WWDC Dates Locked In & Early Expectations, DOJ Sues Apple, New Basic AF

I hope you’re doing well. Here’s what I have for you in this edition:

• WWDC Dates Locked In

• Early Expectations for the Conference

• Interested in a Keynote Recap on Zoom with the Community?

• The Latest Episodes of Basic AF

• DOJ Sues Apple and Other News in the Roundup

 📆 WWDC Dates Locked In; Early Expectations

Apple has announced that this year's Worldwide Developer Conference will be held June 10-14. There will be an in-person event at Apple Park on June 10th, along with the keynote, where we'll see what's new in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS. If you're interested in attending, details on how to apply can be found on Apple's Developer site and app.

The Early Expectations

AI Aplenty

Apple has been acquiring AI companies and publishing research for some time now, and it's expected we'll see the fruits of some of that. While Apple has referred to "Machine Learning" for years, they've recently started using "AI" specifically, and are teasing it on Twitter.

There's some pressure on the company to show something meaningful, as public perception is that it’s behind in AI. I don’t think anyone would disagree that Siri sure could use some AI magic as it’s lagged behind for years.

Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reported recently Apple has been in discussions with Google and OpenAI to use their Generative AI platforms, with another report mentioning China’s Baidu. What does this mean for Apple's own AI projects? It's hard to say from the outside. I suspect Apple is focusing on what it can do on-device and that a partner, whether it be Google, OpenAI, or someone else, would be supplemental to extend their functionality. Whether this would be a long-term play or just used to buy time while Apple builds its own service remains to be seen. 

New Operating System Features

We'll get our first looks at iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watch OS 11, macOS 15, and visionOS 2. In addition to the new generative AI and a potentially smarter Siri mentioned earlier, other rumors for the new systems include:

• New Home Screen features in iOS 18 allow for the placement of app icons anywhere, breaking free of the icon grid we've had for a LONG time

• Apple Maps may gain custom routes

• Improvements to Messages app, including RCS support to enhance messaging between iOS and Android

• Support for a new Apple Pencil in visionOS 2

There will a lot more to come as we head towards June!

WWDC Recap on Zoom?

My podcast co-host Jeff and I are considering hosting a Zoom event the night of the keynote to recap the day’s news. Getting the community together in an open forum discussion would be a lot of fun!

What do you think? Vote below, and feel free to leave a comment!

🎙️ The Latest Episodes of Basic AF

Ep. 32 - Apple's DOJ Challenge and Vision Pro's Immersive Dilemma

This episode looks into the US Department of Justice's lawsuit against Apple, exploring the claims of monopolistic behavior and its implications for the company and its customers (more on that below). We also navigate the virtual realms of Apple's Vision Pro, discussing the scarcity of immersive content and why Apple hasn't provided more, plus what may be ahead as part of visionOS 2. Plus, Apple announces the dates for WWDC in June.

Ep. 31 - Tom’s Apple Vision Pro Experience

I wrote about the Vision Pro in the last newsletter, and Jeff and I continued that discussion in this episode. I share which accessories are necessary to fully utilize the Vision Pro, which apps that I find most useful, and discussed my strategy for interacting with the family while wearing the headset.

Ep. 30 - Clicks Keyboard for iPhone & The End of Apple's Car Ambitions?

In this episode, we review the Clicks Creator Keyboard for iPhone, highlighting its design, usability, and whether it's a worthy addition to your tech arsenal. We also discuss Apple's decision to end its car project, speculating on what this means for the company's future directions in technology.

Listen now at basicafshow.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, all the other podcast apps, as well as on YouTube and YouTube Music. Be sure to follow us in your podcast app!

DOJ Sues Apple

The US Department of Justice has sued Apple for alleged federal and state anti-trust issues. Fifteen states and the District Of Columbia are also part of the suit. The key takeaway is the DOJ's claim that Apple is accused of monopolizing the smartphone market through exclusionary practices. There's a lot to unpack, and I've put together an archive using Arc Search with details and references if you're interested in reading more.

Speaking of suits… 👇️ 

Apple Sues Former iOS Engineer

Apple is known to be very aggressive at rooting out leakers of the company's secrets. Former employee Andrew Aude is finding this out firsthand as Apple has sued him, accusing him of sharing confidential information using his company-issued iPhone. 

We Might (Finally) See New iPads in May

Apple has been taking forever to release new iPads, but Bloomberg says it may not be much longer. 

MacBook Air M1 at Walmart

Apple no longer sells the MacBook Air M1 on its website, but that doesn't mean it's dead. You can get one from Walmart for $700, which is an excellent buy for a really nice computer. 

Apple Adds Transcripts to Apple Podcasts App

We've provided transcripts for Basic AF since episode 10, and Apple recently added transcripts to Apple Podcasts. The beauty of Apple's approach is that podcast producers do not need to do any work, as the transcripts are generated automatically.