Last week, I started off my wishlist for Apple’s 2020 World Wide Developer Conference, or WWDC 2020. WWDC 2020 will start Monday, June 22. 2020. My wishlist got so long that I needed to break it into two. So this week I’m going to dive into what I’d like to see come to iPadOS 14 and MacOS 16 and touch base on Apple’s services and discuss if there might be any surprises that haven’t been covered so far.
Make sure you check out my wishlist for iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Home Pod.
The iPad at WWDC 2020
The iPad has really hit a great stride this year. Last year, iPad surprised everyone by breaking out iPad development from normal iOS development. Thus iPadOS became a thing with iPadOS 13. Apple has continued to bring out new features for the iPad, and I’m excited to see what Apple has in store for iPadOS 14.
Back when I actually left the house, I took my iPad with me every day. It was my go-to mobile device. Since social distancing has kept me at home, I don’t use my iPad as much. When things return to normal, I’m curious to see if I will return to using my iPad or will I move my production back to my MacBook Air? The iPad is definitely the more exciting device between the two and much easier to transport. It will be interesting to see what happens. Maybe some of the iPadOS 14 announcements will bring me back to using my iPad more.
In a bit of bad timing, Apple updated iPadOS with one of the things that I had been asking for, better pointer support, but it came at a time when more people were staying at home. I say bad timing because I haven’t had the chance to use the feature as I wanted. Apple also brought out the new Magic Keyboard cover/dock for the iPad that has blown reviewers away, but I’m not sure it fits my needs just yet. These new features add up to a much better iPad. Apple’s tablet has really transformed into a full-blown computer, one that can fit most workflows.
But there are areas that iPadOS 14 needs to be pushed.
Monitor Support
When Apple transitioned the iPad Pros to use USB-C, the company made it much easier to use monitors with the iPad. At work, I’m lucky enough to have a docking station that works with my iPad. But when the iPad connects to a monitor, it simply copies the screen to the monitor. If you have a wide-screen monitor, it doesn’t matter, the iPad will only output video that is shaped like the iPad. The iPad uses black bars to fill the screen. So there’s screen space that isn’t being used.
Before Apple added in mouse and trackpad support inside of iPadOS 13.4, users were expected to use the touchscreen to navigate the interface. Apple added an accessibility feature that allowed users to use mice to get around the interface, but it was rudimentary. It was how I used my iPad when I docked it at my workstation.
Now, mice and trackpads just work. Users don’t actually HAVE to use the touchscreen to get around anymore. So I think Apple needs to add in more monitor support with iPadOS 14.
I would love it if the iPad could project the screen to take up the entire screen, instead of the same space that the iPad takes up. How about adding in multiscreen support too? Since we can use multiple windows, allow users to use those windows on multiple screens as well.
I think this would be a boon for those that use iPads in docking stations. Imagine a future computing situation where the entire system runs on an iPad. It could be docked for an iMac like screen or taken on the go with a Magic Keyboard. The iPad is already faster than many of the laptops out there and I imagine future iPads will continue to improve.
Pro Apps/ design language
When it comes to apps on the iPad, I feel like I’m repeating myself. Right now, the biggest issue keeping me from using my iPad full time comes down to the apps. Some apps are just now starting to show up, like Photoshop, while some lack the features of their mac version. The iPad is still treated as a less device, even though the hardware is better than most laptops.
Developers have come a long way with apps, I don’t want to blast developers. Touch-based apps take time to rethink how they work. I remember when the iPad came out and I couldn’t wait for apps to come to the app store. Now that they are there, I want Apple to set the standard. Apple needs to bring out its pro-level apps to show others how it should be done.
I keep harping on Final Cut being developed for the iPad, and I’m not sure that I would even buy it. I want these apps to come out so that other developers can see what is possible on the iPad. I want the apps to continue to push the boundary of what can be done on Apple’s tablet device. If Apple wants developers to push, they need to do that themselves.
LumaFusion has been one of the guiding lights on the iPad. For WWDC 2020, I want Apple to really push the software on the iPad.
Multitasking Simplification
Using multiple apps on the iPad has gotten better since the beginning. The current iteration of multitasking is okay but I don’t think it is easy to use for most. I’m not sure that there will ever be a way that makes multitasking on an iPad intuitive though.
