Yahoo News Apple event – live: ‘AI iPhone’ revealed at pivotal WWDC event
Apple showed off the future of the iPhone, and the rest of its products, at its annual developer conference on Monday.
The company began its Worldwide Developers Conference, or WWDC, in California, showing off software updates for all of its platforms. It welcomed iOS 18 as well as new versions of the operating systems for the iPad, Apple Watch, Mac and its Vision Pro headset.
There was a lot of hype surrounding artificial intelligence in the build-up to the event, with Apple facing questions about what it plans to do with the technology.
While the term ‘artificial intelligence’ was barely referenced in the 100-minute keynote, a new term called ‘Apple Intelligence’ was mentioned more than 50 times.
It will be integrated into a host of Apple’s products, including its popular voice assistant Siri.
Follow all the latest news from the conference and watch a full live stream of the event below.
Key Points
Today’s biggest announcements
What actually is Apple Intelligence?
All the key infographics from WWDC
Hello and welcome...
Monday 10 June 2024 05:20 , Andrew Griffin
... to The Independent’s live coverage of Apple’s WWDC 2024.
What to expect from Apple’s big event
Monday 10 June 2024 05:22 , Anthony Cuthbertson
We know it will be about software updates for all of Apple’s platforms, because it always is. And we know it will revolve around AI, because it sort of has to.
But much else about the upcoming Apple event remains mysterious. Here’s everything we do know about it.
Apple is finally going to reveal the AI future of the iPhone. Here’s what to expect
How to watch live
Monday 10 June 2024 05:24 , Andrew Griffin
There are many ways to watch Apple’s live events, including on its devoted websites. But the most convenient is probably YouTube, which has a reliable player and also offers a tool to sign up for a notification when it actually begins.
Vision Pro back in view?
Monday 10 June 2024 05:26 , Andrew Griffin
All of the discussion about this year’s WWDC has been about artificial intelligence. But last year it was all about augmented reality, and Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
In the 12 months since it was announced, and the roughly four months since it went on sale in the US, it appears to have lost some of the excitement. Despite strong reviews for the headset, it has faded away from the discussion a little, at least in part because of a lack of content to watch on it.
WWDC is likely to bring new software updates, and maybe new things to watch inside the headset. And it might also bring the announcement of availability in other countries.
Why Apple’s AI iPhone could be its riskiest move yet
Monday 10 June 2024 10:02 , Anthony Cuthbertson
The timing of of Apple’s AI-centric WWDC is not ideal. The hype that surrounded artificial intelligence in late 2022 and 2023 has subsided and been replaced by doubts about its current utility and fears of its ultimate potential.
In his latest dive into what AI – or ‘Apple Intelligence’ as it will reportedly be referred to today – might mean for the iPhone maker, Tech Editor Andrew Griffin writes:
The long-promised revolution in society is yet to arrive, and describing something as being AI-powered is as likely to give the sense that it is a tawdry and potentially unethical knockoff as it being a sci-fi thrill.
Apple began its current rush to infuse everything with AI in that latter market, when investors were clamouring for it to catch up and users were wondering whether they were missing out by not having Google phones. Now its products will actually arrive into a world of suspicion and cynicism, with people as likely to think that AI is going to hurt as help them.
Apple has some very public and largely laudable principles that may hold it back in the field of AI. The technology is really large-scale data analysis tool, and is only as good as the information it has, but Apple’s very public belief that privacy is a human right means that it minimises data collection. Its commitment to security means that it is likely to want to constrain the access of any automated system. And its hardcore control of its own brand means that it will want to avoid any systems that are likely to generate offensive or even politically sensitive outputs, as AI often does.
Andrew Griffin
You can read the full story here:
Apple is about to reveal the AI iPhone. It could be make or break
Tim Cook meets students ahead of WWDC
Monday 10 June 2024 12:06 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Apple boss Tim Cook has been meeting with student developers ahead of today’s big event, who were among the winners of Apple’s Swift Student Challenge.
The challenge pushes students to develop apps that solve real-world problems. “We encourage you to brainstorm and develop thoughtful ideas for apps that address important issues in your community and beyond,” Apple’s website states.
A dozen young developers got the chance to show off their creations to the Apple chief, including 22-year-old Dezmond Blair, whose mountain biking app MTB-XTREME could potentially be finding its way onto Apple’s Vision Pro soon.
“It’s amazing to see their creativity and determination on full display,” Cook wrote in a post on X.
