Apple WWDC23 event | Tim Cook introduces Apple Vision Pro AR/VR headset, 15-inch MacBook Air, and more

The Apple Vision Pro is priced at $3,499. It will be available starting next year.

Apple mentioned the Vision Pro will usher in a new era of computing called Spatial Computing. Apple’s Vision Pro headset is set to offer an all-new browsing experience. Users can browse Safari in their own personal space with multiple tabs and windows floating in their vicinity. With Apple Vision Pro, users can use apps, video games, and video streaming anytime and anywhere.

Vision Pro is also said to offer a new workplace collaboration with dedicated features and a new Facetime experience. Facetime is said to work seamlessly with Apple devices including iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.

The Apple Vision Pro is said to offer cinematic viewing with 3D visuals and the effect of 100-inch-wide displays along with support for Spatial Audio.

Apple Vision Pro runs on visionOS

Apple says the new visionOS is the first OS designed specifically from the ground up for Spatial Computing. Apple’s first AR/VR headset; the Vison Pro, runs on visionOS.

Apple unveils 15-inch MacBook Air in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray colour options. Price starts at ₹1,34,900 in India.

Apple announces its Vision Pro AR/VR headset which features an three dimensional interface and users will be able to control everything using solely using their eyes, hands and voice.

watchOS 10 is getting support for new apps such as a new Clock that features dynamic backgrounds. The new WatchOS 10 gets improved customisation, and new watch faces including Snoopy. Apple Watch is also getting new cycling and hiking features. Cycling will now show up automatically as a live activity on the lock screen of your iPhone. Users will now be able to log their daily mood using the mindfulness app. The health app will assess mood logs and tell users if they are at risk of anxiety and depression.

AirPods will soon get an adaptive Audio feature which will intelligently cut out annoying noises.

New features include FaceTime on Apple TV, using the iPhone as a TV remote, and improved SharePlay that will allow users to watch content with their friends and family while using FaceTime.

Here is everything new on the macOS 14.

macOS gets all new widgets and gets more customisation options. macOS gets webapp feature, and is said to make use of Apple Silicon chipset for an improved gaming experience. New dedicated features include a new Gaming Mode that will reduce controller latency. Games including Death Stranding Director’s Cut will be launched later this year.

Apple brings interactive widgets to the iPad. Personalization to lock screen. Users can change colours, wallpapers. Adds live activities and widgets to the lock screen. The health kit will be making also making its way to iPad for health tracking.

Apple introduces Contact Poster within the Phone app in iOS 17. iOS 17 getsLive Voicemail for you to decide whether to take the call or not. Now users can leave a message on FaceTime. Users can now give back to back commands using Siri. Apple Messages gets Search filters, catch up arrows, swipe to reply, transcription, and more

The M2 Ultra Max Studio will be available for $1999 and the M2 Ultra Mac Pro will be available starting at $6999.

AirDrop gets a Name Drop feature to easily share phone numbers. AirDrop will now also allow you to share large files using the internet.

The new Mac Studio, in addition to the M2 Max, will come powered with a new chipset, the M2 Ultra, built connecting two M2 Max chips. The new chipset is claimed to be 25-50% faster than the older M1 Max.

The M2 Ultra supports 6 Pro display XDRs and Apple claims it is 6x faster than the fastest Intel based Mac.

The new 15-inch MacBook Air is said to offer up to 18 hours of battery life. MacBook Air 15-inch starts at $1,299. It will be available starting today and will start shipping next week onwards.

Apple announces 15-inch MacBook Air.

The Apple WWDC 2023 event is underway. Tim Cook kickstarts the event.

“This one is going to be our best ever,” says Apple CEO Tim Cook as the company’s WWDC 2023 event starts today.

Apple, in April, opened the doors to its first retail stores in India. The company unveiled two stores located in Mumbai and New Delhi. The Apple stores host devices including iPhones, MacBooks, iPads, Watches, accessories, Apple TV, and others. The stores also function as service centres.

The stores are being viewed as steps by the tech company to get a closer connection with Indian consumers.

While mass layoffs and cost-cutting measures hit the tech world, Apple CEO Tim Cook said layoffs would be the “last resort”. Amid the layoff, the tech company adopted cost-cutting measures such as delaying bonuses, extending project timelines, laying off recruiters, leaving vacant positions open, and cutting travel budgets.

The company reportedly laid off a small number of employees primarily in its corporate and retail teams.

The Cupertino-based company is also expected to launch its long-awaited Reality Pro headset with mixed reality and augmented reality capabilities. Apple is also expected to showcase xrOS, a software platform that will support the Reality Pro headset and allow developers to create apps for the AR/VR headset.

The headset is touted to be the most significant launch by the company since 2015, which is when it unveiled the Apple Watch. It has been in development for years now and will focus on gaming, streaming video, and conferencing as well as health and fitness.

The Reality Pro headset is expected to compete with Meta’s Quest 3 headsets that are expected to be available later this year at a starting price of $500.

Apple is also expected to announce new hardware at the event. The company is expected to announce a new 15-inch MacBook Air and a Mac Studio.

With mounting pressure from regulators, Apple is also expected to announce opening the iPhone to third-party stores. The move is expected to allow users to install apps from sources other than Apple’s own App Store and is expected to be part of the iOS 17 update.