This year, I would like Apple to really brush up iPadOS 14 multitasking. If Apple would just make it a little clearer on which App is currently in use, it would make things much more usable. They have made the little pill indicator a little darker on the page that you are using, but it doesn’t feel like it is enough. Maybe they could fade the screen of the app that isn’t being used. Anything to make it easier to work with.
To that effect, maybe they could also add the ability to enter multitasking mode with a long press on an app icon. Iif the second app you need that you need isn’t in your dock, things become difficult. If you could enter multitasking by a long press of an app, maybe that app opens on one side of the screen and the home screen shrinks to the other side, allowing the user to still scroll through the apps. If external monitor support is added, maybe this is how you send an app to one of those screens.
Right now, multitasking hasn’t been solved, but it has improved. It just has a little ways more to go.
External Keyboard Improvements
Apple has already done much to improve external keyboard support, but I think there are still little software tweaks it could announce at WWDC 2020 that could improve the experience even more.
Currently, when you have an external keyboard attached, the software keyboard all but disappears. Just the top of the keyboard remains visible, usually offering word/typing suggestions and a handful of functions like cut/copy/paste.
I think it would awesome if Apple would bring more usability to this little area of the keyboard at WWDC 2020 with iPadOS 14. Apple could turn this area into a function row to keyboards that could replace the media keys from the keyboard. Or maybe, keyboard makers could be allowed to develop something for that spot.
As a writer, I have the Grammarly keyboard installed on my iOS devices, but I hate typing on it. When I use a hardware keyboard, there’s no using the keyboard unless you bring up the software keyboard*. It would be awesome if Apple allowed these third-party keyboards to integrate into this space. I would love to see what grammar issues are popping up while I write when using my iPad and the Smart Keyboard Folio. I can imagine a few other ways this little helpful strip could be more useful than just offering suggested words.
*just after I finished this part, Grammarly introduced just what I was talking about. So this doesn’t look like an Apple issue, but I would still like to see this promoted.
Big Changes for the Mac at WWDC 2020
One thing that the pandemic did show me was how much I still love my Macs. I went from barely using my Mac to using it near full-time. While macOS might not be as exciting or new as iOS or iPadOS, it is still rock solid.
But there are areas where I think Apple can bring some exciting stuff to macOS. The rumor mill is spilling over with exciting news about what’s in store for the Mac.
ARM
The most talked-about rumor that might show up at WWDC this year is the transition from Intel CPUs to Apple’s own ARM chips. For a while now, Apple’s chips inside the iPhone and iPad have been catching up and even surpassing, what has been coming out of Intel. Plus, Apple is a company that likes to own the entire widget. They want to control every detail of what goes into their products. If they can build chips that outclass what they are buying, I don’t see why they wouldn’t make the switch.
Thanks to a rumor from Bloomberg, this transition is all but confirmed at this point. At WWDC this year, I would expect the majority of time to be discussing this switch.
The switch could be a great decision. Apple has been the chip leader in the mobile space for a while, pushing everyone else along with them. They switched to 64-bit long before anyone else, and the speed tests just keep getting quicker. If Apple does make the switch, I would expect them to make it as easy as possible on developers to port their apps over.
I wouldn’t expect an ARM Mac to be announced as a new product at the Keynote though. Developers will need to time to move things over to the new chip. I imagine that Apple will allow developers to buy or rent an ARM machine to develop on before the first ARM Mac comes out next year.
Of course, I’m not sure that Apple can turn the entire line over to ARM in a year. Intel does still have the most powerful chips for computers like the Mac Pro. It will be interesting to see how Apple makes the transition. If I had to guess, I would say that the MacBook line would be first to make the transition, with a revised MacBook or the MacBook Air. Eventually, it will move to the MacBook Pro and iMac lines. But Apple has surprised everyone before, maybe they start strong and just revamp the entire line. It’s not something I would expect to see at WWDC 2020.
Besides faster computational speeds, expect better battery life and an improvement in Machine Learning. iPads have long had great battery life and with a Mac form factor, MacBooks should have better battery life as well. Also, most of Apple’s latest chips have a Machine Leaning core. A Machine Learning chip helps the device learn quicker. This can include things about you, like when you start your computer or what apps you use, but it could also learn about your charging habits and help you maximize the battery life of a device.
Besides having the growing pains that come with a chip transition, I don’t see many downsides. The only thing I’ll be upset about is the MacBook Air that I just bought in March. It will still work for the foreseeable future, but I doubt it will run as long as my MacBook Pro did.
