WWDC 2024 is almost here. While historically this has been a software-focussed event, there have been hardware announcements in recent years – like when Apple unveiled the 15-inch MacBook Air and Silicon Mac Pro.
Following the reveal of their new iPads at the surprise Apple May Special Event, many believe that WWDC will be purely software driven. However, the rumour mill is still going round – so what are the rumours surrounding this year’s conference?
Mac Pro and Mac Studio
Mark Gurman is usually a reliable source – however, he didn’t think fresh iPads would come with the M4 chip… and then they did. Gurman also believes that the Mac Pro and Mac Studio won’t see an update until mid-2025 – though we’re not so convinced.
Considering that the M3 Max MacBook Pro now outdoes the Mac Pro for various tasks, they’re lagging behind. Plus, as these devices still feature the M2 chip, despite the M4 being available, they’re at risk of falling further behind in terms of performance.
Mac mini
Similarly, the Mac mini still comes with the M2 chip – so it’s definitely due an upgrade. A Bloomberg article suggests that it may be equipped with the M4 processor in 2024, with Gurman believing this will be in the second half of the year.
As Apple’s September Special Event is usually dedicated to iPhones and October Special Events are never a given, this may mean the new Mac mini appears at WWDC instead. As for its design and ports, these are anticipated to stay mostly the same, while performance will be improved via the M4 chip.
iMac
Could we see the return of the recently discontinued iMac Pro and 27-inch iMac? Research company Omdia has said that a 32-inch version of the iMac could arrive sometime in 2024, specifically with an LED screen.
What’s more, it’s expected that this will eventually be upgraded to an 42-inch OLED screen by 2027. Although this is quite some time away, it’s all part of Apple’s rumoured plan to transition all their displays to OLED in the coming years.
Software updates
While the hardware announcements are all just rumours, software is a guarantee at WWDC. So here’s everything we expect will get a mention:
- iOS 18 with AI focus
- iPadOS 18
- macOS 15
- watchOS 11
- tvOS 18
- visionOS 2
- HomePod Software 18
AI is expected to be prominent across the fresh software, including iOS 18, tvOS 18 and HomePad software version 18. macOS 15 is also predicted to gain AI capabilities, as well as new Accessibility features and a redesigned Calculator app. visionO2 2 is anticipated to see common issues fixed – and watchOS 11 may incorporate additional health and fitness features.
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