[Apple WWDC] Tim Cook Meets Avatar Audience... No Clues on New 'MacBook Pro'

July 7 (local time) WWDC2021 Opening
Introduction of OSs including iOS15 to be released in the second half
Online meeting with emoji developers

Apple CEO Tim Cook appeared at 10 a.m. on the 7th (local time in Cupertino, USA) for the globally live-streamed Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 21 (WWDC21) keynote speech. Millions of developers transformed into avatar "emojis" attended as the audience.

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Cha] "Our new operating system (OS) will enrich users' lives and provide developers with tools to change the world."

Apple CEO Tim Cook stated this during the keynote speech of Apple's 'Worldwide Developers Conference 21 (WWDC21)' broadcast live worldwide at 10 a.m. on the 7th (local time in Cupertino, USA). Millions of developers worldwide, transformed into avatars called 'emojis' in a kind of virtual space, also attended as the audience. However, contrary to industry expectations that Apple would unveil new hardware such as MacBook Pro equipped with Apple's own System on Chip (SoC) M1 or Apple augmented reality (AR) glasses, only new OS versions were announced.

The Opening of Developers' Festival

The keynote speech, which lasted a total of 1 hour and 46 minutes, featured more than 10 speakers including CEO Tim Cook. Apple will conduct WWDC online for about a week starting with the keynote speech, just like last year. The new OS versions were released as beta versions on this day and will be available to developers in July and to the public in the fall.

In his keynote, CEO Tim Cook emphasized, "Apple has been working to nurture the next generation of developers. We have supported those who have not been prominent in the technology field." Apple operates entrepreneur camps for Black and female developers and runs developer academies in more than 10 locations worldwide, including Detroit. They provide coding education for future developers.

He added, "This year, we have come with another online experience, preparing more than 200 in-depth sessions and one-on-one labs with Apple engineers," and said, "We will provide you with the tools you need to create the most innovative Apple applications in the world."

Only New OS Announced... No Hardware Devices

This year's WWDC focused on the essence of unveiling new OS versions: iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. WWDC is basically operated with the goal of previewing the operating systems that will be installed on new products in the second half of the year, such as iOS and macOS, to app developers. The core changes in the OS this fall include sharing, personalization, and multitasking features tailored to the contactless era.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Accordingly, contrary to industry expectations, no new Apple devices were unveiled. Previously, at the 2019 WWDC, a new Mac Pro was exceptionally announced, leading to speculation that this year, laptops like the MacBook Pro or Apple Glasses equipped with cutting-edge AR technology might be revealed. The IT specialty magazine MacRumors cited a Wedbush Securities investor memo reporting, "Apple plans 'a few surprises,' including the announcement of a new MacBook Pro." There were also forecasts that a new iPad would be unveiled.

Easier Video Calls on iOS... Enhanced Privacy Protection

For example, iOS 15, the OS for the iPhone smartphone, redesigns the video call feature 'FaceTime.' It separates voices to filter out noise and changes the overall layout to increase focus on the speaker. Video playback and sharing functions within FaceTime are also enhanced. Notifications prioritize using machine learning. Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, explained, "We focused on four core values: staying connected, finding focus, using knowledge, and exploring the world."

In iOS, the Apple Wallet app, a 'virtual wallet,' is strengthened. Functions continue to be updated through Apple Pay and transit cards, with car key and hotel key features added. Starting this fall, identification recognition functions such as driver's licenses will also be included.

Apple is redesigning 'FaceTime,' the video calling feature, in iOS 15, the operating system for iPhone.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

In particular, Apple plans to introduce various privacy protection features following its efforts on app tracking transparency. Users can hide their IP, location, and whether they opened an email in the Mail app. Apple's internet browser 'Safari' also hides IP addresses. Attempts to access from outside can be checked in the Privacy Report. Federighi said, "Nothing is more important than security today," adding, "We must protect privacy and give users transparency and control over their information."

Additionally, Apple unveiled macOS for the desktop iMac, iPadOS for the tablet PC iPad, and watchOS for the smartwatch Apple Watch. They introduced 'Xcode Cloud,' a continuous integration cloud service, and improvements to the programming language 'Swift.' By supporting concurrency in Swift, developers can write code more easily.