WWDC 2023: Apple debuts Vision Pro, Macbook Air & more | Key announcements

The 2023 edition of the tech giant's annual 5-day extravaganza finally kicks off.

Apple's much-anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023 began on Monday, with the tech giant announcing new devices and features.

Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference at Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, US, on Monday, June 5, 2023. (Philip Pacheco/Bloomberg)

Click here for live coverage from day 1 of WWDC 2023

The annual 5-day event is taking place at the company's Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California. It will conclude on June 5.

Here are some key product announcements:

(1.) Vision Pro is Apple's first mixed-reality headset, with Cook calling it the ‘first Apple product you look through, not at.’

(2.) The 15-inch Macbook Air is the ‘best and thinnest’ 15-inch laptop, according to John Ternus, Apple's hardware chief, who introduced the device. Its starting price is $1,299 (approx. ₹1.07 lakh) and $1,199 for education (approx. ₹99,000).

(3) The updated Mac Studio is here, and is debuting the M2 Ultra chip. As per Jennifer Munn, Apple's Director, Engineering Program Management, the M2 Ultra is a ‘monster of a chip.’

(4.) The Mac Pro, too, made its debut, and, like the updated Mac Studio, comes powered by the M2 Ultra chip. Said to be ‘3-times faster' than Intel-powered Macs, it is immediately available for order, and starts at $6,999 (approx. 5.77 lakh).

(5.) The much-awaited iOS 17 has also arrived. Some major updates have been announced for communications apps, including those for Facetime and Messages.

(6.) A feature called ‘NameDrop’ will allow for information to be exchanged between two iPhones by tapping the two devices. NameDrop can also be done between an iPhone and Apple Watch.

(7.) A new app called ‘Journal’ will come to iPhones later in the year. It is for ‘writing about your day, music, location, photos and activities.’ Also, the iPhone will tell you ‘when to write about your day.’

(8.) watchOS 10, the latest operating system for Apple Watch, is tailored to improve the overall user experience. It has been given features such as Watch face, Mindfulness app, Cycling app, health improvements etc.