Technologies
WWDC Is Next Week: iOS 17, Apple’s VR Headset and Everything Else We Expect
Apple’s 2023 developers conference could bring more than just new iPhone software.
Apple’s WWDC is less than a week away. The big developer-focused event is set to kick off on Monday, June 5. Traditionally, this event has been where Apple gives us a first look at new software for iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and Macs. But occasionally we get some new hardware, too.
This year seems set to be the latter. With plenty of rumors circulating around the tech giant’s mysterious augmented reality headset, a new 15-inch MacBook Air and the long-teased Apple Silicon-powered Mac Pro, it’s certainly possible there could be some physical products on stage alongside all the software improvements.
Though there’s still some time until Tim Cook pops up on stage and makes things official, here’s what we expect at the keynote address on June 5.
When is WWDC?

Apple’s icon for SwiftUI.
This year’s WWDC runs June 5 to 9. The opening keynote speech is set for 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on June 5.
As with past years, Apple will be streaming the keynote on its website.
What do we expect?
Apple headset

The biggest rumor heading into this year’s WWDC is of course the Apple headset. Rumored to be running on a new «XROS,» the device could utilize mixed reality, a combination of virtual reality and augmented reality. There may be eye and hand tracking, high-resolution displays and… a potential $3,000 price tag.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently detailed how Apple plans to incorporate sports, gaming, workouts and iPad apps into the headset to show off what the new platform can do. Whether that’s enough to excite consumers and persuade them to drop three grand or for developers to commit to building apps for it remains to be seen.
MacBook Air 15
The MacBook Air has long been one of Apple’s most popular laptops. Frequently sold with a 13-inch screen, Apple has experimented with different sizes of Airs in the past, including offering an 11-inch model for years. Rumors these days, however, suggest that the company has a larger, 15-inch M2-powered Air raring to go. That once again comes from Bloomberg’s Gurman, who expects the new laptop to be announced at this year’s event. It’s about time.
While rumors point to an imminent announcement, it’s unclear how much Apple might charge for the new Air or how it might fit into the company’s existing MacBook lineup. The 2020 M1-powered 13.3-inch MacBook Air is still sold for $999, while the updated M2-powered 2022 13.6-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,199. A 16-inch MacBook Pro, meanwhile, starts at $2,499. Might the 15-inch Air fit somewhere in the middle?
Apple M-Series Mac Pro

The 2019 Mac Pro.
Oh, the Mac Pro. Apple last updated the Mac Pro at WWDC in 2019. Despite some teases that confirmed it’s working on a new one powered by its Apple Silicon chips, the company has largely been quiet about the super powerful computer. Might the «another day» be June 5? It’s possible and Mac Pro fans may want to tune in, but with tempered expectations.
In an April appearance on The MacRumors Show, Gurman, the Apple savant, suggests that it still may arrive this year but not at WWDC.
New software: iOS 17, WatchOS 10 and more
In addition to all the hardware rumors, we can expect Apple to detail the latest updates coming this year to its iOS, iPadOS, WatchOS and TVOS platforms.
Among the bigger iOS changes, Apple might finally add support for installing apps not downloaded from the App Store. The iPhone maker has long resisted opening up its mobile software to allow for sideloading, but new European regulations may have forced its hand.
Other software changes Apple might unveil include a new mental health app as well as widgets returning to the Apple Watch.
For more, check out our expectations for WatchOS 10 and iOS 17. Plus, every feature we think Apple should steal from Android 14.