Swift UI or the iOS-ification of Mac Apps
With ARM MacBooks coming down the pipeline, I would imagine that developers that have jumped into Catalyst or SwiftUI, Apple’s developer frameworks, will be the first out of the gate for ARM macs.
I think that means that more iOS and iPadOS apps will be coming to the Mac. I think the next phase of the Mac will have more iOS-like apps in general. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean less complicated apps, but just a similar design language. Hopefully, if developers bring an iOS app over to the Mac, they push the app to do more than their iOS counterpart. But much of it depends on what Apple brings to the table for developers at WWDC 2020.
Last year, Apple brought Catalyst to the developers. Catalyst was the system that Apple deployed last year that helped iPad apps get ported over to the Mac. To this day, there haven’t been many successful apps. Apple itself has done a few, the Podcast app, News and Home, are Catalyst apps. But outside of a few apps, there doesn’t seem to be a flood of apps coming. It feels like some of the design choices that Apple made in regard to the system just don’t really work well on the Mac.
With new ARM Macs coming soon, I would hope that Apple has continued to work and refine that process. I would also guess that developers will want to start to use Catalyst if it means easier coding for the Mac down the road. For WWDC 2020, I want to see Apple really help out the developers bring iOS apps over. I want them to make it as easy as possible to developer one code base for iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS. That’s where SwiftUI comes in.
SwiftUI was also debuted last year as a way to develop one code base for all of Apple’s systems. It feels more like the future than Catalyst, but it required more work to port apps over. I would think if I were building an app, something I know very little about, I would want to start it in SwiftUI.
I hope Apple remembers that developers are the ones that are making the systems successful.
Developer Relations
I doubt this would happen this year, but I would love for Apple to adjust their relationship with developers. Currently, Apple takes a 30% cut of sales from the App Store, In-app-purchase, and subscriptions. Of course, with subscriptions, after the first year, Apple reduces their cut to 15%.
Apple’s devices are successful because they are great devices, but also because of their app ecosystem. Without success, developers might start to turn away from Apple. Apple would do good to adjust their cut. Do they really need 30% to support the ecosystem and storage? I don’t know, but I feel like a drop to 20% wouldn’t be that detrimental to the over all number.
I would also like to see Apple ease up on the rules of the App Store. Developers can’t promote or link to a sign up page in an app. They can only offer Apple’s In-App purchase system. I think if given the choice between the ease of buying/subscribing in an app or having to leave an app to subscribe to something, many would stay in the app. Apple has made it so easy and secure to buy inside an App that I choose to do that more often than not. Choice is not bad, especially if the choice in the app has advantages. Not to mention that if you use your Apple car, it saves you 3% on that purchase.
WWDC 2020 needs to be the year that Apple helps the developer. Making these changes could help everyone.
Services
I’m not sure how much time Apple will spend on service at WWDC 2020. Last year, there was an entire event and then nothing until the iPhone event in the fall. This year though, I feel very meh on all of Apple’s services. They need something new to get them going. So if Apple does say something at WWDC 2020, I hope that it’s groundbreaking.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ has started off okay. It helps that Apple gave a free one-year subscription to customers that bought an Apple product. As it is right now, I’m not sure that I would pay for what they offer.
Apple has brought some good content to the service, but nothing is Must-See yet. The Morning Show had great drama, but there were episodes that were tough to get through. Servant was creepy good horror. Defending Jacob had me on my toes for the entire ride, but the ending was awkward. Little America has been one of my favorite of all the shows so far, but I haven’t even finished the first season. Mythic Quest was great as well, but will I rewatch it like I do the office? I really doubt it.
Most of the other shows haven’t been good at all, granted I haven’t watched everything. Home Before Dark was awful, as well as the one about a podcast that put a man behind bars.
But I don’t want Apple to stop trying. The price is great for jumping in if you have to pay for the service. I’m just not sure that I will if they start making me this fall.
Apple Arcade
I started off strong with Apple Arcade, but I’ve cooled on the service since then.
I imagined that I would play more games on my phone and on my Apple TV, but the reality is that I haven’t. I have found a few games that I do like to play but I’m not sure it warrants the monthly expense.
Just like with Apple TV+, there hasn’t been a game that has driven the service yet. To improve the service, Apple needs to bring out a game that can’t be played anywhere else that can really get gamers interested. There hasn’t been a must play game in the vien of Fortnight or Call of Duty. That’s what Apple needs to really drive the service.
