year people forget that Apple does announce hardware at WWDC when it suits them. They have often announced hardware if they think that it is of interest to developers or sometimes if it is just a convenient time to announce.
They don’t usually announce a lot of hardware products though and I doubt they will this year, either. This year is the 2 year anniversary of them announcing Apple Silicon and committing to migrating all of their products to it within 2 years. I would expect them to announce the last product at WWDC, the Map Pro with an AS chip. They might take this as a time to announce an M2 chip to show a commitment to the ongoing evolution of the M-series. I think it is less likely that they would announce a lot of products using that M2, yet. More of a peek at their plans.
This is a list of hardware that was released or announced at WWDC over the years.
- Power Mac G5 (2003)
- Aluminum Cinema displays (2004)
- Mac Pro (2006)
- iPhone 3G (2008)
- iPhone 3GS (2009)
- iPhone 4 (2010)
- 15-inch MacBook Pro (2012)
- Mac Pro (2013)
- HomePod (2017)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac Pro (2019)
- Apple Silicon (2020)
History of hardware at WWDC: Every device launched at Apple’s developer conference in the last few years
A look back at some of the hardware announcements made by Apple at WWDC, its biggest software event of the year.
indianexpress.com
That list is incomplete too.This is a list of hardware that was released or announced at WWDC over the years.
- Power Mac G5 (2003)
- Aluminum Cinema displays (2004)
- Mac Pro (2006)
- iPhone 3G (2008)
- iPhone 3GS (2009)
- iPhone 4 (2010)
- 15-inch MacBook Pro (2012)
- Mac Pro (2013)
- HomePod (2017)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac Pro (2019)
- Apple Silicon (2020)
History of hardware at WWDC: Every device launched at Apple’s developer conference in the last few years
A look back at some of the hardware announcements made by Apple at WWDC, its biggest software event of the year.
Since WWDC no longer has a captive audience of app developers during the keynote - anything is fair game. The keynote is a marketing venue for anything they want to promote.
I bet he is one of those guys that has a lot of stuff stuck on the ceiling too.
Never say never until we know. I like to see if they indeed have a quad SoC arrangement in the Pro
Yep.
Edit: I was wrong!
Last edited:
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
What if the Mac Pro, MB All, Mac mini, M2-M3-M4 Macs are all "IN' there? In other words, if you have super high resolution screens to basically fool eyes into seeing whatever you want to show them and great sound to fool ears into hearing whatever you want them to hear, what if you leapfrog world supply chain issues (and costs) and deliver everything Apple can dream in a VR/AR desktop provided by the googles?
Seem far-fetched? See this simulated here and there in this video...
That kind of (seemingly very desirable functionality) is what I keep thinking must be in $3K goggles/glasses.
Now you spend $3K and you gain access to your own Mac Pro that is anywhere you and your goggles/glasses go... as is any size screen(s)... any kind of sound system... big screen TV... front-row tickets to any event... etc. iPhone next? who need iPhone fold when virtual iPhone can be dynamically stretched into any size? iPad next? 100% made AND virtually manufactured in Cupertino (no supply chain, no locked down labor issue, no environmental impacts, no shipping issues), purchased in the Goggle/Glasses store, immediately usable and always with you (if goggles/glasses are always with you). Big horsepower processing done in iCloud, goggles/glasses must simply show the RESULTing screen imagery... much like watching a streaming movie... or having a powerful computer run the game and "throw" (airplay) it to the big TV nearby where you play it.
In short: if we think beyond Oculus gaming, there's a whole lot of value that could be in there that could make $3K seem like a bargain. And if Apple can cut all manufacturers out of getting their cuts of making tangible products, virtual Apple "stuff" becomes a very profitable new business... and a massive "services" business.
Last edited:
I was thinking dual M-UltraNever say never until we know. I like to see if they indeed have a quad SoC arrangement in the Pro
MacBook Air also saw a refresh at WWDC 2017, in addition to the 12" MacBook and iMac. MacBook Pro and iPad Pro (if you really want to call that a “pro” product) were also refreshed.
