WWDC 2018 product wish list: iOS 12, New MacBook, iPad Pro 3

Updated on

The WWDC 2018 event is set to be one of the most important in the technology calendar, possibly leading to the unveiling of the the iPhone SE 2, iOS 12, a new Macbook, and an iPad Pro 3, among other surprises. Apple reserves this event for some of its most intriguing product releases, so it will be interesting to see what the consumer electronics giant has in store for the conference this year.

First and foremost, Apple could launch the successor to the diminutive iPhone SE at the WWDC 2018 event. Chinese sources indicate that the iPhone SE 2 will be powered by the existing A10 chipset, coupled with 2GB of RAM memory. 32 GB and 128 GB models will be made available, as Apple attempts to corner the affordable mobile market.

Pricing of the iPhone SE 2 is likely to be in the $499 ballpark, which means that Apple could rely on Touch ID for this unit. However, the display of the smaller Apple handset will be increased over the previous iteration, meaning that the iPhone SE 2 benefits from a 4.2-inch display.

WWDC 2018 will once more take place at the San Jose Convention Center in California, with some tipsters suggesting that it will get underway on in June 4. Apple will showcase updates to iOS, watchOS, macOS and tvOS, with iOS 12 particularly taking centre stage. However, it will also be interesting to see what the manufacturer has in store for the Apple Watch operating system, with the fourth generation of the smartwatch anticipated later this year.

Tickets for the WWDC 2018 event will be as difficult to get hold of as in previous years, with Apple relying on a lottery for distribution. However, Internet streams will cover the conference online, and no doubt millions will be watching to see what Apple has in store once more.

Another Chinese website has claimed that Apple will indeed launch the iPhone SE 2 at the WWDC 2018 event, and that the processor speed of the device will be significantly increased over its predecessor. Certainly based on early leaks, it seems that the iPhone SE 2 will be a particularly impressive smartphone.

iOS 12 will also be a particular highlight of the Californian conference, with the Apple mobile operating system providing a key clue to the makeup of the iPhone series. As always, iOS 12 will be linked with a wide variety of different updates and new innovations, but many of these will ultimately never find their way into the software itself.

One of the interesting innovations that has been particularly linked with iOS 12 is support for AirPlay 2. This will enable multi-room audio to be delivered; considered a potentially key feature for the brand new HomePod speaker from Apple. Performance and quality improvements to iOS 12 have already been confirmed, and this should make the music playback of Apple devices ring true in 2018.

We can also expect some augmented reality functionality to be included in iOS 12, with Apple having already expressed its enthusiasm for this concept in public statements. Apple will also beef up the security provisions included in iOS 12 by improving the parental controls that the system delivers.

It is hoped that iOS 12 will also enable multi-user FaceTime calls for the first time, and that this could then be included in both the iPhone series and Apple Watch range as well (even though this device uses a specialized version of the iOS operating system). This could then be coupled with the introduction of multiple user accounts to make the Apple operating system considerably more flexible than it is currently when iOS 12 reaches the public domain.

Another device that could be unveiled at the WWDC 2018 event is a new MacBook laptop. Apple has been the major player in the laptop computing range for quite some time, and the new MacBook is expected to refresh a range that is already extremely well regarded.

Some sources have suggested that the new MacBook will arrive well ahead of WWDC 2018, and that we can in fact expect the next series of laptops from Apple to be released in March. However, with the Apple Watch series also anticipated for release early in the year, it could be that Apple instead delays the new MacBook until the Californian conference.

Indeed, Forbes has already predicted that the new MacBook will indeed be unveiled at WWDC 2018, and we should keep our eyes peeled for the next Apple laptop at this conference. What will actually be delivered is debatable, with Apple choosing to invest resources in other product lines during 2018. But we will probably see the emphasis on Face ID from the iPhone X migrate to the new MacBook, with the screen resolution of the device possibly being increased as well.

The iPad Pro 3 will be another highlight of WWDC 2018, with Apple unveiling its next generation professional tablet at the event. Apple followers have been demanding major upgrades to this range over the last couple of years, and it seems that the Californian consumer electronics giant is ready to respond to these calls now.

Indeed, there have been rumors that the WWDC 2018 event could bear witness to a major unveiling of an iPad Pro 3 device. This would be similar to the iPhone X in scale, and would ensure that the iPad Pro 3 effectively rebooted the entire Apple tablet concept.

This means that the iPad Pro 3 is already been linked with a design that is somewhat similar to the iPhone X, meaning a slimming down of the bezels included in this tablet. Several of the features from the iPhone X and iPhone 8 releases will also migrate to the iPad Pro 3, meaning that 3D facial recognition technology via TrueDepth camera sensors and Animojis can also be anticipated.

The tablet niche has rather slowed down over the last 18 months, the iPad Pro 3 promises to be a concerted effort to reignite the tablet template, and could be a highlight of WWDC 2018.

Leave a Comment