WWDC 2022 Rumor Report Card: MacBook Air With White Bezels, iOS 16 Lock Screen Changes, and More

This week, Apple held a jam-packed WWDC keynote where it announced iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, watchOS 9, the next-generation of Apple silicon with M2, a new redesigned MacBook Air, and a revamped 13-inch MacBook Pro.

wwdc live stream
As is typical with all of Apple's events, there were rumors and leaks about what Apple would announce. While many of the rumors and reports did end up becoming true, a few didn't turn out to be accurate. Below we've rounded up which rumors and reports nailed it and which unfortunately didn't.

Wrong: Colorful MacBook Air With White Bezels

prosser macbook air keyboard
In May 2021, Apple leaker Jon Prosser shared renders showing a MacBook Air with white bezels, a white keyboard, and a lineup of bright, vibrant colors. Those renders also depicted one USB-C port on one side, which turned out to not be the case.

The new MacBook Air features a MagSafe 3 connector and two USB-C ports on the left side, with a headphone jack on the right. The new MacBook Air features a notch like the MacBook Pro but features black bezels and a black keyboard.

Unlike the rumors, which were debunked by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman before Monday's keynote, the new MacBook Air only comes in four muted colors. The new MacBook features the M2 chip and starts at $1199 with pre-orders next month.

Right: 13-inch MacBook Pro With No New Design

13 inch macbook pro m2 mock feature 2
The same leaker who accurately claimed the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros would feature a notch also accurately provided details on the revamped 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The source said the revamped low-end Macbook Pro would feature the same design as previous models, with the only change being the M2 Apple silicon chip. The source did, however, claim the laptop would launch in March.

Wrong: Improved Low Power Mode for watchOS 9

f1654537462
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that watchOS 9 would include an expanded version of Low Power Mode that lets users use the watch with reduced battery life usage.

The Apple Watch currently has a Power Reserve mode which restricts the Apple Watch functionality to only show the time. At least in the first watchOS 9 beta, a Low Power Mode reported by Gurman does not exist. Apple may add the feature to watchOS 9 later this fall, but exclusive to the upcoming Apple Watch Series 8.

Right: iOS 16 Lock Screen Changes, Apple Pay Later, and More

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman accurately reported that Apple would be planning major changes for the iOS lock screen, letting users add widgets, change the font and color, and new dynamic wallpapers.

Bloomberg also accurately reported on Apple Pay Later and its development last year, which will launch this fall.

Right: macOS Ventura and iPadOS 16 Changes

Ventura Macs Feature Red
While macOS "Ventura" was not on our list of possible options for macOS 13, there were several rumors that did turn out to be accurate about Apple's upcoming macOS release.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that System Preferences, now renamed System Settings, would be getting a redesign that's more in line with iOS. Gurman also reported that stock system apps such as Mail, Notes, Reminders, Safari, and Messages would be getting updates.

Perhaps the most accurate rumor pre-WWDC was Bloomberg reporting on Apple's plan to revamp multitasking on the iPad and make it more Mac-like. With the M1 iPad Air and M1 iPad Pro, Apple has introduced Stage Manager, which allows multiple apps to be open at once in windows.

Wrong: Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR 2 Preview

mac pro 2019 new
Not originating from any credible sources, there was initial speculation and chatter circulating online that Apple would announce its Apple silicon Mac Pro and an accompanying update to the Pro Display XDR at this year's WWDC.

Apple previewed the current Intel-based Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR at WWDC 2019, adding to the belief a repeat could happen this year. That did not happen, as Apple instead announced its next-generation "M2" Apple silicon chip and a new MacBook Air and low-end MacBook Pro.

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Launch Is Just One Month Out – Here's Everything We Know

Saturday August 10, 2024 5:00 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series in the fall, and a possible September 10 announcement date has been floated this year, which means we are just one month away from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design...
macbook pro bb cyber

Apple's M3 MacBook Pro Gets Up to $1,000 Off In Major New Sales, Starting at $1,299 [Updated]

Sunday August 11, 2024 1:54 pm PDT by
Apple's M3 MacBook Pro is seeing multiple high value discounts on Best Buy and Amazon today, with up to $1,000 off select models. This includes a new all-time low price on the entry-level M3 512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro at $1,299.00, down from $1,599.00, and a massive $1,000 discount on the high-end 16-inch model exclusively for Best Buy members. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best...
iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature

The iPhone 16 is Getting a New Button: Here's What It Can Do

Tuesday August 13, 2024 4:01 pm PDT by
Multiple rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode. Apple calls the button the Capture Button internally, and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date with support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to ...
iOS 18 on iPhone Feature

Everything New in iOS 18.1 Beta 2 and iOS 18 Beta 6

Monday August 12, 2024 2:32 pm PDT by
Apple is beta testing iOS 18 and the first update to iOS 18 concurrently, and we got the second betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 today alongside the sixth betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia 15. Many of the changes in iOS 18.1 are focused on bringing the .1 betas in line with the standard betas, which recently received updates to Photos and Safari, while...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Thursday August 8, 2024 4:40 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2

Next Year's Slim iPhone 17 Could Be an 'iPhone Air'

Monday August 12, 2024 8:43 am PDT by
Apple's rumored iPhone 17 "Slim" could be positioned as an iPhone "Air" to boost sales, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained how the "fourth" model in the iPhone lineup since 2020 (the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus) has largely been a commercial failure. In the case of the Plus model,...

Top Rated Comments

JosepPont Avatar
29 months ago
Jon Wronger
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac Fly (film) Avatar
29 months ago
Lesson learned: stop reporting a petulant YouTuber on MR.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unggoy Murderer Avatar
29 months ago
Prosser has only ever been a lucky guesser. At least Gurman actually appears to be informed - I'll bet the low power mode is a feature on the Series 8 watch.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CyberBob859 Avatar
29 months ago
So, three right and three wrong. 50-50. The same odds as flipping a coin. About right when placing any faith on rumors.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DHagan4755 Avatar
29 months ago
Yeah, John Prosser was the biggest loser here.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
29 months ago
You just can’t win with Apple. Apple did an amazing job keeping everything a secret. While the analytics and YouTubers were too busy shooting the darts all blindfolded. ?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)