The tech giant used the kickoff of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference to preview upcoming changes to its software for laptops, smartphones and tablets. It was a mix of a morale booster for third-party developers to help boost the digital ecosystem for their devices and an opportunity to preview what it’s own software will do when it officially launches later this year. How will it change
Apple unveiled a buy-now-pay-later feature integrated into its Apple Pay offering and promised to expand CarPlay to more in-car functions.
Other changes surfaced on Monday, aimed at improving the favorite Apple offerings. The software change will allow the higher-end iPad to better multitask between different apps, introduce editing and recall capabilities to iMessage and enable iPhones to automatically use as webcams with their Apple computers, including There are low quality cameras.
After years of introducing new privacy and security features, Apple announced the so-called Passkey that will use its Touch ID and Face ID to create biometric verification for websites and apps.
The hardware highlight came with the introduction of Apple’s in-house silicon dubbed M2, with the chip previously announced to be used in the new MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, which the company says will replace previous versions. would be faster and more efficient. The completely redesigned 13.6-inch-screen MacBook Air laptop has a sharp-edged look in line with the latest iPhones and an improved camera. The Air will start at $1,199 and will go on sale next month.
By its very nature, the event, known as WWDC, never garnered as much attention as the iPhone event, yet new software features and policies could have far-reaching implications.
Monday’s Keynote is the highest-profile event for developers of the week-long event, held mostly online, via the company’s website and including 175 sessions. Apple invited several hundred people to attend in person at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., where they had to meet certain conditions around vaccination and testing.
Before turning to the pre-recorded presentation, Chief Executive Tim Cook personally greeted the crowd gathered outside: “It’s great to see you all in person.”
Two years ago, as the global pandemic was shutting down daily life for many, Apple helped set the tone for virtual gatherings around the world as it moved its massive convention-center event into a virtual one. Changed. The company served as an example to other companies and organizations that took their first steps into the new world of remote events.
The pandemic helped fuel record profits for Apple as workers and students bought laptops, iPhones and tablets to enhance their quarantine experience. The company’s first iPhone with 5G cellular-data capability generated record sales of $191 billion in the fiscal year that ended in September.
Hurt by parts shortages and factory closures in China related to COVID safety precautions, iPhone sales are expected to remain stable in the quarter compared to a year ago. Overall, analysts surveyed by FactSet forecast iPhone revenue to grow 6.2% this fiscal year, after climbing 39% in the past year.
The biggest areas of Apple’s growth this year are expected to come from the services segment, which includes the App Store and money generated from Apple’s advertising business. According to some estimates, sales of services could increase by about 17% to $80 billion. That would exceed sales of iPad and Mac computers combined, and second only to Apple’s iPhone business.
Those close to Apple looking for any clues about the company’s planned extended-reality headset were left disappointed. As expected, no plans came to fruition. Production of the device is expected to begin late this year or early next year, and will bring Apple’s most anticipated new product since the company’s Apple Watch debut in fall 2014.
The ability to edit sent text messages, or recall them, is a significant change to Apple’s iMessage service, which the company has built into one of the world’s most widely used social networks. Apple said users can edit or recall a message for up to 15 minutes after sending it. It will also be possible to mark text messages as unread on the platform.
Apple’s entry into buy-now-pay-later is likely to stir up more competition. The market for such services has exploded in recent years. The top five app providers downloaded through Apple’s App Store and Alphabet Inc.’s Google Play Store, which include Affirm and Klarna, collectively had an estimated 7.5 million monthly active users in May, up 44% from a year earlier. The growth of, according to the researcher sensor tower. Shares of Affirm Holdings Inc., a platform that offers installment payment plans for consumer purchases, fell more than 3% on Monday following Apple’s announcement.
Apple’s share price rose less than 1% on Monday.
Apple Pay Later will be available wherever Apple Pay is accepted online or in-app using the MasterCard network. The company said users will be able to split the cost of the purchase into four equal payments over six weeks without interest or fees.
Other changes to Apple Pay include allowing merchants to take payments between iPhone taps.
Apple’s car ambitions were also on display on Monday. The company said it is working with car makers, including Ford Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co., to expand the capabilities of its CarPlay, which connects users’ iPhones to the dashboards of their vehicles. The updated system would allow Apple’s systems to include some traditionally core features not touched by third-party systems, such as the instrument cluster behind the wheel.
Apple said CarPlay will enable users to tune the radio and change the car’s temperature without leaving CarPlay on—a longstanding complaint. Apple said vehicles with the new connectivity would be announced at the end of next year.