As it is, I don’t see myself paying for this service much longer. I paid for a year worth of the service. Once it comes to an end, I will reevaluate if it is worth the cost. Right now, it’s not an easy yes.
News+
I don’t use Apple News+. When Apple News+ launched, I signed up for the service. I canceled my subscription four days in. I didn’t even wait for the trial to end.
I do use the News App pretty frequently, but the added value of News+ didn’t really add anything to the experience for me. There have been a few articles that have popped up in the app that were hidden behind the News+ service that I wanted to read, but it didn’t make me want to sign up for it.
There are rumors coming that Apple will be adding in audio readings of articles to News+, but that doesn’t entice me to try the service out.
Maybe Apple has something else planned for WWDC 2020
iCloud Storage
Okay, seriously Apple, it’s time to reevaluate your tiers here. Insert the obligatory “5gigs isn’t enough storage” argument here. Since iCloud came out, it has offered 5gigs of cloud storage. It hasn’t changed that entire time. WWDC 2020 is the time to announce that every user will get more free storage. 5 gigs isn’t enough to do anything these days, so offer more and let users decide if they want more.
I did.
I would really love it Apple would adjust their prices a little though. I’ve mentioned before that 2TB is a little bit of overkill. If there was a 1TB plan for a little cheaper, I think we could use that and save money, but there isn’t. It would be nice if Apple to add more options to the offerings.
The service itself works very well for us. It stores all our stuff and I haven’t had any issues with syncing. So I hope they keep adding features to it. Shared folders came last year, and I’m excited to see what they have in store for the future.
Bundle
I would love for Apple to start bundling some stuff together though! How about an iCloud bundle that includes Apple TV+ and News+? Or a media bundle that combines Apple Music, TV+, and Arcade into one cheaper bundle.
One of the benefits of this would be one charge a month (or year if you choose) instead of separate charges for everything. I would love a little less clutter in my digital life.
WWDC 2020 Hardware Surprises
Trying to figure out if there will be any surprises at WWDC 2020 is always tough. The conference is really about software and we do get some leaks. The pointer support in iPadOS 13.4 was a great surprise that didn’t leak after all. But what about hardware?
I think there could be a good chance to see some minor hardware surprises based on the leaks that have been coming out this season.
AirPod Studios
AirPods have really taken over the music arena since they were announced in 2017. The largest rumor is that Apple will unveil the AirPod Studios this year. The Studios are rumored to be Apple’s take on the Over-the-head headphones.
Not much has come out about them other than the ear cups will be attached via magnets so that you can swap them out based on your listening activity. We can assume that they will have the AirPod Pro’s noise canceling feature as well as the Transparency mode.
But will they be announced at WWDC 2020?
I think it could happen, but I think Apple would rather save this for an iPhone event.
New iMac
One rumor that has come out lately has been that there is a redesigned iMac on the way. I wouldn’t bet against a new iMac being unveiled at WWDC 2020, but I’m not sure it’s the right time. The rumor says that the new iMac coming will have a new design (finally!) that mimics the iPad Pro design.
If Apple does reveal that it is transitioning to ARM, why would it promote a new Intel version? If this is the first ARM Mac, then Apple hasn’t given developers any time to port their apps.
A redesigned iMac is long over due, but I’m not sure that it makes sense just yet. It probably will come out though since I bought the new version last year after waiting on an update for nine years. So if there is a new one, you can thank me.
AirPower
As of writing, Twitter leaker Jon Prosser has leaked what looks like a working AirPower charging mat. I wouldn’t doubt that Apple has continued to work on the AirPower mat even though they said they canceled the project last year.
Well, you guys wanted a better picture of “C68”… 😏
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) June 18, 2020
Remember how I said that the main problem was that current prototypes didn’t support Apple Watch?
Yeah.
Well.
They got the Watch working… 👀 pic.twitter.com/LvBeNAAtt3
It would be a huge surprise if the AirPower Mat were announced, but again, this feels like an iPhone event and not a WWDC 2020 announcement.
Wrap Up
This is shaping up to be an interesting WWDC 2020. I’m curious to see just what the format is as well as what gets announced and what doesn’t. I’ve taken a stab at things that I expect to see and things that I would like Apple to focus on in the coming days. What would you like to see? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.
Now that the event has come and gone, see what actually got announced this year. Here’s Everything announced at WWDC 2020