06 JUNE 2022 - So - today is Apple’s next big day. Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference enters its third-round as a truly worldwide event, having gone remote in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020.

Talking it over with a friend of mine over the weekend. She argued that consumers expect too much from WWDC because everybody on every level watches Apple like a hawk, these days. I took a bit of a counter stance, pointing out that from 2007 through 2010, a new iPhone was at the center of the keynote that was ostensibly for developers.

Angels on the head of a pin.

We seem to have gotten over the idea of seeing a mixed reality headset at today’s event. That we won’t see one today was an idea supported over the weekend by the New York Times. Still lots of hardware speculation, starting with what appears to be an “oops” from a big Apple Authorized Reseller.

B&H Posts Mac mini Placeholders Ahead of WWDC Keynote

A piece from Apple Insider says B&H Photo posted a couple of unannounced Mac mini models over the weekend - an “Apple Mac mini 8/256 M2” and “Apple Mac mini tower 8/256 M1P.”

That first one makes sense to Apple Insider. It could well indicate a Mac mini with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage, powered by an M2 processor, an unannounced though practically inevitable successor to the M1.

Less natural sounding to the site is the Mac mini tower with the “M1P” at the end. Apple Insider says “it seems that this would be for a compact Mac that houses the M1 Pro, though how that would differ from the M1 Max and M1 Ultra-equipped Mac Studio is” questionable. The site thinks this one could be the Apple Silicon-based Mac Pro known to be on the horizon. They don’t seem to think so, though. In fact, the piece says while the “product listings are encouraging, they are likely only a retailer's preparation for the possible introduction of new hardware to sell.” So, it could be something or it could be nothing, seems to be the Apple Insider stance.

And no - I don’t think we can actually call that a stance.

Something in a Laptop, Perhaps?

Staying on the hardware side, something seen as a pretty safe bet today is a new MacBook Air. Another piece from Apple Insider has TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo opining on that device. He actually made his comments on Twitter, though we have to do a bit of background before we get to those.

A new MacBook Air at WWDC22 has been one of the most accepted rumors. Somewhere around the middle of May, rumors started surfacing that those would come in a range of bright colors, similar to iPad Air and the iMac. On Twitter on Friday, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman rained on the multi-color parade. Gurman said:

The much-reported idea of the new MacBook Air coming in a range of “several colors” is probably exaggerated. Right now it comes in space gray, silver and gold. I wouldn’t expect more than those colors (though the new gold will be more champagne like) plus my favorite iMac color.

To that was attached a picture of a Blue iMac, so - I guess he’s expecting a blue MacBook Air as well. To this, TF International’s Kuo added on Twitter:

Agree with @markgurman. The new MacBook Air (MBA) will more likely offer three standard color options and probably plus one new color, rather than the rainbow style like the iMac as the market expects.

Whatever the case for colors, Kuo thinks the machine will sell well, provided enough can be made. In Tweet 2 of 2 Kuo continued:

2H22 shipment forecast of new MBA is 6-7mn units if Quanta's Shanghai capacity can be back to pre-lockdown level before 3Q22. Delivery for new MBA made by two EMS (Quanta the 1st & Foxconn the 2nd) should be better than existing 14"/16" MacBook Pro (shipped by Quanta only).

Amusingly, neither Ming-Chi Kuo nor Gurman say anything about the MacBook Air hitting today. That said, Apple Insider does list it among today’s expectations.

Pulling Back on the MacBook Pro

While a new MacBook Air in a muted palate is still seen as a “go” for WWDC22, Bloomberg’s Gurman is tapping the brakes on another MacBook expectation. 9 to 5 Mac cites a passage form Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter. According to that, Apple had planned to release “a faster 13-inch MacBook Pro” along with (or around the same time as) the new MacBook Air. There have been lockdowns in China though - not sure you’ve heard. Seeming to hedge his bets, Gurman says those “lockdowns in China could have thrown off that part of the roadmap…” that part being the part with the new MacBook Pro.

In summation, hardware at today’s keynote seems wide open. That’s pretty much why I try to not talk about it until zero-hour.

What Developers Develop For

Platforms and operating systems are pretty much the only elements guaranteed to be addressed. MacRumors has a list of vague possibilities for iOS/iPadOS/tvOS 16, macOS 13, and watchOS 9. Really vague, and sprinkled with recent rumors. Hard to get too worked up about those. They’ll be proven right or wrong in the next few hours.

WWDC22 Stickers Available for iMessage and FaceTime

One thing we’ve already gotten from WWDC is stickers! Not actual stickers that you can actually stick on anything, but still! iDownloadBlog has news of the new batch, which - sad to say - is nowhere near as cool at the neon sign pack Apple hit with for WWDC back in 2019. Yes. That’s how cool they were. I remember a virtual sticker pack from a few years ago. You can buy actual stickers of those stickers on RedBubble, by the way. I doubt they’re authorized by Apple, but that’s between you and your god.

Anyway, there’s a new pack out this year. Not unlike the stickers you get for completing Apple Watch Activity challenges, the WWDC stickers can be applied to messages in iMessage or on FaceTime. To get them, iDownloadBlog says:

Download the free Apple Developer app [App Store link] for iOS or iPadOS.
In the Messages app, start a new chat or choose an existing thread.
In the Messages app drawer at the bottom of the app, swipe left to get to the Apple Developer icon, then tap it to open the sticker pack.
Now touch the sticker you’d like to send to the recipient via iMessage.

They’re not bad. They’re just not as cool as the stickers from 2019. Anyway. Get in the WWDC sticker spirit. ’tis the season.

On with the show!

It’ll be a bit early for popcorn on the west coast, but showtime will soon be upon us. The WWDC22 keynote is set to fire off at 10AM Pacific/1PM Eastern. You can watch it through Apple’s Developer app, on Apple’s Events page, or on YouTube. Apple should make the event available as an audio podcast or a video podcast soon after the simulcast. And - of course - we’ll hit highlights and reaction right here on Tuesday.