Spring has sprung, and you know what that means — it's time for Apple to tell us when its annual developer conference is going to happen this summer.
And right on schedule, Apple has announced that its WWDC 2024 event starts June 10 with an in-person event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. And AI is going to be a big focus of the event.
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If the company sticks to its habits the first day of WWDC 2024 will be kicked off with a keynote address that typically starts at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET/6 p.m. BST, and we expect this year to be no different in that regard.
What will likely be different is Apple's willingness to speak about AI. We expect the keynote to be streamed live via Apple's YouTube channel as well as Apple devices like Apple TV, and it looks like there's good odds an AI-powered Apple App Store will be a key talking point.
Just in case there was any doubt about Apple's AI push, SVP of worldwide marketing posted the following on X. "Mark your calendars for #WWDC24, June 10-14. It’s going to be Absolutely Incredible!"
Mark your calendars for #WWDC24, June 10-14. It’s going to be Absolutely Incredible! pic.twitter.com/YIln5972ZDMarch 26, 2024
WWDC is typically the place where Apple talks up its upcoming software releases, so this year we expect to hear about iOS 18 as well as iPadOS 17 and the follow-up to last year's macOS Sonoma. We'll also hear about "watchOS, tvOS and visionOS advancements" according to Apple's announcement, so expect some new features to be unveiled for the recently-released Apple Vision Pro.
But while some of us are laser-focused on where Apple's headed with its first headset, some analyst reports suggest WWDC 2024 could introduce us to Apple’s AI app store. Specifically, Melius Research's Ben Reitzes recently told CNBC that he predicts "we should start to see [Apple] lay the groundwork for this new App Store, for how it's going to work with AI, how you can buy AI apps through the App Store" at WWDC 2024 as it moves to integrate the growing morass of mobile apps with "AI" features.
Whether Apple goes all-in on an AI section of the App Store or not, it's a pretty safe bet that we'll hear company spokespeople say the phrase "AI" at least a bazillion times on stage this June.
Start working on your 'AI' drinking game now folks. WWDC 2024 is official for June 10 https://t.co/mvH3z0cxsnMarch 26, 2024
iOS 18 in particular is tipped to be Apple's biggest iOS update ever as Apple leans into generative AI tools across its apps. We could see AI features added to everything from the Photos app and Notes to email. And Apple has a lot of catching up to do with the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and Galaxy AI features. There's even been reports that Apple may partner with Google Gemini on the iPhone, but nothing's been confirmed.
We'll have to watch live to count exactly how many, and Apple hasn't yet shared full details on how to stream WWDC 2024 from the comfort of your couch. Luckily some of the Tom's Guide team expect to attend in person, but for the rest of us, stay tuned for our guide on how to live stream the WWDC 2024 keynote and more details as we hear them!
