Top Stories: One Month to WWDC, iOS 17 Rumor Recap, New AirPods Firmware, and More

[MacRumors]

The calendar has flipped to May, which means WWDC is right around the corner. There continues to be lots to talk about as far as rumors and expectations on both the software and hardware sides, so buckle up!

This week also saw a few somewhat unusual software updates from Apple, including the first-ever public Rapid Security Response updates, as well as an acknowledgment that recent firmware updates for various AirPods and Beats models address a security issue that could allow hackers access to your earphones. That's not all though, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!

One Month Until WWDC 2023: Here's What's Coming

WWDC 2023 is now just under a month away, and rumors are heating up. We've been hearing details about what we expect to see with iOS 17, watchOS 10, Apple's long-rumored headset, and more, so we've put together an overview to sum it all up as we enter the homestretch.

We've also recapped in more detail what we're expecting in iOS 17. The first iOS 17 beta should be made available to members of Apple's Developer Program moments after the keynote, while a public beta will likely be available in July for members of Apple's Beta Software Program. As usual, the update should be widely released in September.

Widgets Said to Be 'Central Part' of watchOS 10's Interface

Widgets will be a "central part" of watchOS 10 for the Apple Watch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his newsletter, he said users will be able to scroll through widgets for activity tracking, weather, stocks, calendar appointments, and more.

Gurman previously said watchOS 10 will be the biggest software update for the Apple Watch since the device first launched in 2015, with several "bigger enhancements."

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods

Apple this week released a new firmware version for the second-generation and third-generation AirPods, the original AirPods Pro, the second-generation AirPods Pro, and the AirPods Max.

Apple also released new firmware for the Beats Fit Pro and Powerbeats Pro. In a support document, Apple said the new firmware addresses a security vulnerability that could allow an attacker to gain access to the headphones.

Apple Releases Rapid Security Updates for iPhone and Mac

Apple released its first-ever public Rapid Security Response software updates this week for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1.

Rapid Security Responses are optional updates that provide important security fixes between normal iOS updates, allowing Apple to patch zero-day vulnerabilities and other critical flaws more quickly.

Apple Expected to Announce 15-Inch MacBook Air at WWDC

Apple plans to announce the 15-inch MacBook Air during its WWDC keynote on June 5, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple's supply chain has already started stockpiling the 15-inch MacBook Air ahead of its launch, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes. The laptop is expected to be available with the M2 chip, and no design changes have been rumored beyond the larger display size.

Apple Increases Trade-In Values for Select iPhones, iPads, and More

Apple this week increased trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., with a list of prices provided in our story.



Article Link: Top Stories: One Month to WWDC, iOS 17 Rumor Recap, New AirPods Firmware, and More

 

[vegetassj4]

Here come the courage...

 

[Realityck]

The calendar has flipped to May, which means WWDC is right around the corner. There continues to be lots to talk about as far as rumors and expectations on both the software and hardware sides, so buckle up!

Well at least we are getting close to the latest beta cycle going to RC this coming week for iOS/iPadOS/tvOS 16.5 and MacOS 13.4. This years rumors and predictions has been way more of a debate than prior years due to a slow down of product announcements from Apple. IMHO this WWDC 2023 is a big challenge for Apple to take on comparably. I hope it entertains and delights most of us, rather then the opposite due to excessive rumor mongers activity.

 

[buckeye78]

I want to see a major overhaul to the iWork suite, with deep AI integration to increase productivity. I tried Office 360 co-pilot, and it was a revelation. If Apple continues to fall behind on the AI front, then I fear for its future.

 

[Realityck]

I want to see a major overhaul to the iWork suite, with deep AI integration to increase productivity. I tried Office 360 co-pilot, and it was a revelation. If Apple continues to fall behind on the AI front, then I fear for its future.

Apple doesn’t market AI in the same context as Meta, MS, and Google, each with specific goals from another.