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Technologies
Apple’s AI Health Coach Project May Need a Wellness Check
The company’s ambitious plans to introduce a virtual health coach may be going back to the drawing board, according to a report.
Apple is scaling back and rethinking its ambitious plans to introduce an AI-powered health coach, according to a Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman citing anonymous sources privy to the company’s plans.
The project, known inside Apple as Mulberry, was first reported last year, with the company expected to roll together health-related AI features as a coach or assistant. But now, Bloomberg reports, that project will be broken down into individual features introduced over time, as it has done with tools such as the sleep apnea and hearing tests added to Apple Watch and Apple AirPods.
A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Bloomberg’s sources point to a change in leadership over Apple’s health technology. Veteran services head Eddy Cue is overseeing those projects and addressing pressure from competitors pushing into the health space, including Oura and Peloton as well as tech giants like Google and OpenAI, which just launched ChatGPT Health.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April, alleging that it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
Apple was also said to have built a studio for a revamped health services app that would have included virtual and video wellness instructions, and integration with existing health tools and Apple devices. It is likely that some of that content and software will still be released publicly, just not in one package, according to Bloomberg.
Technologies
Here’s Why Taylor Swift’s Opalite Music Video Isn’t on YouTube Yet
The video is now available on Apple Music and Spotify, but it isn’t landing on YouTube for a couple more days.
YouTube may still be where many people instinctively go to watch music videos, but when Taylor Swift dropped her video for Opalite on Friday, it was noticeably absent from the platform. In fact, it won’t be landing on YouTube until Sunday, two days after its release on other streaming platforms.
So, why is the Opalite music video only available on Apple Music and Spotify Premium right now? It likely has to do with a disagreement between YouTube and Billboard, which ranks the most popular songs and albums of the week.
In December, Billboard shifted its charting methodology so paid and subscription-based streams are weighted even more favorably than ad-supported streams. Billboard started weighting paid streams higher than ad-supported ones in 2018. This most recent shift narrows that ratio from 1:3 to 1:2.5, putting numbers from platforms like YouTube at more of a disadvantage.
Following the change, YouTube posted a statement about its dispute with Billboard, calling the charting company’s methodology «an outdated formula.» It added, «This doesn’t reflect how fans engage with music today and ignores the massive engagement from fans who don’t have a subscription…We’re simply asking that every stream is counted fairly and equally, whether it is subscription-based or ad-supported—because every fan matters and every play should count.»
YouTube said that starting Jan. 16, 2026, its data would «no longer be delivered to Billboard or factored into their charts.»
For artists like Taylor Swift who count on early streams to boost their Billboard rankings, that could make YouTube a less appealing option for debuting new content. So the Opalite video will still be making its way to YouTube, but you’ll have to wait until Sunday, Feb. 8, at 8 a.m. ET to watch it there. Representatives for Swift, YouTube and Billboard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
YouTube has an ad-supported streaming service as well as a paid one called YouTube Premium. However, even YouTube Premium subscribers can’t see the Opalite music video on Friday. (I’m a subscriber and can confirm it’s nowhere to be found.) According to Statista, in March 2025, YouTube had 125 million paid subscribers across its Premium and Music services. (YouTube Music is included in its Premium subscription.) That pales in comparison with the estimated 2.5 billion total users on YouTube, the majority of whom still rely on that ad-supported offering.
It remains to be seen whether or when YouTube and Billboard will mend their affairs and whether, in the words of Taylor Swift in Opalite, «this is just a temporary speed bump.»
Technologies
Valve Delays Steam Frame and Steam Machine Pricing as Memory Costs Rise
The company says its 2026 release window remains intact, but final prices and dates are still in flux.
Valve revealed its lineup of upcoming hardware in November, including a home PC-gaming console called the Steam Machine and the Steam Frame, a VR headset. At the time of the reveal, the company expected to release its hardware in «early 2026,» but the current state of memory and storage prices appears to have changed those plans.
Valve says its goal to release the Steam Frame and Steam Machine in the first half of 2026 has not changed, but it’s still deliberating on final shipping dates and pricing, according to a post from the company on Wednesday. While the company didn’t provide specifics, it said it was mindful of the current state of the hardware and storage markets. All kinds of computer components have rocketed in price due to massive investments in AI infrastructure.
«When we announced these products in November, we planned on being able to share specific pricing and launch dates by now. But the memory and storage shortages you’ve likely heard about across the industry have rapidly increased since then,» Valve said. «The limited availability and growing prices of these critical components mean we must revisit our exact shipping schedule and pricing (especially around Steam Machine and Steam Frame).»
Valve says it will provide more updates in the future about its hardware lineup.
What are the Steam Frame and Steam Machine?
The Steam Frame is a standalone VR headset that’s all about gaming. At the hardware reveal in November, CNET’s Scott Stein described it as a Steam Deck for your face. It runs on SteamOS on an ARM-based chip, so games can be loaded onto the headset and played directly from it, allowing gamers to play games on the go. There’s also the option to wirelessly stream games from a PC.
The Steam Machine is Valve’s home console. It’s a cube-shaped microcomputer intended to be connected to a TV.
When will the Steam Frame and Steam Machine come out?
Valve didn’t provide a specific launch date for either. The initial expectation after the November reveal was that the Steam Frame and Steam Machine would arrive in March. Valve’s statement about releasing its hardware in the first half of 2026 suggests both will come out in June at the latest.
How much will the Steam Frame and Steam Machine cost?
After the reveal, there was much speculation on their possible prices. For the Steam Frame, the expectation was that it would start at $600. The Steam Machine was expected to launch at a price closer to $700. Those estimates could easily increase by $100 or more due to the current state of pricing for memory and storage.
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