‘Apple crosses the AI rubicon'
Monday 10 June 2024 14:00 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Today will be Apple’s “AI coming-out party”, according to industry analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee, who works for market research firm Forrester. In a note sent to The Independent he says Apple’s early reticence toward artificial intelligence was entirely on brand, however its silence on the subject has since become deafening.
The biggest beneficiary of this new AI focus could be Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant that has been overshadowed over the last 18 months by OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other chatbots from Google and Microsoft.
Here’s what Chatterjee had to say ahead of today’s event:
Apple crosses the AI Rubicon at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). This event is all about software, and that’s a perfect occasion for Apple AI’s coming-out party to the entire Apple ecosystem of devices. And the time couldn’t be more ripe.
You’ll see AI everywhere. You may not even know it’s there. The whole point of AI, to Apple, is to make the experience better for its users, and you’ll see that kick in across the bevy of Apple applications such as Photos, Music, and its office-type applications, all of which will get a little smarter and better at what they do, including transcribing voice memos and editing photos. Yes, this is incremental improvement, but now Apple scores Wall Street points for being explicit about the AI powering the brains behind the machine.
Siri ought to be the biggest beneficiary of the newfound wonders of generative AI. The as-yet-unrealised promise of this oddly unhelpful helper may yet find fruition and emerge to deliver the kind of consumer experience that the rest of Apple’s offerings have always provided. We’ve all seen how ChatGPT has breathed new life into the miserable chatbot experience, and Apple’s talks with OpenAI — and also Google — may work the same wonders for the languishing Siri.
Dipanjan Chatterjee, principal analyst at Forrester
Hello from California!
Monday 10 June 2024 14:38 , Andrew Griffin
Good morning from California. Clouds are on the horizon, but the sun is breaking through.
Do with those weather metaphors what you like. We’ll be taking the temperature of everything live from the event, which kicks off in just over two hours.
Tim Cook ready for WWDC
Monday 10 June 2024 15:39 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Tim Cook has posted his customary early morning tweet ahead of WWDC, showing sunrise over the Apple Park campus.
Ever since the pandemic, these events have been pre-recorded from different parts of the tech firm’s Californian headquarters, with the Steve Jobs Theatre pictured reserved for a stream for developers and journalists to watch.
Just over two hours to go now.
Apple event comes amid AI boom
Monday 10 June 2024 16:50 , Anthony Cuthbertson
It may be a risky time to announce new artificial intelligence features in terms of public perception of the technology, but there’s no doubt that AI is currently experiencing a massive boom.
Last week, AI chip maker Nvidia overtook Apple to become the world’s second most valuable company behind Microsoft, with its market cap passing $3 trillion for the first time in its history.
Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022, Nvidia’s share price has increased in value 10-fold.
Watch live stream of Apple’s WWDC keynote
Monday 10 June 2024 17:02 , Anthony Cuthbertson
With just one hour to go until WWDC 2024 gets underway, Apple has its live stream ready to go.
You can watch it here:
Developers and world’s media arrive at Apple Park
Monday 10 June 2024 17:02 , Andrew Griffin
It’s a gloriously sunny day at Apple’s campus in San Jose, and guests are gathering with the conference about to begin in an hour or so. Some milling around are even wearing Apple Vision Pros...
Guests are mostly developers who won a lottery to be here. These days, it’s mostly a virtual event – those at Apple Park watch the same video as everyone else, though on a big screen.
Settle in for a long one
Monday 10 June 2024 17:16 , Andrew Griffin
There’s 45 minutes until the keynote kicks off. It might be worth using that time to refresh yourself, stretch out, and get some refreshments: it’s going to be a long one.
Last year’s was over two hours, and they’ve got progressively longer each year since they went virtual. This year’s doesn’t look like it will change that. Expect two hours or even more.
How many times will Apple say ‘AI’?
Monday 10 June 2024 17:35 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Apple has a tendency to avoid the term artificial intelligence during its big events, often preferring other terms like machine learning.
This year it feels unavoidable, and it’s rumoured to be one of the main topics at today’s WWDC - although some believe it may be referred to as ‘Apple Intelligence’.
Tech YouTube channel Computer Clan has offered to donate $10 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for every time ‘AI’ is mentioned at today’s keynote. If it’s anything like Google’s recent event then that sum could reach well north of $1,000.
