WWDC 2024 Live blog: All the latest Apple AI, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 news as it happens

Ready for a new iOS 18 font? 

A last-minute iOS and macOS leak claims that both could feature a new font, whether that’s a new default look or simply an option over and above the current default remains to be seen!

A time-honored tradition…

You didn’t think we’d forget about Apple event bingo, did you? Basic Apple Guy is back with the checklist of everything you should look out for during the event, can you score bingo?

What will the WWDC 2024 headline be?

One year ago, Apple wowed us with our first look at Apple Vision Pro. Despite the hype, it has slipped into relative obscurity since its launch earlier this year. But what will the headline announcement at this year’s event be, and can Apple make whatever it is stick this time? 

Odds are that Apple AI,  or Apple Intelligence, will be the big thing in 2024. 

Our friends at TechRadar are live on the ground, looks like a setup similar to 2023!

Influencers flock to Apple Park

Influencers are starting to file into Apple Park for WWDC 2024, including iJustine!

iPadOS 18 compatibility rumors!

According to the latest reports Apple’s iPadOS 18 update will drop support for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, the 2nd-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and the iPad 6. As with iOS 18, some of the biggest new upgrades will likely need a much newer device, possibly even the new M4 iPad Pro.

iOS 18 compatibility leaked!

Last-minute leaks regarding iOS 18 indicate that all of the iPhones that supported iOS 17 will also get the iOS 18 update, continuing Apple’s remarkable tradition of device longevity. However, there are rumors some of the best features, notably AI, will only be available on Apple’s iPhone 15 lineup. 

Control Center and Settings tweaks

They’re the beating heart of your iPhone and iPad, but the Control Center and Settings views on Apple’s mobile devices have hardly changed in years. iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 could be set to mix things up today though — Control Center will be more customisable, split across pages that you can place settings controls as you please, as well as getting a new music-playback widget, while the Settings app will be rearranged to focus on features that have become more commonly used over time. Searching settings is set to improve too — possibly via an AI-infused prompt system that will find a control or feature based on your needs, rather than what the precise feature is called.

Real iOS 18 customisation?

Finally?? From widgets to dynamic lockscreens, Apple has slowly been introducing more customization options to the iPhone software in recent years. But still we suffer under the tyranny of grid-based homescreens!

All rumors are pointing to this restriction finally lifting with iOS 18 however, with apps set to be freely placed anywhere on a screen, and icons also opened up to customization options. I might finally put a family photo as a wallpaper, now I’ll be able to arrange stuff around their faces!

Tim’s ready to cook!

Apple CEO Tim Cook up bright and early, as is tradition, building the hype train before the WWDC keynote kicks off a’proper later today.

An extra layer of iOS security with Face ID

Face ID is one of the most useful additions to the modern iPhone. Unlocking your device via facial recognition, it’s a safe and secure biometric barrier from unwanted access to your private files and messages.

But what if you want to go one step further, and lock apps behind Face ID on an individual basis? That looks set to be a feature of the new iOS 18 upgrade according to a new report, allowing you to add another biometric layer of protection to your device beyond the log in lock.

What’s the point? If you’ve ever unlocked your iPhone so that your kid can play Candy Crush, only to find they’ve sent a dumb selfie to your boss along the way, being able to lock down individual apps could keep prying eyes away from sensitive phone elements, even when you’re happily giving access to other portions of the iPhone experience.

No hardware, but an international launch for Vision Pro?

Vision Pro — lots of hype, but little love. Apple’s long-gestating AR / VR hybrid headset launched to great fanfare, but a restrictively high price and a lacking app library have meant it’s yet to really take off.

While that’s unlikely to change unless a massive price cut or weight-shaving hardware revision happens, Apple will likely be hoping that getting a few more users into its headset may lift the future fortunes of the device. It’s expected to today announce an international launch for Vision Pro, beyond the US shores it’s currently limited to. Perhaps putting it into more hands globally will see some intrepid third-party developers unlock a must-use feature Apple has yet to envision itself? Here’s hoping — I’m still sold on the dream of VR, even if the reality from Apple and its competitors has so far been half-baked.

Which iPhone generations will get iOS 18?

As new software rolls out, some older iPhones inevitably get left behind. And with iOS 18 bringing new AI features that rely on the most advanced features of Apple’s silicon, it’s thought that some devices may get cut out of the iOS 18 upgrade than usual.

An early leak puts a positive spin on things though: apparently, every iPhone that can run currently run iOS 17 will be eligible to jump to iOS 18. That means owners of the iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone SE 2022, as well iPhones 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. The iPhone 16 of course will get iOS 18 at launch, too.

But the devil may be in the details — other reports suggest that, when it comes to whatever new AI features are revealed (thought to be key to the overall update), only iPhone 15 Pro devices and above will get the full suite of artificial intelligence features. It’ll be one of the more severe software splits for Apple.

AI security — will it stay private?

Though Apple has been slow to capitalize on the AI boom, one area that it’s always lead the charge has been with security and privacy features. It does well to defend its users against app and website tracking, and puts a high value on an individual’s right to be as anonymous as tech allows for.

