Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off online beginning June 7.
Image: Apple

Apple announced on Tuesday that it would hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference June 7-11, again in an all-online format due to the COVID pandemic. ZDNet reported that it expects Apple to unveil iOS 15, iPadOS 15, TVOS15, WatchOS 8 and MacOS 12. Apple followers will also be on the lookout for new versions of the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Speculation has intensified this year over “a range of new products from virtual and augmented reality headsets to self-driving cars,” CNET reported.

Noting the photo that accompanied the announcement, Jason Cipriani of ZDNet said the artwork showing the Apple calendar app from a laptop reflected via eyeglasses “was sure to drive Apple fans crazy.”

“The company is rumored to be working on augmented reality ‘Apple Glasses,’ set for release sometime next year. And a pair of glasses with app icons in the reflection is surely pure coincidence. Either that or Apple is having a bit of fun with the rumors,” he wrote.

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Apple said the conference, which is free to Apple’s worldwide community of 28 million developers, is an opportunity for them to learn about the new technologies, tools and frameworks they rely on to build apps and games.

In a press release, Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of worldwide developer relations and enterprise and education marketing, said, “We are working to make WWDC21 our biggest and best yet, and are excited to offer Apple developers new tools to support them as they create apps that change the way we live, work, and play.”

Younger developers who want to participate in the Swift Student Challenge have until April 18 to submit “an interactive scene in a Swift playground that can be experienced within three minutes,” the company said.

In its announcement, Apple said the conference will include announcements from the keynote and State of the Union stages, online sessions, 1:1 labs offering technical guidance, and new ways for developers to interact with Apple engineers and designers to learn about the latest frameworks and technologies.

Expect updates in advance of WWDC21 through the Apple Developer app, on the Apple Developer website, and via email, Apple said.

Because the event is once again not being held in San Jose, California, Apple said it would “support the local economy, even while WWDC21 is hosted online and as part of its $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, Apple is also committing $1 million to SJ Aspires, an education and equity initiative launched by the City of San José.”