Monday 10 June 2024 17:36 , Andrew Griffin
There has been heavy rumours about a tie-up between Apple and OpenAI, which will use the ChatGPT creator’s AI tech to power some new iPhone and Mac features. Those rumours appear to be confirmed: OpenAI’s chief executive Sam Altman is here at Apple Park for today’s keynote.
Altman’s previous appearance on the WWDC stage – in 2008, when he was the CEO of a previous venture, Loopt – lives in minor infamy, for the fact that he wore two polo shirts at once:
(He’s just wearing a blue cotton T-shirt today.)
Apple gives more AI hints
Monday 10 June 2024 17:52 , Andrew Griffin
We probably don’t need any more hints that today’s event will be focused on AI. But Apple is giving them to us anyway. Marketing boss Greg Joswiak has posted yet another.
Tuning into #WWDC24 at 10am PT is the… intelligent thing to do! https://t.co/Yyg2uq2QmI
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) June 10, 2024
He’d previous said the event was going to be “Absolutely Incredible”. (Capitals are his.)
Sam Altman at WWDC
Monday 10 June 2024 17:54 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Pictures of Sam Altman at WWDC are being shared on social media, revealing that he is unfortunately not wearing two polo shirts this time.
Tim Cook opens WWDC
Monday 10 June 2024 17:58 , Andrew Griffin
Apple chief executive Tim Cook is on stage to open the event. (This bit isn’t part of the video.)
He reveals that people are here from 65 countries and says that “developers are so important to us”.
Watch Apple WWDC live stream
Monday 10 June 2024 17:58 , Anthony Cuthbertson
We’re off! You can watch the live stream of WWDC 2024 right here:
This is going to be a ‘big one’, says software boss
Monday 10 June 2024 17:59 , Andrew Griffin
Craig Federighi – software boss at Apple, as well as a favourite of developers – has joined Tim Cook on stage. He says that today is going to be a “big one”.
He jokes that it will only be a “rapid fire conveyor belt of pure facts” and that there will be “absolutely zero fun”. (He usually appears in silly costumes and props, with a range of more or less funny dad jokes.)
WWDC gets underway with Apple execs skydiving into event
Monday 10 June 2024 18:04 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Apple normally goes big on its intro videos, and today is no exception. Apple execs are parachuting into Apple Park, as Tim Cook waits for them on the roof of the company’s headquarters.
“We’ll introduce profound ne intelligence capabilities,” he says.
Apple TV announcements
Monday 10 June 2024 18:06 , Anthony Cuthbertson
First up are Apple TV announcements.
Among the highlights are a new season of Silo, a new season of Severance and Slow Horses, as well as a new Matt Damon film.
“I hope you’re excited about these new Apple Originals as I am,” Cook says.
What to expect today
Monday 10 June 2024 18:07 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Here’s the order of events for WWDC 2024:
‘Intelligence’ seems to be Apple’s AI branding
Monday 10 June 2024 18:07 , Andrew Griffin
Apple hasn’t said “AI” yet. But it’s saying “intelligence” a lot. It seems like that might be the way it’s branding its artificial intelligence features.
(Apple has always been very specific about what it calls AI. At last year’s WWDC, with AI hype in full flow, it didn’t use the term at all, instead favouring machine learning and similar.)
Vision Pro updates
Monday 10 June 2024 18:16 , Anthony Cuthbertson
There’s already 2,000 apps made or adapted specifically for the Apple Vision Pro headset, which was first unveiled at last year’s WWDC.
As expected, Apple is announcing a new operating system for the headset called VisionOS 2.
One interesting feature is the ability to turn normal 2D photos and transform them into “spatial photos” that can be viewed through the Vision Pro.
Camera giant Canon is also diving into the immersive video space with a brand new lens.
Here are all the new features for Apple VisionOS 2:
Apple Vision Pro finally coming to the UK
Monday 10 June 2024 18:17 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Apple Vision Pro is finally coming to the UK. Tim Cook notes that it will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom from 12 July.
Onto iOS
Monday 10 June 2024 18:30 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Apple’s Craig Federighi is out of his jumpsuit and into a button-down shirt to tell us about all the new iOS updates.
There’s new privacy updates for the new iOS 18, such as the ability to hide installed apps that you don’t want others to know that you have on your phone.
New Message updates brings in features that have been in WhatsApp and Telegram for years, like the ability to italicise text or respond to a message with any emoji.
Mail also has new features that you might recognise from popular rivals like Gmail. They include sorting your emails into Promotions and Social notifications.
