When is Apple WWDC 2017 and what can we expect from iOS 11?

With the launch of the iPhone 7 still fresh in the mind, our attention now already turns to June and Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). The annual bash always begins with a keynote in which Apple shows off the next version of the iPhone's software, iOS, for the first time.

For 2017 that means iOS 11 and Mac OS 10.13, plus potential updates to the Apple TV and Apple Watch operating systems. This article will be updated when new information about Apple's plans for WWDC 2017 comes to light.

When and where does WWDC 2017 take place?

For 2017 WWDC kicks off on 5 June and runs for four days. The event is held at the McEnery Convention Centre in San Francisco. As ever, the event will kick off with a keynote presentation led by Apple chief executive Tim Cook. Here we will see iOS 10 and the newest Mac computer operating system for the first time.

Can I watch the WWDC keynote online?

Yes. Apple will provide a live video stream of the opening keynote on its website. The stream will also be available to watch through the Apple TV, but we will publish an article explaining how the stream works closer to the time.

What to expect from WWDC 2017

iOS 11

Apple will almost certainly show off its latest iPhone and iPad operating system during the keynote. Some cards will be kept close to its chest, given the software won't be available to the public until September or October, but there should still be plenty to get excited about.

The main reason for this is because Apple is widely expected to make major changes to how the iPhone looks; being the handset's tenth birthday, 2017 is set to make up for the lack of aesthetic design changes since 2015. The biggest change is expected to be a new screen which will be curved and extend towards to the bottom edge of the device, surrounding the home button.

This area of the phone could incorporate a display similar to the Touch Bar of the new MacBook Pro, although Apple is unlikely to reveal this aspect of iOS 11 until later in the year.

We also expect to see an improved Siri in iOS 11 with more natural-sounding speech. As Amazon Alexa and Google Home grow in popularity, Apple will have to work hard to keep Siri in the fight for the best personal assistant on the market.

Mac OS 10.13

Other than it likely being named after a place in California (following on from Yosemite, El Capitan and Sierra), there isn't much known about Apple's new Mac operating system for now. We can expect to see some aesthetic tweaks, as is par for the course at WWDC, and even closer ties between Apple's computer and mobile software.

We'd like to see a dedicated Home app for the Mac, bringing controls for smart lights, speakers and other internet-of-things gadgets to the computer as well as the iPhone and iPad, and it's about time Apple gave the bloated iTunes a major overhaul; creating a new app and calling it Music, as on iOS, would be a good start.

Watch OS4 and TV OS4

Apple will likely use WWDC to briefly show off a new operating system for its smartwatch, called Watch OS4. But with Watch OS 3 being such a major update and only appearing in the autumn of 2016, we doubt the fourth iteration will feature too much to write home about. A sleep-tracking app is on the cards, but this would likely require a boost to the Watch's battery life first, and new wearable hardware from Apple isn't expected until 2018.

It is also possible that Apple could use WWDC to reveal new software for the Apple TV set-top box, but there is very little coming from the rumours mills so far. We might see a Home app for the Apple TV, as well as support for 4K Ultra HD video and Dolby Atmos sound.

Will Apple announce any new hardware at WWDC 2017?

WWDC is not traditionally an event for Apple to make major new hardware announcements. That being said, the company has shown off minor updates here in the past and could well treat us to a new Mac Pro, Apple TV or MacBook Air this time around. The iPad Air range is also due an update, but this is expected at an event ahead of WWDC.