Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote is happening on Monday, June 22nd, but in a very different form than usual, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The show must go on, so Apple will be presenting the entire conference in a new, digital-only format. The company is still expected to unveil the first look at the future of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — the various suites of software that power all of Apple’s hardware.
The company may also be making an even bigger announcement than just the annual software updates: Apple is reportedly going to be using WWDC to announce a shift from Intel-based processors to custom-designed ARM chips for its Mac desktops and laptops. This would be a fundamental shift for Apple’s computer products as a whole.
Apple’s developer conference is also coming at a time when the company is under fire for its developer practices, like the limits it places on third-party applications and the 30-percent and 15-percent cuts it takes from app purchases and subscriptions sold through its store. The EU has opened antitrust investigations against Apple, even as Apple continues to enforce restrictive policies — most recently against the email startup Hey. Major developers like Spotify, Epic Games, and Match Group have become increasingly outspoken about Apple’s policies; if there’s any change coming, it’ll be announced here (or Apple will simply ignore the problem entirely).
With that all said, here’s everything we’re expecting Apple to announce this year.
iOS 14
The annual iOS update is, as usual, expected to be one of Apple’s main focuses this year, though a series of leaks — thanks to an early version of the software that made it out into the world earlier this year — have given a bit more of a preview than usual regarding what to expect.
Apple seems to be settling into a tick-tock development cadence with its iOS updates: the notoriously buggy iOS 13 followed the rock-solid iOS 12, which in turn fixed the problematic iOS 11. As such, iOS 14 is reportedly set to focus on performance and stability rather than adding new features.
There are rumors that Apple might be making the first substantial changes to the iOS home screen, the biggest since the company first added folders and custom wallpapers with iOS 4. The first major addition is said to be a new list view which, according to 9to5Mac, will offer an Android-esque view of all the apps on your device with a variety of sorting options — including Siri suggestions. iOS 14 is also rumored to bring new wallpaper settings that will loop in third-party apps for the first time.
But the biggest — and least substantiated — rumor of all is that Apple could finally be bringing proper home screen widgets to iOS, something the company has long refused to do (outside of showing the time and date on its Clock and Calendar apps).
In another first, Apple is reportedly considering allowing third-party apps to be set as the iOS defaults in place of the Apple-made alternatives. That could be a big deal, if it happens, especially with the spotlight firmly on Apple facing antitrust lawsuits in the EU over accusations that it favors its own apps and services.
It wouldn’t be a new version of iOS without some new apps, and Apple reportedly has several in the works. According to MacRumors, one of those is a new standalone fitness app codenamed “Seymour” (likely to be renamed “Fit” or “Fitness” in the final release) that would provide a variety of guided fitness videos for workout routines.
There are also reports of a new augmented reality app, codenamed “Gobi,” which would offer some unknown functionality built around new, Apple-branded QR-style codes.
And of course, there are the usual tweaks and improvements rumored to be coming in iOS 14. iMessage is rumored to be getting new @-mentions and the option to retract a message from a thread (both similar to features currently offered by WhatsApp).
Apple is also expected to launch a new “CarKey” feature that will let you use your iPhone or Apple Watch as an NFC car key to unlock your car. There are also new HomeKit features reportedly in the works, like the ability to automate color temperature changes for lights throughout the day. Plus, iOS 14 is rumored to add improved accessibility features for users with hearing loss.
There are rumors of improvements to iCloud Keychain, Apple’s built-in password management tool, which could be getting 1Password-like features to remind users to regularly change their passwords and support for two-factor authentication.
Lastly, Apple is said to be adding a new “Clips” API that would allow developers to offer small snippets of content from their apps without having to install the full application by scanning a QR code (similar features already exist on Android with Google’s Instant Apps and app slices).
iPadOS 14
Last year, Apple split off the iPad version of iOS into its own fork, iPadOS. Given that, at its heart, iPadOS is still basically iOS, expect most of the changes above for iOS to apply here too. That said, there are additional iPadOS rumors centered around the Apple Pencil. MacRumors claims that Apple is adding a new PencilKit feature that will automatically convert handwritten words into standard text. The new handwriting feature is said to work in any iPadOS input field.
Other changes, like mouse support, which were originally rumored for release with iOS 14, have already made their way to the iPad earlier this year with the release of iOS 13.4.
watchOS 7
The perennial rumor for the Apple Watch — the addition of sleep tracking — has popped up again this year in rumors for watchOS 7, although it’s not clear whether Apple will hold off on that announcement for when it releases a new Apple Watch this fall (given that sleep tracking may have additional hardware demands). Another rumor suggests that blood oxygen trackingmight be coming to watchOS 7, although, like sleep tracking, it’s unclear if that’ll depend on new hardware.
