Nothing like a last minute prediction post. With the initial keynote kicking off in just three hours, I wanted to get five predictions out in the open before Tim Cook walks on stage/outside/etc. to either crush my dreams or send them soaring. 1. Apple’s Home Strategy is clarified. homeOS announced. 2. iOS and iPadOS gain clearer, more accessible user customization (a la the great widget boom of 2020). 3. New Apple Hardware and Silicon are not announced. 4. iPadOS lacks redesigned external display support. 5. iMessage gets wild. Some slight elaboration and thoughts on my predictions. Apple’s home strategy is scrambled. The HomePod is dead; long live the HomePod Mini. The new Apple TV 4k and HomePod Mini have thread radios, which seem to be the future of home device connectivity. The Home app is messy, if not convoluted. Apple’s home plans need to be refocused and executed and I think that can start with software, before announcing any new or substantial hardware. The widget customization boom last year took everyone by surprise, I think. I have non-tech friends that have stellarly designed Home Screens. I think Apple ought to and will lean into giving developers and customers better, clearer tools for leveraging that customization. The M1 is truly exciting. Whatever is next, that can drum up its own fervor at a different event. If Apple announces new hardware, specifically a new chip, that will be the dominate topic coming out of WWDC, not the software. This is a developer’s conference. I say Apple lets the software shine and let the hardware talk later. I simply think new and proper external display support will be a mid-iPadOS 15 upgrade, like cursor support was for iPadOS 14. By *wild* I just mean better features and more customization. iMessage (in)famously helps lock people into the platform. Give people more incentive to keep their conversations there instead of WhatsApp, GroupMe, Facebook Messenger, etc. Tout security and privacy alongside colorful backgrounds, better group messaging, and personality. No matter what happens in a few hours, WWDC is always a great kickoff to summer. With E3 next week, it is definitely the most wonderful time of the year. TaggedAppleBlog