WWDC 2023 – live: How Apple’s ‘revolutionary’ $3,499 Vision Pro could read your mind

Apple’s new Vision Pro VR headset has a specialised chip named R1 which enables the device to process data from 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones.

The chip processes the data from the devices within 12 milliseconds, several times faster than the blink of an eye, the tech giant claims.

The speed at which the chip processes the incoming information means there would be no latency and this could reduce issues of motion sickness, commonly reported by users of many other virtual reality headsets.

Due to the range of vision and sensor data being processed at high speed by the device, Apple says it doesn’t need controllers, but instead can use just hand gestures and eye tracking to direct user experience.

You can read more about the Vision Pro headset in this report by The Independent’s Tech Editor Andrew Griffin:

Apple is releasing a new iPhone feature that lets users know if they receive a photo or video they may not want to see.

The Sensitive Content Warning feature appears to be specifically designed to warn adult users about nude photos and videos with a pop-up asking if they want to see the content.

“Naked photos and videos show the private body parts that are usually covered by underwear or bathing suits. It’s not your fault, but naked photos and videos can be used to hurt you,” the pop-up explains.

In addition to choosing into or out of seeing the shared content, users can tap on “ways to get help.”

“As with Communication Safety, all image and video processing for Sensitive Content Warning occurs on-device, so Apple does not get access to the content,” Apple noted in a blog post.

In addition to this feature, the tech giant also announced a range of other upgrades to iOS 17. You can read more about them here:

Apple has launched a new iOS 17 computer vision feature that lets users search for recipes directly from a photo.

While the tech giant didn’t launch any significant AI updates during the conference, the new Visual Look Up feature was announced on Apple’s website.

There aren’t many details on how the feature works, but it appears photos of food will be identified on iOS 17 to enable users to find similar dishes and their recipes.

Users can pause videos to look up information on a subject by tapping on an info icon.

In a photo explaining the feature on Apple’s website, photos of a bowl of quinoa lead to recipe suggestions for other quinoa meals.

This marks another example of Apple redirecting users away from Google Search.

Apple’s new “Check In” feature lets users tell friends or family members they’ve reached their destination safely.

Once turned on, it automatically detects when the user has reached their intended destination and lets selected contacts know via Messages.

If something unexpected happens, Apple says the feature can recognise that the user is not making progress toward their destination and checks in with them.

“If they don’t respond, the feature will share useful information — like the user’s precise location, battery level, cell service status, and the last active time using their iPhone — with the contacts the user selected,” the tech giant noted.

The feature lets users choose whom they share their information with, including the destination and time duration, and the session can be ended at any time.

Information sent via the feature is also end-to-end encrypted, Apple noted, adding that only the user’s family member or friend can read it, “not Apple or anyone else.”

Apple launches a disruptive new feature for iPhone and Apple Watch users to share business cards with each other by just holding the devices near one another.

Apple’s Namedrop is being seen as a disruptive feature for the event industry.

Attendees at events could potentially share their business cars or other content with each other or with exhibitors by just tapping iPhones to transfer their info to someone else.

“With NameDrop, a new AirDrop experience, a user can hold their iPhone near another to share their contact information with only their intended recipients,” Apple says on its website.

“Users can also share content like photos or links the same way,” the tech giant noted.

The feature is also available for Apple Watch users.

The new features, according to Apple, securely share content over an encrypted connection.

There was lots going on at Apple Park today. One of the more unusual things was a leafleting effort from the Writers Guild of America, as part of its strike. They were stood there throughout the day – as the crowds left the campus after the presentations.

You can read more about the day of action – and the WGA’s dispute with Apple and other studios and streaming platforms – here.

Here’s the details on the release date of iOS 17 and others. And also which devices they will support.

It’s one of the buzziest terms in tech. But Apple didn’t mention AI today.

Here’s some speculation on why that might be.

While the Vision Pro headset will understandably get most of the headlines from today’s WWDC keynote, there were plenty of other major announcements that would ordinarily be the main talking points.

We have stories on all of them:

• Apple finally releases new version of its most powerful computer

• Apple reveals big version of its smallest laptop

• Apple adds a host of new features for iPhones with iOS 17 update

• Apple reveals potentially its most important product since the iPhone

All the market gains Apple made in the days building up to WWDC 2023 were wiped out after the announcement of the Vision Pro headset, suggesting investors are not that hopeful that the new device will be a hit with consumers.

This is not necessarily a reflection of how they perceive the technology, which was impressive during the demos and went beyond many of the rumoured capabilities, but it could suggest that the price is too high for it to achieve mass market appeal like the iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.

It could also be that the delayed release date means any revenue boost won’t be seen until next year.