Recap: Apple's World Wide Developer Conference kicks off next week, but reports claim that those hoping to see some new hardware at the event will be disappointed. According to Bloomberg, the focus this year will be entirely on software, unlike last year, which saw previews of the iMac Pro, the HomePod Speaker, and an update to the iPad Pro line.
Citing people familiar with the plans, the report claims that the MacBook refresh, which includes a new MacBook Pro, 12-inch MacBook, and cheaper MacBook Air successor, won't arrive until later this year. The company is working on new iPad Pros with Face ID, too, but they're also expected to be unveiled later in 2018.
Two new Apple Watch models and the iPhone SE 2 are said to be in the works, but they won't be shown off next week, though Apple is reportedly set to unlock a new rainbow-colored "Pride" watch face at the event.
Something Apple is expected to unveil at WWDC is its Digital Health initiative---a collection of settings and usage monitoring tools that will help people break their device addiction. These will appear inside the settings of iOS 12, enabling users to see how much time they spend on a device and within apps. Back in January, two Apple shareholders urged the company to address smartphone addiction among children.
The promised improvements to iOS' parental controls are also likely to be part of the Digital Health initiative.
The report says we'll also see version 2.0 of Apple's ARKit augmented reality tools, which will be perfect for multiplayer gaming as it can save and share the location of augmented reality objects and users. This could be a prelude for what's to come from an Apple AR headset, which is planned for as early as 2020.
Apple's WWDC 2018 date begins on Monday, June 4 starting at 10:00 am PT and 1:00 pm ET.