What To Expect From Apple's WWDC 2016 Keynote on Monday

Apple's annual Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicks-off Monday, June 13, 2016 with a keynote at 10am PT / 1pm ET. Apple is expected to announce software updates for iOS, Mac OS X, watchOS and tvOS.

Apple Music and iTunes
Apple Music, which Apple launched last year, is set for a major (much needed) revamp. Apple is reportedly altering the UI of Apple Music to make it more intuitive to use, as critics have often complained about the service's poor interface. The new look will reportedly have huge album artwork and feature a darker (black and white) UI -- similar to Spotify's current look.

With an entirely revamped Apple Music service, Apple may also need to update iTunes. A recent report claimed that Apple is planning to announce an overhaul of iTunes that addresses complaints of "bloatware" and a complicated interface. It's unclear when this new iTunes could launch, but it would make sense for Apple to launch it alongside Apple Music improvements and iOS 10 (more below on that).


Siri
Apple is also prepping major enhancements to Siri. It reportedly plans to release a Siri SDK with iOS 10, which will open the platform up to developers, enabling them to integrate Siri with their apps. For instance, with the Siri SDK, developers could make commands like "Call me an Uber" or "Has my package been delivered?" a reality. Apple acquired VocalIQ last year to boost its personal assistant efforts; however, it remains unclear if Apple plans to introduce a more robust version of Siri at WWDC, or hold off for its Amazon Echo competitor.

iOS 10
Information regarding iOS 10 has been limited, but there have been some rumors and mumblings of what we could expect Apple to announce. First, Apple is rumored to make some minor design tweaks that involve "more colors" and some changes to notifications. While the changes will not be as drastic as iOS 7, we could maybe see some minor updates to the interface. There have been some rumors of Apple introducing a "dark theme" to iOS, but there hasn't been any concrete evidence of such a change.

Apple is also planning to finally introduce a standalone HomeKit application that would let users to control their smart home devices without the use of Siri.

The Photos app is expected to get some enhancements as well, including the ability to mark up or draw on images in a way that is very similar to the Skitch app. Apple is also rumored to finally let users hide certain stock applications such as the Tips app.


Apple will likely continue to expand Apple Pay services. One rumor suggested that Apple may expand to the web. There have also been some whispers of Apple rolling out peer-to-peer payments through Apple Pay via iMessages, which would rival services like Venmo and Square Cash. Given iMessage's popularity, we would not be surprised to see other enhancements such as read/delivered receipts in Group Messages, but that is pure speculation. Notably, a recent report claims that Apple is planning to release a standalone iMessage app for Android.

Finally, we expect Apple to announce some security enhancements to iOS, especially with its recent clash with the FBI.

Apple should release the first beta of iOS 10 right after the keynote, with the public launch sometime in the Fall.

Mac OS X 10.12
Mac OS X 10.12 will likely be renamed to macOS, following watchOS and tvOS. Siri for Mac is expected to be the tentpole feature for the next Mac OS X release, and we've even seen some leaked screenshots of what the interface will look like. Siri for Mac is expected to operate much like it does on iOS, and will even support hands-free "Hey Siri" when your device is plugged in.

Apple is also rumored to be working on a feature that would let you unlock your Mac using Touch ID on your iPhone. The new feature would also work alongside Apple Pay support for web browsers. An auto-unlocking function is also rumored to be in the works, which would automatically unlock your Mac when you are in close proximity (using the Apple Watch or iPhone).

Finally, we expect further (traditional) enhancements to Photos, Mail, and Safari apps.

watchOS 3 and tvOS 10
Details about watchOS 3 and tvOS 10 have been scarce, but we expect Apple to continue to refine the design and performance of both recently-launched operating systems.

Unfortunately, Apple probably won't announce any new hardware such as the rumored MacBook Pro with OLED touch bar. The company usually saves hardware announcements for later in the year.

Please follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS for updates. We'll be live blogging the event so stay tuned!