Apple WWDC: 4 Things to Expect

The Apple Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) kicks off on Monday, June 4 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. Meant for developers, the five-day event is also a chance for consumers and investors to learn about what the company is working on and its strategy for the future. Scheduled are sessions presented by Apple Inc. (AAPL) engineers, consultations with app experts and the annual Apple Design Awards. Reports have suggested that Apple will not launch any new hardware at the event.

Apple livestreamed the event on its website. The keynote address will begin at 10 a.m. PDT. (See also: Apple Stock: Traders Should Wait for $170 to Buy)

Less Screen Time on iOS 12

According to a Bloomberg report, Apple has been working on a feature called "Digital Health" – a set of tools to help users keep track of how much time they spend on their devices and applications. Earlier this year, major shareholders pushed for the company to add parental controls and tackle smartphone addiction among children. The new feature will in the Settings app on the newest operating system, iOS 12, according to sources. The company is also expected to focus more on bug fixes and security improvements than new features with iOS 12.

Augmented Reality

Apple is working on a tool that will allow two iPhone users to share augmented reality, according to Reuters. Sources said the data will be shared directly between phones and not sent to a cloud in order to avoid privacy concerns. Bloomberg also reported that Apple will unveil a multiplayer AR feature and added that the AR announcements will be a prelude to a possible AR headset launch in 2020.

watch OS

The Apple Watch hasn't been able to attract sufficient third-party app developers, and an effort may be made to fix this at the conference. An unverified source told MacRumors that Spotify will unveil an official Watch app at the event. Apple has also organized workouts in collaboration with Nike and fitness expert Kayla Itsines, which may be when it introduces new health and fitness features on watchOS.

Cross-platform Apps

Apple is expected to announce long-awaited support for apps that work on both iOS and macOS. Currently, developers have to write separate code for both operating systems. Universal apps will help Apple populate the neglected Mac App store and allow macOS apps to receive updates at the same time as iOS apps.

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