Welcome to our monthly Apple News Roundup. This column recaps the top 10 most significant Apple news announcements from each month, giving you a glance at all the headlines you need to know. This edition features the highlights from June 2023.
1. Apple announces new health features
At WWDC on June 5, Apple announced new health features in iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and watchOS10—including insights into mental health and vision health. The mental health features allow users to log their emotions and daily moods, while the vision health features show the amount of time spent in daylight to help reduce the risk of myopia. “Mental health and vision health are important, but often overlooked, and we’re excited to introduce features that offer valuable new insights to provide users with an even better understanding of their health,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health.
2. Introducing the 15-inch MacBook Air
Apple also introduced its new MacBook Air, which is said to be the world’s best 15-inch laptop. The laptop boasts a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, M2 performance, up to 18 hours of battery life, and a six-speaker sound system. The new MacBook measures just 11.5mm thin, making it the world’s thinnest 15-inch laptop. Weighing just 3.3 pounds, it’s also incredibly portable. The starting price for the MacBook Air is $1,099.
For more coverage on the new 15-inch Air, check out our post on why it took so long for Apple to offer its most popular computer in this size.
3. The unveiling of Apple Vision Pro
One of the biggest reveals at this year’s WWDC was the Apple Vision Pro, a revolutionary computer that blends digital content with the physical world. Vision Pro creates a canvas for apps and introduces a three-dimensional user interface controlled by the user’s eyes, hands, and voice. With its advanced performance materials, users can now interact with their favorite apps, enjoy TV shows and movies, and connect with others via FaceTime. Apple Vision Pro starts at $3,499 and will be available early next year. For more information visit apple.com/apple-vision-pro.
The introduction of the headset impressed just about everyone, but also raised a lot of questions.
4. Apple introduces M2 Ultra
Apple also introduced M2 Ultra on June 5, with a faster CPU and GPU, and support for more unified memory. M2 Ultra is the largest and most capable chip Apple has ever created—using groundbreaking technology to deliver huge performance increases. Mac Studio is powered by M2 Ultra, and colorists using DaVinci Resolve will experience up to 50 percent faster video processing than Mac Studio with M1 Ultra.
5. Apple stock hits record high
Reuters reports that Apple’s stock (AAPL.O) hit a record-high close last Wednesday—on the cusp of a $3 trillion market capitalization. The stock closed at $189.25, the second straight record high close for Apple shares. The momentum toward its $3 trillion milestone follows the June 5 launch of its AR (augmented reality) headset. The recent gains in Apple’s shares have exceeded analysts’ estimates for the company’s future earnings.
6. Apple increases investment in minority businesses
Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative surpassed $200 million in investments with an additional $25 million in venture capital for minority businesses. Through REJI’s education grants, Apple has offered various courses to over 160,000 participants, while also supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). “Building a more just and equitable world is urgent work that demands collaboration, commitment, and a common sense of purpose,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
7. Apple expands Self Service Repair
On June 21, Self Service Repair was expanded to include the iPhone 14 lineup and additional Mac models, including the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro powered by M2. Self Service Repair gives anyone with experience repairing electronics access to the same manuals, parts, and tools that an Authorized Service Provider would at Apple Store. Apple also made the System Configuration process used for iPhone repairs easier to use.
8. iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma add Passkey Support
iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma users with an Apple ID will now automatically be assigned a passkey—allowing them to sign into their Apple ID with Face ID or Touch ID versus their password. Passkeys are not visible to you, making them a more secure alternative to passwords. A passkey consists of a key pair that improves security—one key is public, registered with the associated website or app, and the other key is private (held by your devices).
9. The iOS 17 release introduces major updates
The iOS 17 release upgraded the communications experience across iPhone, FaceTime, and Messages. It is now easier to share with AirDrop, there’s more intelligent text input, and there are new experiences with Journal and StandBy. The iPhone experience was also enhanced with personalized Customer Posters, a new way for users to express themselves. Users can customize how they appear on incoming calls, choose attractive treatments for photos or Memoji, and select appealing typography and font colors.
Check out our full overview of everything new in iOS 17 right here.
10. Introducing watchOS 10
In addition to the aforementioned updates from this year’s WWDC event, Apple also introduced watchOS 10 for Apple Watch. watchOS 10 delivers redesigned apps, a new Smart Stack (with widgets that display timely information), additional watch faces, new cycling and hiking features, and more. Additional watchOS 10 updates include NameDrop, offline maps on iPhone, playback of FaceTime video messages, a Medications app, and Apple Fitness+ Custom Plans (a new way to customize your workout or meditation schedule).
Check out our full overview of what to expect from watchOS 10 right here.