Maps, Gaming, Journal and Apple Pay will also get new updates in iOS 18, though each only gets a brief mention.
The new Apple Photos app gets a more indepth run through, with mention of that “intelligence” word once again. There’s a new ‘Trips’ section, as well as a new customisable space for Favourites and Featured Photos.
All the new iOS features
Monday 10 June 2024 18:32 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Here’s a round-up of all the new iOS features, neatly in one place:
Onto Audio and Home
Monday 10 June 2024 18:37 , Anthony Cuthbertson
We’re moving onto Audio and Home now.
There’s a new update to Apple’s AirPods which means it can now recognise head shakes and nods while interacting with Siri. This could be handy when in public spaces.
Still no mention of ‘artificial intelligence’, but there is a reference to “machine learning for greater vocal clarity” for Apple TV.
WatchOS gets big updates
Monday 10 June 2024 18:44 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Onto Apple WatchOS. There are new ways to customise the smartwatch, as well as tools that will be useful if you’re pregnant.
There’s also a new app for the wearable called Vitals. It allows you to check metrics at a glance, showing how your activity has changed in recent days or weeks.
More mention of machine learning (and not AI) to personalise watch faces.
Here’s an infographic of all the new updates:
iPadOS gets new updates
Monday 10 June 2024 18:48 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Craig is back to tell us about iPadOS.
Big news! Forget AI for a minute - the Calculator app is coming to the iPad. And you can use it with your Apple Pencil. “It’s changing the way you do math,” he says.
All the new iPadOS updates
Monday 10 June 2024 18:52 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Here’s an infographic of the new iPadOS updates:
New MacOS Sequoia
Monday 10 June 2024 18:56 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Is there anything this man can’t do? Craig is now parkouring between announcments, and we’re onto the new MacOS. Craig - and definitely not just a stunt double in a grey wig - briefly goes off-screen, before reappearing out of breath to tell us about MacOS Sequoia.
MacOS Sequoia
Monday 10 June 2024 19:05 , Anthony Cuthbertson
There’s a host of new updates for the MacOS operating system.
There’s a new Passwords app, which will also work with Apple Vision Pro, iPad and iPhone devices.
It will support more advanced games, while new chapters for Assassins Creed are also coming to Mac that utilise the power of Apple Silicon to provide intricate details to the gameplay.
Apple’s Safari web browser, which it claims is the fastest in the world, is getting new machine learning (not AI) features.
We’re an hour in and there’s still not been a single mention of ‘AI’ or ‘artificial intelligence’. It’s almost like Apple doesn’t want St Judes to get any donations (see post from 18.35).
Everything to know about MacOS
Monday 10 June 2024 19:06 , Anthony Cuthbertson
AI finally gets a mention
Monday 10 June 2024 19:09 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Tim Cook is back on screen, and finally the term ‘artificial intelligence’ is spoken out loud.
“It’s the next big step for Apple,” he says.
He very quickly pivots to calling it ‘Apple Intelligence’.
These are the traits he says AI needs to have to make it Apple Intelligence:
What can Apple Intelligence do?
Monday 10 June 2024 19:14 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Craig is back to reveal the first practical applications of Apple Intelligence. They include personalising images using generative AI, as well as summarising text or offering ways to improve your own writing.
Looks like this part of my job may soon be automated.
“Apple Intelligence, please summarise this keynote in neat, time-relevant blog posts.”
Siri gets Apple Intelligence upgrade
Monday 10 June 2024 19:25 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Siri is now a teenager. Unveiled 13 years ago, the voice assistant is getting a big upgrade with Apple Intelligence.
Handling 1.5 billion queries a day, its answers will now be more “natural, relevant and personal”.
You also don’t have to use your voice to ask questions, with new text inputs, while on-screen awareness means it can understand what you are referring to, and can even take actions within apps.
“Siri moves through the system in concert with you,” Apple says.
The new Siri also gets a new glowing screen feature when you’re interacting with it. All these new updates will be available as soon as Apple Intelligence is enabled.
New Apple Intelligence writing tools
Monday 10 June 2024 19:29 , Anthony Cuthbertson
New writing tools that utilise Apple Intelligence can make your emails sound more friendly, professional or concise with just a few taps.
A way to summarise longer emails also offers a way to add a ‘TLDR’ to the top of the email.
Generative AI comes to emojis
Monday 10 June 2024 19:33 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Move over Memojis, personalised emojis just got an upgrade with GenMoji. Using generative AI, the new feature can create new emojis from simple text prompts.
