WWDC 2023: Apple Confirms Keynote Address for June 5, Reportedly Invites VR Experts Ahead of Headset Launch

WWDC 2023 — Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference — will begin with a keynote event on June 5, the company confirmed on Tuesday. The Cupertino company has revealed the schedule for the first day of the developer conference where it is expected to unveil upcoming versions of its iOS, macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS operating systems. Apple is also tipped to launch its first mixed reality headset at WWDC 2023, and the company has reportedly invited VR industry experts to its upcoming event.

Apple announced in a press release that its WWDC 2023 keynote event would begin on June 5 at 10am PDT (10:30pm IST). As with previous events, you can stream the event via Apple's website, YouTube, the Apple TV+ app, and the Apple Developer app. Once the livestream ends, you can also watch the entire event again. This will be followed by the Platforms State of the Union at 1:30pm PDT (2am IST on June 6) and the Apple Design Awards at 6:30pm PDT (7am IST on June 6).

Developers will also have the option to attend more events and take tours of Apple Park in California, and the company has scheduled a 'Special Evening Activity' at WWDC. A developer who was invited was informed by Apple that it will be an event they "won't want to miss". The company is also scheduled to conduct another event to "discuss some of the latest announcements" on June 6.

Meanwhile, Apple has invited several virtual reality (VR) experts to WWDC 2023. The list of people invited include VR technology-focussed publications and journalists such as Road to VR, UploadVR, and Norman Chan. The invitations to VR and XR creator and publications comes amid speculation that Apple is expected to unveil its first mixed reality headset at WWDC.

Over the past several months, reports have suggested that Apple will announce its first mixed reality headset — said to be dubbed Reality Pro — at WWDC. The headset will reportedly "enclose" a user's eyes and allow them to see "virtual worlds" while utilising external cameras to see their surroundings.

Other reports claim that Apple is working to adapt iPad apps to work on the wearable headset and will unveil xrOS, the operating system expected to run on the headset. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the mixed reality headset will be powered by an external battery pack that offers up to two hours of battery backup. Production of the headset is said to have been delayed, which means it may only be available by the end of the year, even if it is unveiled by Apple at WWDC.