Apple event 2020: What we expect to see at WWDC, including iPhone update and new Macs that could alter its history

Event will see new operating systems for every one of its platforms

(Getty)

Apple is about to hold its biggest software event of the year, revealing software updates for every one of its platforms and products.

But, this year, the headlines may not be about software at all, but instead a major change in its Macs that could be one of the biggest decisions ever in the history of its laptops and desktops.

The event also comes amid questions and frustration from developers and regulators, who argue that the company's App Store has been behaving unfairly.

Here is everything that we expect to happen on Monday, when Tim Cook and his colleagues take the stage for the opening keynote of the week. This year, they will be doing so virtually, for the first time ever.

iOS, MacOS, tvOS and WatchOS updates

Apple updates its software platforms every year, and has all but confirmed that each of them will be receiving new features this time around, too.

What leaks there have been have suggested that the changes might be largely what are expected, and there have been few of them. In recent years, the company has looked to crack down on

New WatchOS tools are expected to concentrate on fitness, for instance, with some rumours suggesting the company might finally integrate sleep tracking. iOS could further improve the home screen that serves as the centre of the iPhone and iPad, changing it from just a grid of apps into a slightly more dynamic page, with widgets and other rich features.

How dramatic and substantial those changes are could depend largely on how well Apple's engineers have been able to work remotely, and how well that is likely to continue – Apple is notoriously not set up for remote working, and has had some trouble adjusting to life under lockdown. As such, some of the more major changes may be held back.

The company might also be keen to focus on performance and stability rather than radical new features, given that the latest versions of iOS and MacOS have both come under scrutiny for bugs and other issues. All of Apple's big platforms are now relatively mature, and so bigger features are perhaps unlikely.

New Macs

But the biggest of all the updates isn't going to be about software – or not purely. Instead, rumours have suggested that Apple could be about to finally unveil its switch to ARM processors, and away from Intel.

Announcing this at a software conference would make perfect sense, given that developers will have to work to ensure that their apps and products work with Apple's new architecture.

Such a change has only happened once before, nearly 15 years ago, when it switched from PowerPC to Intel. Back then, its Mac business was much smaller and other products like the iPhone did not even exist, and it was simply switching between two different third-party companies – meaning that this change is likely to be even more significant.

The switch is expected to bring a variety of performance improvements, such as better battery life and faster processors. It could also bring changes to the platforms in other ways, since the hardware will be more akin to the iPad and iPhone than it has been in the past.

App Store changes?

In the days and weeks running up to WWDC, Apple has faced criticism over the ways it runs its platforms from both regulators in the US and Europe, as well as the developers and companies who make apps for them. Critics have argued that the company abuses its dominance on the iPhone and of the App Store, which it has used to unfairly promote its own services and take a cut from transactions that developers say they don't deserve.

Apple has already responded to these concerns a little, with a new report that suggested most of the revenue facilitated by the App Store isn't actually passed through Apple's payment systems. While that did not specifically address either the antitrust investigations or developer disquiet, it appeared to be specifically aimed at those who argue that the company is acting unfairly.

The company might choose to address it again as WWDC continues. As well as the keynote that kicks off the week, it also holds sessions with developers, during which it might choose to address those frustrations.

Of course, the threat might not be quite so bad as it would be if WWDC were being held in real life: there won't be the opportunities for developers to get together and discuss these issues, or any response to them. But the event nonetheless serves as an organising point for developers, and discussion of the terms of their work with Apple.