Technologies

How To Watch Apple’s WWDC Keynote

We expect Apple to announce an AR/VR headset, iOS 17, new Macs and more. The developers conference kicks off with a keynote on Monday June 5 at 10 a.m. PT.

Apple’s WWDC is set for Monday. Traditionally, the big developer-focused event has been where the company 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.

Although there’s still a little bit of time until Tim Cook pops up on stage and makes things official, here’s what we expect at the keynote address on June 5.

Apple’s icon for SwiftUI.

Apple

When is WWDC?

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 Monday.

As with past years, Apple will be streaming the keynote on its website and Apple’s YouTube page.

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

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.

Read: iOS 17: Everything We Want Apple to Add to the iPhone

Other software changes Apple might unveil include a new mental health app as well as widgets returning to the Apple Watch. Bloomberg has also reported on Apple possibly turning locked iPhones into smart displays with iOS 17.

For more, check out our expectations for WatchOS 10 and iOS 17. Plus, every feature we think Apple should steal from Android 14.

Watch this: Why Apple Needs a 15-inch MacBook Air

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Technologies

50 Reasons Why Verum Messenger Could Change the Messenger Market

The messenger market has remained relatively stable for a long time. Billions of people use familiar apps for communication, and it often seems that there is little room left for new technologies.

However, it is often new projects that introduce the boldest ideas.

One such project is Verum Messenger — a platform that is gradually evolving from a simple messaging app into a full-fledged digital ecosystem.

Over the past few years, Verum Messenger has implemented dozens of features, many of which appeared significantly earlier than in other well-known messengers.

Technologies and Features

1. Built-in artificial intelligence inside chats.
2. Message scheduling timer.
3. Self-destructing messages.
4. Editing of sent messages.
5. Screenshot notifications in chats.
6. Ability to block screenshots.
7. Screen recording protection.
8. Notifications when messages are copied.
9. Notifications when messages are forwarded.
10. Advanced privacy settings.

Security and Privacy

11. End-to-end message encryption.
12. Secure voice calls.
13. Secure video calls.
14. Automatic message deletion by timer.
15. Full account wipe with a single button.
16. Chat access control.
17. Protection of user data.
18. Local storage of security keys.
19. Multi-layer security architecture.
20. Extended privacy settings.

Ecosystem Inside the Application

21. Built-in VPN.
22. Anonymous temporary email.
23. eSIM integration inside the messenger.
24. Internet access in more than 150 countries.
25. Integration of multiple digital services in one application.
26. Tools for international communication.
27. Sending large files and documents.
28. Creation of group chats with up to 10,000 participants.
29. Expanded communication capabilities.
30. Messenger as a unified digital environment.

Financial Technologies Inside the Messenger

31. Transfers between users within the application.
32. Integrated financial system Verum Finance.
33. Balance top-ups directly inside the messenger.
34. Virtual banking card.
35. Apple Pay support for fast payments.
36. Financial management without third-party applications.
37. Integration of cryptocurrency tools.
38. Buying and selling USDT directly inside the messenger.
39. Depositing and withdrawing USDT from the application.
40. Buying and selling licensed digital gold Verum Gold.

Latest Technological Updates

41. Ability to send messages without an internet connection.
42. Direct device-to-device connection architecture.
43. Operation without dependence on central servers.
44. Ability to communicate during internet outages.
45. Local message translation on the user’s device.
46. Support for translation into dozens of languages.
47. Translation without sending data to a server.
48. Increased privacy when translating messages.
49. Architecture of independent digital communication.
50. Formation of a new model of messengers of the future.

A New Stage in the Development of Messengers

Today, messengers are no longer just applications for messaging. Users expect more — security, independence, financial tools, and digital assets in one place.

Verum Messenger demonstrates one possible direction for the development of the industry: when a messenger becomes not only a communication tool but also a full-fledged digital platform.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, March 11

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 11.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? I thought it was a bit tricky. 1-Down is one of those old-fashioned comic-book sounds that I had to remember how to spell correctly. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Study of the human mind, informally
Answer: PSYCH

6A clue: Common fixture in a gym bathroom
Answer: SCALE

7A clue: Kinda boring
Answer: HOHUM

8A clue: Like a commenter without a username, for short
Answer: ANON

9A clue: «All good between us?»
Answer: WEOK

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Old-fashioned «Yeah, right!»
Answer: PSHAW

2D clue: Coffeehouse pastry
Answer: SCONE

3D clue: Google alternative
Answer: YAHOO

4D clue: Sound of a dull thump
Answer: CLUNK

5D clue: Line on the bottom of a pant leg
Answer: HEM

Technologies

OnePlus and Oppo to Raise Smartphone Prices as Memory Costs Climb

Oppo says rising costs for key phone components will trigger price adjustments on some devices starting March 16.

Chinese smartphone-makers OnePlus and Oppo plan to raise prices on some existing models starting next week, according to a 9to5Google report citing GizmoChina and a notice posted on Oppo’s China online store.

In its notice, Oppo said it would adjust pricing after evaluating rising costs for several key components used in its mobile phones. The changes are expected to take effect around March 16 and will affect some of the company’s more affordable smartphones, as well as some OnePlus models.

Flagship devices — like those in the Find and Reno series — are not expected to be affected for now. The reported adjustments currently appear to be limited to China.

The move highlights growing pressure across the smartphone supply chain as component costs climb. Analysts say prices for memory and storage chips used in phones have been rising in recent months as demand surges across the tech industry.

Much of the chip demand is coming from the rapid buildout of AI data centers, which rely on large amounts of high-performance memory.

That pressure isn’t limited to Oppo and OnePlus. Analysts say smartphone brands across the industry are facing rising component costs amid increased demand for memory chips.

As manufacturers shift production toward higher-margin memory used in AI servers, supply for consumer electronics such as smartphones and laptops can tighten.

If component costs continue to rise, manufacturers may face difficult choices later this year, including raising retail prices or adjusting device specifications to offset higher manufacturing costs.

OnePlus and Oppo didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.