Apple's 'parade of horribles' is actually pretty great

Apple's March quarter was a bit like a movie with bad word of mouth, but then you actually see it, and you think it wasn't that bad. In fact, maybe it was… good?

www.macworld.com

While Apple is often portrayed as being “behind on AI” because it doesn’t have its own Siri chatbot in beta, the truth is that the company has been using machine-learning-based technology in all sorts of corners of its platform, from sensor analysis on the Apple Watch to face- and object-detection in the Photos app. As for other stuff–I’m looking at you, Siri–it’s hard to tell if Apple’s lost the plot or is just keeping everything secret until the moment it springs a new AI-driven Siri 2.0 on us all. But “weaving it in our products” is not a bad way to describe what Apple has done, thus far, with AI.

 

[Mr Rib]

I've already set myself up for a disappointment with my expectations (I am expecting Mac Pro / new pro display news, how silly of me to expect this at WWDC)

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I've already set myself up for a disappointment with my expectations (I am expecting Mac Pro / new pro display news, how silly of me to expect this at WWDC)

I think for Mac Pro and New Pro Display. We’re going to have to wait till October/November in Apple Fall Event after the new iPhones are announced in September.

Better to obtain a MacBook Air 15” next month tho

 

[sw1tcher]

Apple Expected to Announce 15-Inch MacBook Air at WWDC

Maybe we'll get an updated Mac Studio with M2 Max/Ultra chip too. Costco's having a sale on the current M1 Max and Ultra versions. Getting a head start on clearing out inventory?

Mac Studio - Apple M1 Max Chip - 512GB (2022)

Mac Studio - Apple M1 Max Chip - 512GB (2022)

www.costco.com

Mac Studio - Apple M1 Ultra Chip - 1TB (2022)

Mac Studio - Apple M1 Ultra Chip - 1TB (2022)

www.costco.com

 

[HorstBockman]

The AirPods Pro/Max firmware update also broke Accessibility>Headphone Accommodations. People like me with mild to moderate hearing loss need this feature to understand speech and enjoy music, whether it's via Bluetooth or in Transparency mode. My concern is that the feature was intentionally and permanently broken due to a patent dispute. $200 AirPods Pro was by far the least expensive, most flexible audio assistant on the market, by virtue of the support for audiograms and auto-switching between Apple devices. AirPods Pro audio quality is also far superior to $1700 hearing aids from Costco.

 

[Ja Di ksw]

The AirPods Pro/Max firmware update also broke Accessibility>Headphone Accommodations. People like me with mild to moderate hearing loss need this feature to understand speech and enjoy music, whether it's via Bluetooth or in Transparency mode. My concern is that the feature was intentionally and permanently broken due to a patent dispute. $200 AirPods Pro was by far the least expensive, most flexible audio assistant on the market, by virtue of the support for audiograms and auto-switching between Apple devices.

My AirPod max has started failing, hard, at connecting to anything since the update. I have to constantly reset it, and even then it often doesn’t connect. Thanks Apple, I really appreciate spending hundreds on something just for you to remotely break it.

 

[AppleFanBoyForever]

The calendar has flipped to May, which means WWDC is right around the corner. There continues to be lots to talk about as far as rumors and expectations on both the software and hardware sides, so buckle up!

This week also saw a few somewhat unusual software updates from Apple, including the first-ever public Rapid Security Response updates, as well as an acknowledgment that recent firmware updates for various AirPods and Beats models address a security issue that could allow hackers access to your earphones. That's not all though, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!

One Month Until WWDC 2023: Here's What's Coming

WWDC 2023 is now just under a month away, and rumors are heating up. We've been hearing details about what we expect to see with iOS 17, watchOS 10, Apple's long-rumored headset, and more, so we've put together an overview to sum it all up as we enter the homestretch.

We've also recapped in more detail what we're expecting in iOS 17. The first iOS 17 beta should be made available to members of Apple's Developer Program moments after the keynote, while a public beta will likely be available in July for members of Apple's Beta Software Program. As usual, the update should be widely released in September.

