He suggests that iOS 16 bring “significant improvements in all areas, including an update to alerts and new health monitoring features.” While he says a complete redesign of the iOS interface is unlikely, many new features and changes are expected. Apple’s new iOS 16 also has the internal code name “Sydney”, he added. The Apple Watch series may also receive major changes with watchOS 9, including “activity upgrades and health tracking”. Gurman has also hinted in the past that Apple will release three new smartwatches in the Apple Watch series later this year.
What about Apple MR (augmented reality) headphones?
But he added that Apple is unlikely to announce the Mixed Reality headset in June this year. The headphones have been the subject of various leaks and rumors for over a year now and while the release seems to be approaching, Gurman suggests that it is not in this WWDC. “I was told that the beta versions of iOS 16 – codenamed Sydney – are full of references to the headset and its interactions with the iPhone,” he said. “This suggests that the headset will be released during the iOS 16 cycle, which starts in June and runs until iOS 17 in the fall of 2023. But it could also suggest that Apple could preview some of the the upcoming augmented and virtual reality software earlier “, he pointed out. Meanwhile, there is no word on what to expect with the iPadOS 16. While Apple tablets have become more powerful than ever with the introduction of the company’s M1 chip in many models across the range, many users have complained that the software remains the only obstacle that prevents them from using the full potential of tablets. Apple could change that with the iPadOS 16, which may or may not be announced during WWDC 2022. Expected changes include a software experience based on the performance of the M1 chip, which brings Apple tablets more close to MacBooks in terms of power.
