Apple’s worldwide developers’ conference, the second biggest event in the company’s annual calendar after its autumn iPhone launches, takes place on Monday.

Tim Cook’s team has had a rough ride over the past year, but in one way at least, Apple seems to be returning to past form: the leaks that have come to characterise the company recently have been few and far between, leaving plenty of room for surprise when the event starts at 6pm BST (1pm EDT, 10am PDT).

But we still know some things that are coming, and we have strong suspicions about plenty more. Here’s what to expect:

Nailed-on certainty

WWDC is primarily a software event, a chance for Apple to show external developers its plans for upcoming releases so that they can start incorporating new features into their own apps. That means we’ll see the first versions of the next operating systems including iOS 11 and macOS 10.13. We’ll also probably get updates to the company’s lesser platforms, like watchOS and tvOS.

For iOS 11, we’re expecting to see Apple make a move it’s threatened for some time, and shut off use of 32-bit apps on the new software. These are apps released before 2013, when the company updated its development process to allow 64-bit apps that would run faster on its newer phones. These days, the only apps that haven’t been updated to the newer paradigm tend to be older games. Apple has already started to remove obsolete apps from the App Store.

The App Store has also given us another sneak peek: a “files” app from Apple, which looks like it’ll move the operating system closer to an Android-style model of having a file browser accessible for users. For a long time, Apple made it almost impossible for files to be shared between apps, but those walls have been falling down since the company released the system-wide share dialogue in 2013’s iOS 7.

Probably happening

Hardware isn’t the focus of the event, but that doesn’t mean Apple won’t have some devices on-stage. The developer focus means that the event is a popular time to launch Pro hardware, and the rumour mill suggests that we’re likely to see updates to two of Apple’s hardware lines: the iPad Pro, and the MacBook Pro.

The laptops aren’t expected to be very different, with just a speed boost from Intel’s latest line of processors, and possibly the option for more RAM. But they’ll be welcome for a line of computers that have been criticised as overpriced and underpowered.

The iPads are likely to see a bigger change, including a new shape achieved by significantly narrowing the bezels around the edge of the device. That’ll lead to an iPad with about the same size as the 9.7in Pro, but with a much larger screen.

Maybe today

The rumours of a Siri-powered smart speaker are reaching such a pitch that it’s likely something is happening, but whether or not it gets revealed at WWDC is an open question. If it does, expect an Amazon Echo competitor with a focus on music quality and device integration to distinguish it from its rivals.

Software releases can pivot quickly, and so any particular feature might be pulled if it’s not ready in time, but iOS 11 is rumoured to contain hefty updates to Apple Music – including the launch of the new video features in time for the company’s new version of James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke – and Apple Pay, which could see the payment service being able to send money between users, as well as just pay for goods and services online and in stores.

The MacBook Air might also get a small update: the computer is still Apple’s cheapest laptop, and while the company has been phasing it out, it could still be given the latest processors to keep it a viable option for a bit longer.