Widgets Said to Be 'Central Part' of watchOS 10's Interface

Widgets will be a "central part" of watchOS 10 for the Apple Watch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his newsletter, he said users will be able to scroll through widgets for activity tracking, weather, stocks, calendar appointments, and more.

Gurman previously said watchOS 10 will be the biggest software update for the Apple Watch since the device first launched in 2015, with several "bigger enhancements."

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods

Apple this week released a new firmware version for the second-generation and third-generation AirPods, the original AirPods Pro, the second-generation AirPods Pro, and the AirPods Max.

Apple also released new firmware for the Beats Fit Pro and Powerbeats Pro. In a support document, Apple said the new firmware addresses a security vulnerability that could allow an attacker to gain access to the headphones.

Apple Releases Rapid Security Updates for iPhone and Mac

Apple released its first-ever public Rapid Security Response software updates this week for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1.

Rapid Security Responses are optional updates that provide important security fixes between normal iOS updates, allowing Apple to patch zero-day vulnerabilities and other critical flaws more quickly.

Apple Expected to Announce 15-Inch MacBook Air at WWDC

Apple plans to announce the 15-inch MacBook Air during its WWDC keynote on June 5, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple's supply chain has already started stockpiling the 15-inch MacBook Air ahead of its launch, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes. The laptop is expected to be available with the M2 chip, and no design changes have been rumored beyond the larger display size.

Apple Increases Trade-In Values for Select iPhones, iPads, and More

Apple this week increased trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., with a list of prices provided in our story.



Article Link: Top Stories: One Month to WWDC, iOS 17 Rumor Recap, New AirPods Firmware, and More

WWDC is no longer what it used to be. I would wait with anticipation to hear and see what Steve Jobs would announce. Lately in my opinion, things are lackluster. Steve did leave Apple with the best successor to drive the company forward. Yet the magic seems to have dissipated. Despite all the glorious videos on the Apple campus to wow us with updates that are revolutionary I somehow feel the magic is gone. Probably because I’m an old geezer. Oh well.😌

 

[Realityck]

WWDC is no longer what it used to be. I would wait with anticipation to hear and see what Steve Jobs would announce. Lately in my opinion, things are lackluster. Steve did leave Apple with the best successor to drive the company forward. Yet the magic seems to have dissipated. Despite all the glorious videos on the Apple campus to wow us with updates that are revolutionary I somehow feel the magic is gone. Probably because I’m an old geezer. Oh well.😌

Even if Covid 19 did spoil the in-person presentations that Apple used there is denying how the tech industry decided to change things up and go with more video productions of keynotes for announcements/trade shows and specific technical presentations for their developers that were that much more valuable to have existing. Yes we fondly remember these past more intimate WWDC keynotes and MacWorld demonstrations from San Francisco, but now we first need to return to what it was like before all of that, and we still aren't quite there. But recently its a while lot better then it was just a year ago.

 

[tomekwsrod]

While Apple is often portrayed as being “behind on AI” because it doesn’t have its own Siri chatbot in beta, the truth is that the company has been using machine-learning-based technology in all sorts of corners of its platform,

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are two closely related but distinct fields.

 

[nt5672]

....

While Apple is often portrayed as being “behind on AI” because it doesn’t have its own Siri chatbot in beta, the truth is that the company has been using machine-learning-based technology in all sorts of corners of its platform, from sensor analysis on the Apple Watch to face- and object-detection in the Photos app. As for other stuff–I’m looking at you, Siri–it’s hard to tell if Apple’s lost the plot or is just keeping everything secret until the moment it springs a new AI-driven Siri 2.0 on us all. But “weaving it in our products” is not a bad way to describe what Apple has done, thus far, with AI.

But that does not explain how terribly bad basic function like file system search are. Heck `grep` beats Spotlight every single time, except for speed and speed means nothing if the correct results are not found. Finder search rarely finds files I know are on my system. If Apple can not get such basic functions working correctly, then something complicated like AI does not have a chance.

 

[Realityck]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are two closely related but distinct fields.

