A developer reveals the name of the Apple Mixed Reality Glasses system, and Apple creates an atmosphere of excitement for the upcoming developer conference with exciting phrases, revealing the highly complex Apple Glass design, and other exciting news on the sidelines…
New Mac desktops may be announced at WWDC
Apple is said to be testing two desktop Macs equipped with the M2 Max and M2 Ultra chipsets. The M2 Max chip was introduced earlier this year in MacBook Pro models, while the M2 Ultra chip is the successor to the M1 Ultra chip used in the Mac Studio. It is not yet known which specific Mac models will use these chips, but they are referred to internally as "Mac 14" and "Mac 13". These Macs are expected to be updated versions of Mac Studio, rather than the upcoming Mac Pro.
Apple is also working on new iMacs that will use a different chip called the M3. It is expected to be released separately.
These new Mac models are being tested just before the WWDC event where they are expected to be announced, including the 15-inch MacBook Air.
Study: The App Store facilitated $1.1 trillion in sales in 2022
In 2022, the App Store generated nearly $1.1 trillion in developer billing and sales, according to a study funded by Apple and conducted by economists from Analysis Group. This includes revenue from various sources such as sales of physical goods and services outside the App Store, in-app advertising, and digital goods and services. The study highlights the positive aspects of the Apple App Store and showcases the success of developers.
While Apple charges 15 to 30 percent for app purchases, in-app purchases, and App Store subscriptions, it does not collect fees for other transactions such as buying groceries or using transportation services. The study revealed a 29% increase in developer invoices and sales compared to the previous year, with significant growth in travel and mobility services. The Apple App Store has grown steadily over the years, reaching $643 billion in 2020, $868 billion in 2021, and surpassing $2022 trillion in XNUMX.
The study notes that direct app monetization is only a small part of the overall commerce facilitated by the App Store. Developers can also monetize their apps through ad-supported content, sell goods and services outside the App Store, and offer physical goods.
Since the launch of the App Store 15 years ago, developers have earned a total of $320 billion directly from the platform. The number of apps available has grown exponentially, with more than 370 billion apps downloaded since its launch. Games are the most popular category, followed by business and education apps.
The unusual design of Apple Glass leads to unprecedented production challenges
Apple's Mixed Reality Headset is arguably the most complex hardware product yet. It has a unique curved design with a slim and lightweight look. It features a curved glass front wrapped in an aluminum frame. To match the curved design, Apple had to develop a custom curved inner panel, and use carbon fiber to stiffen the structure without adding extra weight. The glasses include a small button above the right eye to switch between augmented and virtual reality, a power button and a connector for a waist-mounted battery.
As for the headband, it is made of soft material and is attached to two short collars that contain the earphones. And a removable cover provides comfort to the wearer's face. Apple considered adding more features such as eye-tracking cameras but debated including them.
The front of the speaker is made of thin curved glass, which posed challenges in hiding the cameras and sensors for aesthetic purposes. There are concerns about image distortion and the possibility of shattering of glass, which leads to concerns about user safety. Because of this complex design, the price of the glasses rose to $ 3000.
Manufacturing the glasses was difficult, with workers facing challenges assembling components and testing the glass and cameras. The microOLED screens used in the glasses are very expensive, and defective units need to be repaired rather than discarded.
Apple encountered difficulties during the prototype phase, the testing phase of validating the design took longer than usual, and Apple made late adjustments in April to improve manufacturing capacity.
While mass production has yet to begin, the manufacturer aims to have the plant fully staffed by July, suggesting a possible fall or winter launch. Apple is expected to ship less than half a million glasses in the first year of release.
The advent of a "new era" and the creation of "new worlds" through programming at WWDC
Apple made some exciting statements ahead of the developer conference, such as the beginning of a "new era" and the ability to use coding to create new worlds. This may be a reference to Apple's Mixed Reality Headset. The company's tweets indicate that a major new hardware and operating system will be unveiled. The phrases "new age" and "coding new worlds" were used for the first time, indicating an intentional sensationalism of the event.
Tim Cook previously mentioned the phrase “a new era for the iPhone” during the announcement of the iPhone 12. It is expected that the next keynote speech at the WWDC conference will be long, exceeding two hours according to rumors.
A developer manages to deceive the App Store and get the name of the Apple Glass system
Developer Steve Troughton-Smith spotted evidence of Apple's upcoming Mixed Reality Headset operating system, dubbed "xrOS," through an App Store error message while submitting an Apple Glass app. Although Troughton-Smith never mentioned xrOS explicitly, the rejection of its implementation indicated the existence of the xrOS binary. This finding is consistent with previous reports, indicating that xrOS is the name of the glasses operating system. Apple has applied for trademarks under various names such as xrProOS, realityproOS, and realOS, and it seems increasingly likely that xrOS will be the name chosen. During the upcoming WWDC event, Apple is expected to showcase xrOS, along with iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17, while also revealing Apple's glasses themselves.
Animated presentation of WWDC 2023
Apple released its annual Augmented Reality Experience ahead of WWDC. The augmented reality experience features an iridescent bubble-like design with a bubble shaped like the Apple logo moving in a clockwise direction, displaying the date of the event. To access the augmented reality experience, users need to open a website Apple events On the iPhone or iPad, select “View Augmented Reality Experience”. Then the surroundings can be scanned to see the logo in real time or switch to "Object" mode for a clearer picture.
Miscellaneous news
◉ Apple releases the second beta of iOS 16.6, iPadOS 16.6, watchOS 9.6, macOS Ventura 13.5 and tvOS 16.6 updates to developers
◉ Apple has added the Thunderbolt Display and the first-generation iPad Air to its list of legacy products, which means it is no longer eligible for repairs or hardware service at Apple Stores or authorized service providers. The Thunderbolt Display was introduced in 2011 and features a 27-inch screen with various ports. It was discontinued in 2016. The original iPad Air, launched in 2013, had a 9.7-inch screen and an A7 chip. It was thinner and lighter than the previous one. Apple has classified the fifth-generation iPad as obsolete, which means that repairs and service may still be available for another two years, depending on parts availability.
◉ Apple is preparing for the WWDC23 Worldwide Developers Conference and created a post for the event on Twitter, and provided a custom code called Hashflag. This code appears next to the hashtag #WWDC23 when used on Twitter. And a sign of this year's event is a new Apple logo in shades of blue, purple, pink and black. This is Apple's way of promoting the conference and creating buzz on social media.
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