On the purely software side of things, Apple is reportedly adding the option to share customized watchfaces, along with a new Infograph Pro watchface andbetter parental control options.
tvOS 14
tvOS now powers both the Apple TV and the HomePod, so any updates to either of those platforms may come here. On the Apple TV side of things, the same rumored Fitnessapp that’s expected to debut with iOS 14 is expected to appear here, too, and Apple is reportedly working on a Kids Mode for the streaming platform that would also loop in with Screen Time for monitoring how much time you spend watching TV.
For HomePod, the rumors that Apple may be easing up on default applications might also bring benefits here, like enabling third-party applications like Spotify to work on the smart speaker through Apple’s Siri voice assistant, according to Bloomberg.
macOS 10.16
Shockingly, there have been almost no leaks for the next version of macOS head of WWDC this year. The only major rumors are ones that are extended from iOS, with talk of a proper Catalyst iMessage app that could finally bring features like “sent with lasers” to the Mac app, and similar iCloud Keychain improvements.
But there’s still the biggest rumor heading into WWDC: that Apple could be unveiling its own ARM-based chips for the next generation of Mac laptops to replace the Intel processors its been using since 2006. In which case, expect to hear a lot about how the next version of macOS will support that transition.
Macs switching to ARM
Perhaps the most important piece of news that could come out of WWDC, Apple is reportedly planning to use this year’s developer conference to announce a switch to its own custom designed ARM-based chips, according to a report from Bloomberg.
According to the report, the change is motivated by Apple’s concerns about Intel’s performance improvements. The new ARM chips are said to offer markedly better performance for graphics and AI tasks, andare also more power efficient (meaning future Mac laptops could offer better battery life or cut down on their size even further). And of course, by not relying on Intel, Apple can design chipsets that are completely to its specifications, instead of relying on another company’s roadmap, a strategy that it’s deployed to great effect over on its iPhone and iPad devices, which have used custom Apple-designed chips since the original iPad and the iPhone 4.
That said, the new ARM-based Macs are still expected to run macOS, not iOS, although presumably sharing a hardware architecture would make it even easier to create ported Catalyst-style applications for the new Macs.
And even if Apple does announce a plan for ARM-based Macs at WWDC, it’ll probably be months before the actual computers arrive — rumors say that the first ARM Macs will be out in 2021 at the earliest. There’s precedence for this, too: Apple first announced that it would be shifting over to Intel chips from the PowerPC architecture at WWDC 2005, months ahead of the eventual release of Intel-based Macs in January 2006 in order to give developers time to prepare for the transition. That said, the change happened remarkably quickly — Apple had updated its entire lineup of computers with Intel-based versions by August 2006.
New iMac
The iMac has been long overdue for a refresh — it’s been years since Apple updated its main desktop with a new design, and rumors suggest that we could be getting one at WWDC that cuts down on the bezels, expanding the display to 23 inches and offering a design closer to the Pro Display XDR that was announced last WWDC.
New Apple TV 4K
There are also rumors of a refreshed Apple TV, given that the current Apple TV 4K model (introduced in 2017) is getting a little long in the tooth. The updates aren’t expected to be too revolutionary, though: if it does show up, expect it to look pretty similar to the current model, although with double the storage (from 32GB and 64GB to 64GB and 128GB) and an improved processor.
Apple AirTags
One of the more thoroughly leaked Apple products of late, the Tile-like AirTags have been lurking at the edge of multiple Apple software leaks and rumors going back over a year, even showing up in an official Apple promotional video. The AirTags are expected to be circular discs that rely on the same U1 chips and technology introduced in the iPhone 11 to offer an augmented reality interface to find missing items with high levels of precision. They’ve shown up plenty in previous iOS builds, but will they finally make an appearance at WWDC 2020?
One more thing…
As always, WWDC is an Apple event, and given the chaotic nature of 2020 — with product announcements and release dates increasingly all over the place due to supply chain disruptions and delays — there’s a good chance that anything could happen. While WWDC does tend to focus on software and developer announcements, big news has happened in the past here. Whatever does get announced, keep it locked to The Verge to find out as soon as it happens.
Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.
The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.
Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.
The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.
Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.
On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.
The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.
More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.
Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:
You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!
Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.
Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.
There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.
Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.
Successful people tend to be secretive.
Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.
Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.
Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.
TORONTO – A new survey says a majority of software engineers and developers feel tight project deadlines can put safety at risk.
Seventy-five per cent of the 1,000 global workers who responded to the survey released Tuesday say pressure to deliver projects on time and on budget could be compromising critical aspects like safety.
The concern is even higher among engineers and developers in North America, with 77 per cent of those surveyed on the continent reporting the urgency of projects could be straining safety.
The study was conducted between July and September by research agency Coleman Parkes and commissioned by BlackBerry Ltd.’s QNX division, which builds connected-car technology.