The term AI is really being abused lately IMHO.

reference
AI = AI is computer software that mimics the ways that humans think in order to perform complex tasks, such as analyzing, reasoning, and learning.
Machine learning = is a subset of AI that uses algorithms trained on data to produce models that can perform such complex tasks

Anything that automates how a device functions such as a 8k TV upscaling content using multiple algorithms is labeled AI. But that is actually machine learning. Guess we get to blame this industry as using buzz word to help sell themselves in this marketplace.

 

[ChrisA]

It's so funny how everyone here expects WWDC to be all about product announcements. That is NOT the main purpose of the event. But from all the comments here you'd think otherwise.

WWDC is a developer's conference. People go there and watch online to learn how to use Apple tools to create software. The event is not really targeted at consumers.

If they do announce products the purpose is to show developers what new things their software can run on. SOme years ago the message was "We are moving to Apple Silicon, here is how to use it." This year, I bet it is "We have this new platform called AR Goggles, and here is how to create apps for them."

Adding one more available screen size to a notebook line has little effect on developers and I doubt Apple will talk much about that.

Thre will mostly be tutorial sessions that talk about how to use core features of macos like location service and core-audio and other things that consumers don't care about.

 

[Realityck]

It's so funny how everyone here expects WWDC to be all about product announcements. That is NOT the main purpose of the event. But from all the comments here you'd think otherwise.

Is it from the forum members or is it the bias derived from too many MacRumor articles that promise the moon?

If I was going to blame Apple against one thing, it would be since Jan 17th there hasn't been any new hardware announcements still. Maybe this next 2 weeks would be a good time to do it before the WWDC.

 

[xbjllb]

Wake me when the Mac Pro is out.😴

 

[macaddiict]

that does not explain how terribly bad basic function like file system search are [...] search rarely finds files I know are on my system

This is such a huge, concerning issue that has been getting worse and worse for me over the last 5 years or so. I can have something visible on screen, copy it's title into the search field, and it will say no results...

Not to mention I asked Siri to find a note tagged #research - Siri searched for capital-R #Research and found zero results. I mean, come on.

 

[dwaite]

I think for Mac Pro and New Pro Display. We’re going to have to wait till October/November in Apple Fall Event after the new iPhones are announced in September.

They're both items that will wind up launching when they are "ready". The two fall events usually target filling the sales channel with consumer items during their most profitable quarter. When they do target product launches in March, they are usually off to school/or edu sales channel items.

If they were to target an event - the Pro Display XDR is actually not the best fit for a WWDC launch. Instead I'd expect them to target something like NAB (October in NYC, fwiw)

 

[Mr. Dee]

This is gonna be a dead boring month when it comes to rumors.

 

[npmacuser5]

Any software update with a period in front should be limited to bug, performance, or security. All new product features would wait until the next No period update. Would solve a huge amount of software OS stability problems. Common sense would say, adding more features on an already unstable OS, insanity. Where we are today.

 

[Realityck]

Any software update with a period in front should be limited to bug, performance, or security. All new product features would wait until the next No period update. Would solve a huge amount of software OS stability problems. Common sense would say, adding more features on an already unstable OS, insanity. Where we are today.

The only problem with that is that some features are not perfected in time of the initial launch of the OS. Some things are partial disabled until they come back to the feature that needs more extensive testing which might be across multiple .x versions. Stage Manager, Universal Control, HomeKit are all examples of several OS's each with some degree of involvement with whats being implemented.

That degree of involvement didn't exist in previous OS batch releases, but now Apple is looking at multiple device categories when implementing new features.

 

[npmacuser5]

The only problem with that is that some features are not perfected in time of the initial launch of the OS. Some things are partial disabled until they come back to the feature that needs more extensive testing which might be across multiple .x versions. Stage Manager, Universal Control, HomeKit are all examples of several OS's each with some degree of involvement with whats being implemented.

That degree of involvement didn't exist in previous OS batch releases, but now Apple is looking at multiple device categories when implementing new features.

My point, even if the not perfected features seem ready, putting them on top of a half baked OS will not help their cause. OS solid before any new features are added, the simple explanation.