Apple Inc. today announced that this year’s edition of its Worldwide Developer Conference will run June 10-14.

The company plans to livestream the event from its headquarters in Cupertino, California. It will invite a limited number of developers to an in-person gathering scheduled to take place during WWDC’s opening day. The invitations are set be distributed through a lottery.

Apple disclosed in its brief announcement of the event that executives will debut new versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS. Recent reports suggest the iOS update could emerge as the main highlight of WWDC 2024. Apple is expected to extend the iPhone’s operating system with a raft of artificial intelligence features, some of which could reportedly be powered by technology from Google LLC.

It’s believed some of the upcoming AI capabilities will become available in the company’s productivity apps. Apple is reportedly working on a new version of Keynote, its presentation tool, that will use AI to generate slides. The company is also expected to embed machine learning features into its Pages word processor and Numbers spreadsheet editor.

Generative AI features are expected to roll out for other Apple applications as well. In February, Bloomberg reported that Xcode could be one of those applications. The tool, which helps developers write software for iOS and other Apple operating systems, is expected to receive a code generation chatbot similar to GitHub Copilot.

Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook stated shortly after the Xcode rumors emerged that the company is “investing significantly” in AI. He added that the iPhone maker plans to provide an update about its efforts later this year, but didn’t specify whether the announcement will be made at WWDC. 

Recent reports suggest some of Apple’s upcoming AI features could be powered by Google’s Gemini series of language models. One of the models, Gemini Nano, features a hardware-efficient architecture specifically designed to run on mobile devices. Google has installed the model on the Pixel 8 Pro, its latest high-end Android handset, to provide text generation features. 

Apple has reportedly also held discussions with OpenAI about licensing its competing technology. According to Bloomberg, the iPhone maker plans to use partner-developed AI models to power text and image generation features in the next version of iOS. Apple is expected to implement other upcoming features using internally developed AI models.

Alongside software updates, the company sometimes introduces new devices at WWDC. In 2022, Apple executives announced new iOS and macOS releases alongside a refreshed MacBook Air. One of the devices that might make its debut at WWDC 2024 is the redesigned iPad Pro Apple is said to be developing, which reportedly features an OLED display and the company’s latest M3 system-on-chip.

Image: Apple