AI potentially changes this position, as so much of the heavy lifting of AI models is usually done server-side by mega computers, with outputs then sent back to a user over the internet. That’s a far cry from Apple’s own systems, which usually prioritize on-device processing.

It’s not clear yet how much of Apple’s AI processing will be done privately and securely on device, and how much will be filtered through cloud services — certainly, a large amount of what a standard user can recieve from ChatGPT (run by OpenAI, the AI company Apple is supposedly partnering with) takes place on servers via the cloud. Will the latest Apple silicon have enough neural processing power to handle this all on device? Will Apple run OpenAI’s model on its own cloud servers to control at least where your off-device processing happens? It’ll be a key point Apple will have to reassure users on.

The key AI features heading to your devices

If we know broadly what Apple’s approach is going to be to AI, how about the individual features set to land? Here’s some of the key additions we’re expecting to come to Apple’s apps:

• Photos: AI-based enhancements, such as Google Pixel style ‘Magic Eraser’ features to remove unwanted objects from an image, or to add user-defined edits to an image without direct manipulation by the user.
• Voice Memos: Automatic transcriptions of voice memos — another thing that Google phones and many third-party transcriptions apps have offered for a long time.
• Mail and Messages: AI will be able to compose appropriate replies to your messages automatically, ready for you to send in the Messages and Mail app. Mail will also be able to intelligently sort your mail based on its content, too.
• Emoji: AI generated emoji! For when that cartoon aubergine eggplant just doesn’t hit the spot, based on the content of the preceding messages. 
• Safari: Article summarizations, read out by Siri. There’s also rumor of an AI-powered ad blocker, which has worried many online publishers.
• Xcode: Auto-completing code based on a developer’s prompts. This one’s already being used internally, though it won’t reach third party developers for some time to come.

Apple Intelligence: What to expect

OK, so the focus is going to be on AI — that’s no surprise at this point. But what are the specifics of what’s going into Apple’s AI overhaul of its software and devices. Here are a few topline details that you should be aware of — based on the most up-to-date news and rumors we’ve seen ahead of the grand unveiling:

• It’s not fully homegrown — a partnership with OpenAI will bring a ChatGPT chatbot-style experience to Apple’s software, with voice assistant Siri the likely focal point.
• AI features will start as a beta offering, making them opt-in. You’ll need a newer device, like an iPhone 15 Pro or M1-generation Mac and above to take advantage of them.
• Existing Apple apps will get AI features built into them, rather than being all-new apps or services. Siri will be able to go deeper into these apps and intuitively use their features on your behalf, contextually aware of your needs.
• Don’t expect image or video generation, or AI song-making. Apple considers those sort of tools gimmicky — or at least not core to what will make its iPhone experience fundamentally better for the majority of its users.

Some early WWDC 2024 CarPlay announcements have already been made

Apple is getting some of its smaller news out of the way ahead of the keynote address at WWDC today. In a press release, it’s already revealed a suite of new accessibility features coming to CarPlay via iOS 18, improving Apple’s in car smart display system.

“Accessibility features coming to CarPlay include Voice Control, Color Filters, and Sound Recognition,” the release explains.

“With Voice Control, users can navigate CarPlay and control apps with just their voice. With Sound Recognition, drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing can turn on alerts to be notified of car horns and sirens.”

Color filters and bold text will also be introduced soon to aid those with visual impairments. Still no word of the wider “next-generation CarPlay” rollout teased at WWDC two years ago, though… 

AI is coming (if you’re ready for a beta-like experience)

The months leading up to WWDC has seen Apple come under fire from competitors and investors alike as it, at least from an outsider’s perspective, seems to have been caught off guard in regards to the wider tech industry’s AI acceleration.

That could all change today — Apple is expected to announce a partnership with OpenAI that will bring supercharged artificial intelligence features to Siri and other apps across Apple’s different device platforms.

But is it ready for the masses? Perhaps not for a while — Apple insider Mark Gurman has suggested that, even after the full iOS 18 launch in the Fall, AI features on Apple devices will be in a ‘beta’ state, suggesting Apple is still racing to catch up with this trend, even as it prepares to show its hand.

Read more: Apple Intelligence AI features for iOS 18 will be a beta test — even after full iOS 18 launch rolls out

How to watch WWDC 2024

The easiest way to watch Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote is via YouTube, as you’ll find the app on most platforms, whether that’s a TV or a game console. Apple showcases live events directly on the platform, and you can watch it below from 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST.

Read more: How to watch WWDC 2024 — iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, Apple Intelligence, and more

Here we go!

Hey there folks, Gerald Lynch, Editor in Chief for iMore kicking things off with the WWDC live blog this morning. We’re expecting a mammoth showcase from Apple today, as it looks to play catch-up in the AI arena that’s dominating the tech industry at the moment. We’ll be bringing you every announcement straight from the Cupertino stage, alongside our analysis of all the biggest news. We’ve heard rumor that it’s a two hour showcase today, so get settled in!