WWDC 2023 Rumor Report Card: The Biggest Hits and Misses

[Saturn007]

My predictions were spot on.

I predicted that some of the rumors would be wrong — and I was right!

P.S. ”Reality Pro” would have been a very poor name — and drawn much opprobrium. The notion that a visor projecting digital images could be equated with *reality* would have generated scholarly and social derision — and been fodder for late night shows. (May well be, anyway…)

 

[msackey]

Picked up my Disney edition today,..thanks Apple, lovin' it! I didn't think it was being released until 2024? 🤷‍♂️

I LOVE THAT! Ahahaha! I remember those toys. Way back then, we kids really did feel like we were immersed into a new world when we peeked into those lenses. How times have changed! I suppose it's also a commentary on expectations. I guess almost no kid in today's USA would feel peeking into those lens would make them feel like they're in a different world; they might say that toy is "stooopid". LOL.

 

[F27]

I think it's good. "Reality" is heavily used already and will become obsolete in the future as a marketing instrument. "Vision" is built around the idea that what you are seeing/sensing is the "device" and can be adopted to future products that go away from the form of a ar/vr-headset. In this concept that current headset is a throwaway-product for the sake of progress.

The thing for me is Vision sounds like it’s a corrective product for you eyes. It’s not aiding Vision or improving Vision. The word always tends to imply a medical element.

 

[msackey]

I also can’t believe that there were no Wallet updates…

I haven't been able to go through all the plethora of Macrumors article on the new software etc., but really, no Wallet updates? NOTHING? Ugh! Looks to me that Wallet can really be improved. I think top on my list would be to natively be able to add loyalty cards and similar to the wallet. There's no native way to do that and you would that for any everyday person (i.e., not someone who is necessary a tech wizard or Apple fan), that would help in making the Apple Wallet more useful and make the carrying of a physical wallet less desirable! Ah well....

 

[pp_amorim]

OK, how we gonna add external input to the Vision Pro?

 

[User 6502]

You forgot one of the biggest miss. The design (which we got feed up seeing it and thanks god it didn't turn out to be the case)

This is the one that was used most of the times by Macrumors and it hardly looks anything like it.

It takes some serious courage to say they don’t look alike. The render was spot on and it couldn’t have been closer to the actual thing. For something created from a description and not a picture of the product.

 

[darngooddesign]

OK, how we gonna add external input to the Vision Pro?

 

[canyonblue737]

That started with the 3G, the original iPhone launched at $599.

right you are... I forgot about the first year where people criticized how expensive the iPhone was ($599!) and that led to the idea to have carriers subsidize it.

 

[newyorksole]

I haven't been able to go through all the plethora of Macrumors article on the new software etc., but really, no Wallet updates? NOTHING? Ugh! Looks to me that Wallet can really be improved. I think top on my list would be to natively be able to add loyalty cards and similar to the wallet. There's no native way to do that and you would that for any everyday person (i.e., not someone who is necessary a tech wizard or Apple fan), that would help in making the Apple Wallet more useful and make the carrying of a physical wallet less desirable! Ah well....

I’m super surprised too! crazy.

that and other changes that were rumored would be very welcome.

maybe in a 17.1 version? lol I hope.

 

[Gasu E.]

I'm just surprised how close it looks to that render that was used all the time.

View attachment 2214212

I'm glad someone mentioned this. I wonder if the render was actually based on a real early Apple design concept.

 

[BvizioN]

It takes some serious courage to say they don’t look alike.

Not really, all it takes is a couple of eyes with not such a terrible vision (no pun intended).

 

[MuppetGate]

Small thing, but I would’ve liked Medications to keep track of the pills you take and remind you when you’re running low.

 

[sjsharksfan12]

I love that this scorecard is a thing. I apologize for being hard on Mark Gurman, but he became the "de-facto" apple guy leading up to the keynote and it was actually starting to get a little annoying. He actually did get quite a few things right. Still, it is great to take the rumors leading up to the event and compare them to what the event actually says. Also, Vision Pro is a lot better of a title than Reality OX or whatever other ideas people were coming up with. I guess it just rolls off the tongue better.

 

[zach-coleman]

That started with the 3G, the original iPhone launched at $599.

Don’t forget that like 90 days after release they cut the price of the 16GB version by like $200.

 

[ibeginner]

Another mention xrOS in WWDC session

 

[Ghost31]

In what universe being tethered to a battery looks better than something smaller and lighter that isn’t?

The alternative is that big ass battery being on your head. Yeah. They obviously made the smart move and i can’t imagine a single person interested in this passing on it because there’s an external battery pack. Yeah lets just disregard breakthrough technology because there’s a cord to it

 

[darngooddesign]

In what universe being tethered to a battery looks better than something smaller and lighter that isn’t?

A universe where the lighter headset is more comfortable, batteries are quickly hot swap-able, and Apple’s user testing demonstrated this was preferable to a heavier headset.

 

[Jensend]

A couple of my predictions that turned out right

" I could also see them announcing a partnership with Disney to bring 3D content to Disney+"
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/3d.2390078/post-32181827

"With eye tracking, you could do most of the pointing with your eyes, and just hold your hand in your lap and tap your forefinger and thumb together to click something."
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...or-apples-ar-vr-headset.2390822/post-32195637

 

[Jensend]

Gruber was correct: it does look goofy and non humane as every reviewer using it confirmed. It does make little sense to add cost to an already expensive device, and it does make even less sense to incur in extra battery life drain, especially considering they couldn’t fit the battery in the damn thing and despite being external it still only last about two hours. Apple decided to do it anyway, but his comments made and make a lot of sense.

No reviewer had actually tried that feature.

It does seem unnecessary to me, though. The important part is that the wearer of the VR headset can see other people in their real world environment, not that other people can see the eyes of the person wearing the headset.
I can interact with someone wearing dark sunglasses without seeing their eyes.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Check out the WWDC23 Session mentioning xrOS.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1666527866471821312

Source: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2023/10012/

 

[tennisproha]

The September event is the true reveal of the software updates. WWDC only shows off some flagship features — even less so in this event where every OS preview was short to leave an hour for Vision Pro.

Most of the features will be found in the developer previews, not announced by Apple. Some will pop up in the dev preview after the September event.

I haven't kept track of how they previously separate announcements on updates and features between WWDC and hardware keynotes but my understanding was if the updates are relevant to new hardware features, they hold those back for September.

Regarding control center and wallet, I can't imagine what hardware related upgrades would be tied to those for them to hold back on announcing them now.

 

[Mac_Cat]

The new Mac Studio bit came too late to count as a hit, IMO. It was the more persistent rumor around here that we wouldn’t see an update this year — if at all — that led me to go for a new Mini instead of waiting. C’est la vie, I guess!

I agree, but they really needed the Mac Studio in the line up, so that it can stand out from the Mac Pro.
But, what I really hate about their WWDC announcements is the lack of application examples. I realize, it's a pitch to get Developers interested in the new platforms.

What struck me as odd, is that Apple didn't even mention CarPlay, which some car companies are dumping. (Sad, that was the only feature that kept me interested in a new car . . . . )

 

[Mac_Cat]

CarPlay should be leading to an Apple EV Car.
If I ever buy another car, CarPlay will be a feature I value highly.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

Both are fine as they are IMO, why fix something that doesn't need fixing, just to cater to a couple of people

Wow. Just because it works for you doesn’t mean it does for everyone. Couple of people. Pfft. 😂

 

[Superman041]

AirDrop that decides to work when it wants? Half the time it's a lottery whether your other Apple devices appear in Command center.