WWDC 2024: news, rumors, and announcements from Apple’s software event
What are the dates for WWDC 2024 and where is it being held?
WWDC 2024 is scheduled to take place from June 10th to June 14th. The event will be held at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.
How does Apple's upcoming AI technology compare to Google's Gemini and Microsoft's Copilot products?
Apple's upcoming AI technology, rumored to be called "Apple Intelligence," is expected to be revealed at the WWDC 2024 event. Although specific details are yet to be disclosed, it is anticipated that Apple's AI system will be integrated into the iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. The focus of Apple's AI is said to be on features like summarizations, reply suggestions, and an AI overhaul for Siri, aiming for broad appeal.
In comparison, Google's Gemini is a large language model (LLM) that showcases advanced reasoning and understanding across various modalities such as text, code, audio, image, and video. It is built on top of two relatively new technologies, namely large language models and generative AI, which also power rival chatbots like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot2. Google's Gemini AI has the ability to understand natural human languages, making it a more capable digital assistant.
Microsoft's Copilot, on the other hand, is an AI assistant designed to work within Microsoft 365 apps, providing suggestions and automating tasks based on user input. It is powered by OpenAI's GPT-3.5 and can generate human-like responses to written prompts, making it a powerful tool for enhancing productivity and efficiency.
While it is difficult to provide a direct comparison without knowing the full extent of Apple's AI capabilities, Apple's focus on integrating AI into its devices and enhancing Siri's capabilities suggests that it aims to compete with Google's Gemini and Microsoft's Copilot products. Apple's strategy seems to prioritize on-device AI processing for privacy reasons, while also considering external AI models for cloud-based tasks1. This approach may result in a more user-friendly and privacy-centric AI experience for Apple users.
What are the new features included in visionOS 2 for the Vision Pro headset?
VisionOS 2, the second version of the Vision Pro's operating system, brings several new features and improvements to the headset6. Some of the notable updates include:
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3D Photo Transformations: Users can now convert any image in the Photos app into a spatial (3D-like) photo using machine learning4.
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Train Support: Travel mode on the Vision Pro headset will no longer be limited to just airplanes, as train support has been added.
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Larger Virtual Display: The Mac Virtual Display feature is being expanded, offering a larger and higher-resolution single virtual display, including a huge, wraparound ultra-wide monitor mode that Apple says is equivalent to two 4K monitors.
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Immersive Photos and Video: Apple is adding more ways to take spatial photos and videos. A spatial lens is coming to Canon cameras with the RF/RF-S mount, such as the Canon EOS R7. Additionally, a new Vimeo app will be coming to the Vision OS this fall, allowing users to watch immersive video in 100-degree 8K.
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New Gestures: Gesture controls have been tweaked and improved in Vision 2.0, making it easier to bring up commonly used features and menus.
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Developer Tools: New developer APIs will facilitate apps that really take advantage of the spatial features, rather than just being flat 2D windows floating around you. There will also be new enterprise-specific APIs for things like surgical training and manufacturing applications.
These updates aim to enhance the user experience and expand the capabilities of the Vision Pro headset.