I wonder what kind of guard rails Apple has in place to prevent misuse.
Apple Intelligence availability
Monday 10 June 2024 19:38 , Anthony Cuthbertson
We’re half an hour into the unveiling of Apple Intelligence, and Craig is back to tell us: “What you saw here is just the beginning,”
Apple Intelligence is free with all the new operating systems announced today, including iOS 18 and MacOS Sequoia.
ChatGPT integration
Monday 10 June 2024 19:41 , Anthony Cuthbertson
As expected, Apple has just announced ChatGPT integration into its products.
No word on the date it will be integrated, but it will come to the new Apple operating systems “later this year”, with users able to access it for free.
Apple Intelligence ‘coming in the fall'
Monday 10 June 2024 19:45 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Apple Intelligence will be available on iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and MacOS Sequoia as a beta version for people to try this autumn.
“This is AI for the rest of us,” Craig says. “This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter.”
Here’s all the apps it will be available within, which developers will be able to get working on right away:
What to expect from Apple Intelligence
Monday 10 June 2024 19:46 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Here’s an infographic showing all the main features of the new Apple Intelligence:
Keynote ends
Monday 10 June 2024 19:47 , Anthony Cuthbertson
It’s back to Tim Cook, who bids us farewell as the opening keynote for WWDC 2024 comes to a close.
If you missed it, you can watch a replay of the whole event on the post pinned to the top of this blog.
‘Apple Intelligence’ vs ‘artificial intelligence'
Monday 10 June 2024 20:08 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Today’s event was widely hyped as Apple’s big foray into AI, but the tech giant was once again reluctant to actually use the terms adopted by the broader industry.
In the 100-minute long keynote, ‘artificial intelligence’ was only mentioned three times, while its new ‘Apple intelligence’ was spoken 56 times.
Monday 10 June 2024 20:20 , Anthony Cuthbertson
While the keynote may be over, WWDC is only just getting underway.
We’ll be bringing you the latest news from Apple’s developer conference, including on-the-ground coverage from the Cupertino campus.
Until then here’s a couple of today’s biggest announcements:
Apple Vision Pro to be launched worldwide
Apple is finally releasing its Vision Pro headset around the world
Apple reveals new iOS 18 update for iPhone
Apple reveals huge update coming to iPhone with new features
All the key infographics from today’s WWDC keynote
Monday 10 June 2024 20:52 , Anthony Cuthbertson
One of the most useful shots from these Apple keynotes are the product infographics that flash on screen for a few seconds.
In case you missed any of them, I took a screenshot of the graphics for the new visionOS 2, iOS 18, WatchOS, iPadOS 18, MacOS Sequoia and Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence will only come to the most expensive iPhones
Monday 10 June 2024 21:20 , Andrew Griffin
Apple Intelligence is quite limited in its compatibility, which Apple says is because it requires fast chips to do the processing. Only the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max – not even the normal version of the iPhone 15 – will get it. (Presumably all of the iPhone 16 models coming later this year will be compatible, too.)
It will also come to the iPad and Mac. The requirements are less restrictive there: any device with an “M” chip will be able to run it.
What actually IS Apple Intelligence?
Monday 10 June 2024 21:25 , Andrew Griffin
It’s complicated! Here’s an answer.
Tim Cook welcomes ‘next chapter in AI'
Monday 10 June 2024 21:44 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Tim Cook has taken to X to introduce Apple Intelligence to his 15 million followers on the platform.
Sharing the official Apple press release, he describes it as Apple’s “next chapter in AI”.
Elon Musk says he will ban Apple devices
Monday 10 June 2024 21:56 , Anthony Cuthbertson
In the wake of that keynote Elon Musk has said he will ban Apple devices at his companies if OpenAI’s ChatGPT is integrated at the OS level.
“That is an unacceptable security violation,” the tech billionaire - who heads or owns Tesla, SpaceX, X, Neuralink and the Boring Company - wrote on X.
He added that “Visitors will have to check their Apple devices at the door, where they will be stored in a Faraday cage”.
You can read more about it here.
Most iPhones won’t get new AI features
01:07 , Andrew Griffin
iOS 18, the new update, doesn’t drop compatibility for any devices; if you can run iOS 17 then you can run this one too. It works for every device since the iPhone XS and XR, released in 2018.
But the new Apple Intelligence features are a lot more restrictive. You need either the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max. Apple says that’s because the models required to run it use so much computing power.
