Apple Inc. today shared new details about the virtual edition of its Worldwide Developer Conference that will take place this year, most notably the date: The event is scheduled to kick off on June 22.

WWDC is a normally in-person conference held in San Jose, California, that Apple uses to unveil new versions of iOS. The iPhone maker announced in March that it would hold this year’s summit in a digital-only format because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Numerous other tech firms such as IBM Corp. are also hosting digital events to make up for scrapped in-person gatherings, although some events have been called off altogether.

Apple will allow developers to watch WWDC content for free via its Apple Developer website and accompanying iOS app. The iPhone maker is touting the new digital event as an opportunity to reach more app creators than its in-person events did in previous years.

“WWDC20 will be our biggest yet, bringing together our global developer community of more than 23 million in an unprecedented way for a week in June to learn about the future of Apple platforms,” said Apple worldwide marketing head Phil Schiller.

Apple will share details about the future of iOS as well as the operating systems powering the iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV. More information, including session schedules, is set to become available in June ahead of WWDC.

A number of recent leaks have provided a glimpse into what the iPhone maker will be announcing. Apple is expected to introduce a new version of iOS with an augmented reality app that will allow users to point their iPhone’s camera at a certain object, such a laptop on a store shelf, to view information about it. A fitness video streaming app is said to be in the works as well, along with a number of usability improvements for iMessage.

Other Apple platforms besides iOS will be in the WWDC spotlight as well. Most notably, an April report suggested that Apple’s long-rumored over-the-air wireless headphones could make their debut at the event. The device is described as a high-end product with Siri integration and magnetically attached parts that can be replaced by users when they start showing wear.

Before WWDC kicks off in June, Microsoft Corp. will host the virtual edition of its Build developer conference, where the company is set to provide an operating system update of its own. Microsoft plans to share new details about Windows 10X, an upcoming version of Windows 10 that will run applications in software containers and support dual-screen devices.

Image: Apple