Apple WWDC Expected To Bring Safari, Maps, and iMessage Updates; When and How To Watch

RJ Pierce, Tech Times 04 June 2021, 02:06 pm

Apple is slated to hold its next WWDC (Worldwide Developers' Conference) keynote, and it looks like a lot of improvements to their products are coming.

AppleInsider reports that numerous Apple services involving Safari, Health, Maps, and iMessage are going to receive major updates and improvements come WWDC 2021, which will be held from June 7 to June 11. This is apparently part of the company's efforts to increase "customer lock-in."

The information comes from Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern, who Tweeted about the aforementioned updates ahead of the upcoming Apple keynote:

Of course, next week at WWDC the walls will get even higher. I hear there are big updates coming to Safari, Health, Maps and iMessage at WWDC next week.
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) June 4, 2021

When somebody says "customer lock-in," it basically means that Apple wants to make sure that their customers will not switch sides. For instance, any customer who buys an iPhone will then have to use the multitude of first-party Apple apps on the device, essentially "locking them in."

iMessage looks to be among the apps that will get the biggest update, according to The Verge. The update will be coming along with iOS 15, which insiders say will make iMessage work more like a social network, which Apple is grooming to be the direct competitor to Facebook's WhatsApp.

Apple WWDC 2021: What Else Can Fans Expect?

Of course, there is a lot more to the upcoming Apple keynote than iMessage. Since it's a developers' conference, fans can expect more updates to the Apple software ecosystem.

(Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 03: Apple CEO Tim Cook delivers the keynote address during the 2019 Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) at the San Jose Convention Center on June 03, 2019 in San Jose, California.

Alongside the updates to iMessage, Apple is also looking to change the way the notification system works. If iOS 15 launches in September (allegedly), it might give users a different notification option for every type of activity, such as driving, working, or even sleeping. There could also be a custom notification category, which users will be able to turn on when they need to.

Here's an update for those of you who are scared of big companies secretly collecting your personal data. If rumors are correct, there will also be an option that shows users certain apps that collect data in secret. This is well in line with Apple's claimed commitment to improving user privacy.

Lastly, there are whispers of an alleged "HomeOS", which is a brand-new operating system that was (maybe) hinted at by a now-deleted job posting. It's still unclear what this operating system is for, but perhaps it will be put inside upcoming home-focused devices like the HomePod Mini and Apple TV, which are currently using tvOS.

How To Watch WWDC 2021

As previously mentioned, the Apple WWDC 2021 will occur from June 7 to June 11. There are so many local time slots for the event, but the easiest way for you to watch will be the official YouTube stream that kicks off on the first day. But if you want a complete, detailed guide to these local time slots, then check out the guide prepared by MacRumors.

For a more general time slot, you can check out the keynote when it starts at 10:00 AM PDT, where it will be streamed from Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

(Photo : Sam Hall/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Apple Park campus stands in this aerial photograph taken above Cupertino, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019.

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Written by RJ Pierce