I don’t discount the benefits of VR/AR as my previous posts have shown. What I question is if Apple can do much more than what’s already on the market today to justify $3k goggles. Also, I don’t know how they’ll do both AR/VR with a single pair of goggles. No one will wear them for AR outside the home, that’s for sure. Maybe they’ll get there in 10 years, but their recent history of product launches doesn’t inspire confidence that they’ll leapfrog the competition like they used to when Steve was around.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I'm with you on this. If it's basically Apple Oculus for about 10X Oculus price, fanboys slay each other to buy and be "first" and then it dies on the virtual vine.
I simply think that if it has taken this long to get to the "big reveal" (6+ years or rumors about it), it must be much more than Apple Oculus. The repeating rumor of $3K implies that too.
My imagination has put a fully-functional virtual Mac + Phone + Tablet + Any-size screen TV in there from as long as I've been commenting on it. If maybe iMac Pro is in there for "only $3K", I think "insane" pricing like $3K transforms into "bargain."
Personally, I laid out $6K for Studio Ultra and $2K for ultra-wide monitor in the last few months. Both will pretty much live out their useful lives sitting in a single spot in my home. If both could always be with me wherever I go and whenever I want to use them (inside Goggles/Glasses), the value of them to me anyway would be several times what I paid for them... + $3K to make that happen.
I simply think that if it has taken this long to get to the "big reveal" (6+ years or rumors about it), it must be much more than Apple Oculus. The repeating rumor of $3K implies that too.
My imagination has put a fully-functional virtual Mac + Phone + Tablet + Any-size screen TV in there from as long as I've been commenting on it. If maybe iMac Pro is in there for "only $3K", I think "insane" pricing like $3K transforms into "bargain."
Personally, I laid out $6K for Studio Ultra and $2K for ultra-wide monitor in the last few months. Both will pretty much live out their useful lives sitting in a single spot in my home. If both could always be with me wherever I go and whenever I want to use them (inside Goggles/Glasses), the value of them to me anyway would be several times what I paid for them... + $3K to make that happen.
Last edited:
Ok, I remember some discussing the possible production starting up for MBP in April/May, but not seeing him.
But this year saying the M2 redesigned MacBook Air is the most likely at WWDC 2022 is a long shot compared to Apple telling us the Mac Pro is what they will release next.
M2 has been rumored every 14. days for 2 years now on Macrumors.com - keep it up... at some point you will hit it.
You can literally easily search and find out that this is just not true.
2008-2010 the iPhones, targeted at regular consumers, were announced at WWDC.
In 2012 Apple introduced the IvyBridge MacBook Air… At WWDC.
In 2013 Apple introduced the haswell MacBook Air… At WWDC.
In 2017 Apple introduced an updated version of not only the 12 inch macbook which was their least powerful computer, but also a spec bump to the MacBook Air, and a spec bump to the standard iMac, and the first HomePod.
None of these were products aimed at developers.
Sure, Apple usually doesn’t announce regular consumer products at WWDC, but it’s not unheard of.
Plus, this will be Apple‘s first event where they’re actually inviting people to their campus since September 2019, and they registered a laptop computer in the Eurasian database all the way back in February.
So no, it’s not really *that* unlikely.
Add to the list the mid-2009 13" MBP, introduced at WWDC in Jun-09 and which I am hoping to replace very, very soon.
I really wouldn't mind if they announced the MBA. I've been super excited about that since the first rumors about it getting a redesign and coming in colors. Contrary to a lot of people here, I'm also happy with the rumored white bezels and keyboard ever since I saw those on my partner's iMac.
That being said, my wallet also wouldn't mind the MBA coming later this year xD
That being said, my wallet also wouldn't mind the MBA coming later this year xD
I’ll believe it when I see it.
it‘s a dev conference first so unveiling consumer level computers seems very unlikely And clashes a bit with that principl.
Mac Pro announcement I can believe but this redesigned MacBook Air and Mac mini will be an autumn thing I believe.
it‘s a dev conference first so unveiling consumer level computers seems very unlikely And clashes a bit with that principl.
Mac Pro announcement I can believe but this redesigned MacBook Air and Mac mini will be an autumn thing I believe.
I’d love to see the MacBook Air in color like that. It’s awesome
On the other hand, you really think they’re going to launch a purely consumer product at WWDC? 🤔
On the other hand, you really think they’re going to launch a purely consumer product at WWDC? 🤔
Last edited:
YES! Let's manifest this please!
I'd immedieatly make sure Apple's balance sheet of that quarter will be be increased by ~15-20k revenue (heck I am ready to order a Pro XDR Display with it…)