The results reflect a timeless tug of war engineers and developers grapple with as they balance the need to meet project deadlines with regulations and safety checks that can slow down the process.
Finding that balance is an issue that developers of even the simplest appliances face because of advancements in technology, said John Wall, a senior vice-president at BlackBerry and head of QNX.
“The software is getting more complicated and there is more software whether it’s in a vehicle, robotics, a toaster, you name it… so being able to patch vulnerabilities, to prevent bad actors from doing malicious acts is becoming more and more important,” he said.
The medical, industrial and automotive industries have standardized safety measures and anything they produce undergoes rigorous testing, but that work doesn’t happen overnight. It has to be carried out from the start and then at every step of the development process.
“What makes safety and security difficult is it’s an ongoing thing,” Wall said. “It’s not something where you’ve done it, and you are finished.”
The Waterloo, Ont.-based business found 90 per cent of its survey respondents reported that organizations are prioritizing safety.
However, when asked about why safety may not be a priority for their organization, 46 per cent of those surveyed answered cost pressures and 35 per cent said a lack of resources.
That doesn’t surprise Wall. Delays have become rampant in the development of tech, and in some cases, stand to push back the launch of vehicle lines by two years, he said.
“We have to make sure that people don’t compromise on safety and security to be able to get products out quicker,” he said.
“What we don’t want to see is people cutting corners and creating unsafe situations.”
The survey also took a peek at security breaches, which have hit major companies like London Drugs, Indigo Books & Music, Giant Tiger and Ticketmaster in recent years.
About 40 per cent of the survey’s respondents said they have encountered a security breach in their employer’s operating system. Those breaches resulted in major impacts for 27 per cent of respondents, moderate impacts for 42 per cent and minor impacts for 27 per cent.
“There are vulnerabilities all the time and this is what makes the job very difficult because when you ship the software, presumably the software has no security vulnerabilities, but things get discovered after the fact,” Wall said.
Security issues, he added, have really come to the forefront of the problems developers face, so “really without security, you have no safety.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.
As online shoppers hunt for bargains offered by Amazon during its annual fall sale this week, cybersecurity researchers are warning Canadians to beware of an influx of scammers posing as the tech giant.
In the 30 days leading up to Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, there were more than 1,000 newly registered Amazon-related web domains, according to Check Point Software Technologies, a company that offers cybersecurity solutions.
The company said it deemed 88 per cent of those domains malicious or suspicious, suggesting they could have been set up by scammers to prey on vulnerable consumers. One in every 54 newly created Amazon-related domain included the phrase “Amazon Prime.”
“They’re almost indiscernible from the real Amazon domain,” said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point in Canada.
“With all these domains registered that look so similar, it’s tricking a lot of people. And that’s the whole intent here.”
Falzon said Check Point Research sees an uptick in attempted scams around big online shopping days throughout the year, including Prime Days.
Scams often come in the form of phishing emails, which are deceptive messages that appear to be from a reputable source in attempt to steal sensitive information.
In this case, he said scammers posing as Amazon commonly offer “outrageous” deals that appear to be associated with Prime Days, in order to trick recipients into clicking on a malicious link.
The cybersecurity firm said it has identified and blocked 100 unique Amazon Prime-themed scam emails targeting organizations and consumers over the past two weeks.
Scammers also target Prime members with unsolicited calls, claiming urgent account issues and requesting payment information.
“It’s like Christmas for them,” said Falzon.
“People expect there to be significant savings on Prime Day, so they’re not shocked that they see something of significant value. Usually, the old adage applies: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Amazon’s website lists a number of red flags that it recommends customers watch for to identify a potential impersonation scam.
Those include false urgency, requests for personal information, or indications that the sender prefers to complete the purchase outside of the Amazon website or mobile app.
Scammers may also request that customers exclusively pay with gift cards, a claim code or PIN. Any notifications about an order or delivery for an unexpected item should also raise alarm bells, the company says.
“During busy shopping moments, we tend to see a rise in impersonation scams reported by customers,” said Amazon spokeswoman Octavia Roufogalis in a statement.
“We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”
Falzon added that these scams are more successful than people might think.
As of June 30, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said there had been $284 million lost to fraud so far this year, affecting 15,941 victims.
But Falzon said many incidents go unreported, as some Canadians who are targeted do not know how or where to flag a scam, or may choose not to out of embarrassment.
Check Point recommends Amazon customers take precautions while shopping on Prime Days, including by checking URLs carefully, creating strong passwords on their accounts, and avoiding personal information being shared such as their birthday or social security number.
The cybersecurity company said consumers should also look for “https” at the beginning of a website URL, which indicates a secure connection, and use credit cards rather than debit cards for online shopping, which offer better protection and less liability if stolen.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.
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