iOS 16 for iPhone announced

Apple has added three major features to its messaging app, Messages. If the message is an iMessage, not an SMS text, then users will be able to edit messages, recall messages sent by mistake, and snooze texts so users can handle them later. These small tweaks will change how nearly 1 billion people send texts. — Kif Leswing

Apple just announced iOS 16, the latest software for iPhones.

It’s the “biggest update ever to lockscreen, completely reimagining how it works,” Apple SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi said. It’s a brand new look that allows users to customize the lock screen with widgets — which have already been available on the home screen — by pressing and holding. Widgets are small icons that users can click on to quickly access tools like the weather app.

The new lock screen allows for more customization of the time and date font and color. It also lets users shuffle their background photos throughout the day or choose animated backgrounds.

It will also change the way users see notifications so they don’t cover up their background photo when their phone is locked. Instead of appearing at the top of the screen, notifications will appear at the bottom.

Apple also expanded its focus feature to the lock screen. The tool allows users to choose how to filter notifications, like to focus just on work-related or personal messages.

Apple also added big changes to its iMessage app, including options to edit messages, unsend and mark threads at unread.

iOS 16 will also expand SharePlay to iMessage, so users can watch or listen to media simultaneously so they’re able to stop and start in the same spot.

The software update will make it easier to switch between typing and dictation as well.

— Kif Leswing & Lauren Feiner

Apple CEO Tim Cook appeared live-on stage to kick off the WWDC event. He spoke briefly and turned it over to software chief Craig Federighi, who led the crowd in a cheer of “go developers!” — Kif Leswing

People are starting to make their way to their seats ahead of the keynote. It’s pre-recorded, so there are lots of big screens for everyone to tune in from. And I like that there’s a shaded area.

— Kif Leswing

Apple’s annual developer conference, WWDC, is all about catering to software developers. They’re the folks who build apps for the Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch and TV. This is usually when Apple unveils new tools for them, and big new updates for the iPhone, iPad and other platforms. Apple is reportedly gearing up to announce a big new iPad software update that adds better multitasking, so you can run more apps at the same time side-by-side. And the iPhone is expected to get new updates to the lock screen. It may also announce new MacBook Airs. However, unlike the September iPhone events, WWDC is usually more focused on software than hardware. And, typically, the software that’s announced at WWDC rolls out to everyone sometime in the fall.

–Todd Haselton

WWDC is gathering Apple developers and press for the first time in two years. But the event is also a homecoming for many Apple employees who have been working remotely for the past two years because of the pandemic. Some employees are meeting their teammates in person for the first time, like those who have traveled from other major Apple offices, like its facility in Austin, Texas. Apple started requiring corporate employees to return to the office earlier this year. — Kif Leswing

The Apple Store website is down, which suggests that Apple might also announce new products during the WWDC 2022 event. It still seems a little early to announce the augmented reality headset, so my bet is on some sort of new Macs. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggested over the weekend that Apple may be ready to announce a redesigned MacBook Air. It will reportedly include MagSafe charging, the latest Apple processor and new colors.

— Todd Haselton

We’re here for WWDC 2022. Here are a couple of pictures of the campus. It’s a gorgeous day.

Apple’s been working on a headset for years. Reports have suggested it could launch in either 2022 or 2023. It’s the one product that’s top of mind for everyone right now, since it would be an entirely new product area for Apple. It could make sense for CEO Tim Cook and the team to announce the software for the headset, reportedly called realityOS, since this is a developer-focused event with folks who would build the apps for the device. However, Bloomberg recently suggested that we may not get a look. Still, we might get hints about what Apple is planning. The company may build some tools into existing software to allow developers to make virtual or augmented reality versions of their existing applications. If that happens, we know the headset can’t be far off. Or maybe we’ll be surprised and we’ll get a teaser or full announcement.

–Todd Haselton

We’re live from the Worldwide Developers Conference for the first time since the pandemic started. Apple invited some media and developers to its headquarters in Cupertino, California, to watch the keynote. But there are a few differences from prior years. For one, we’re at the headquarters instead of the San Jose conference center where Apple held the event for several years prior to the pandemic.

And the keynote isn’t live like in the past. Instead, we’ll be watching a pre-recorded version just like everyone tuning in from home. Still, it shows that big tech events are starting to return to some version of normalcy. Google’s developer conference in May was also held in person but wasn’t open to much of the press.

— Kif Leswing