Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicks off this coming Monday, June 11, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. There have been various rumors floating around for months in anticipation of the big event, and every Apple enthusiast is eager to see what goodies the tech giant will bring this year.
Software Updates
Apple's iOS is one of the reasons WWDC has become so popular among developers, and its tickets sold out in no time. The iOS software powering the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Apple TV, also holds the App Store, where developers can sell their apps. Apple typically gives its iOS a big update once a year, and this year will most likely be the same.
An overhauled mapping application has recently been the center of all iOS talks, and rumor has it that Apple is adding 3D features like the ones Google demoed this week. Siri is another exciting iOS rumor, as reports indicated Apple would bring the sassy voice assistant to the iPad as well. 9to5Mac reported last week that Apple was keen on making Siri, which is currently exclusive to the iPhone 4S, available for third-generation iPad owners as well.
Other rumors include integration with Facebook and several small tweaks to system apps such as email and Safari. Such rumors are based on changes found in Mountain Lion. Considering Apple's general practice, however, chances are that only developers can expect to get it on Monday. Apple usually runs through several beta versions of the software with developers before making it available to the public, so as to work out any bugs and last-minute features ahead of a public release.
When it comes to Mountain Lion, announced back in February, Apple should announce the price and release date at the WWDC. Last year, Lion came with a $34.99 price tag and an early July release. Mountain Lion brings several iOS features to Macs, including notes and reminders, as well as other things such as Twitter integration and Apple's iMessages and Game Center services. The new OS will also come with a new security feature - Gatekeeper, designed to fight malware by controlling what apps can or cannot be installed.
Refreshed Macs
Apple's Macs are rather overdue for an update, which makes this rumor all the more likely. An alleged parts list leaked earlier this week indicates Apple's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines are in for an update, as are the iMac and Mac Pro. Apple has not updated the iMac for a year now, since May 2011, while the Mac Pro had its last update in July 2010.
In terms of new additions, an exciting arrival is Intel's new batch of processors, code-named Ivy Bridge. Intel's new chips have already started to show up in computers last month, offering faster speeds and better graphics.
Hardware changes, however, are among the most intriguing rumors. For a while now several rumors have suggested Apple is working on MacBook Pros that lose the optical drive to achieve a smaller size. It may sound similar to the MacBook Air line, but the devil is in the details: the Pros would still have the traditional hard drive storage, as well as the ports and plugs.
Another rumored change is the addition of Apple's "Retina Display" technology on Macs, starting with the 15-inch notebook. The high-resolution display was first introduced on the iPhone, and has since reached the iPod Touch and iPad as well. According to an analyst who spoke with CNET last month, those displays are already floating around the supply chain. Some leaked box shots earlier this week supported the claim that Retina Displays are coming to Apple's notebooks, but they have not been confirmed. Another addition on that list was USB 3.0.
iCloud
Apple demoed its iCloud service for the first time at last year's WWDC, and released it to the public roughly four months later. This year, the company is expected to add some new features to the iCloud Web site, mainly notes and reminders. Both these features appeared in "beta" and "dev" versions of iCloud.com last month, but are not yet present on the service's Web site for the public.
One More Thing...
A persistent rumor lately indicates that Apple is working on an actual Apple TV set, and will roll out a way for developers to create apps for its set-top box, according to a new report from BGR. The outlet made similar claims last month, reporting that Apple was working on software to enable the Apple TV to control third-party components such as cable boxes. The tech giant may make some changes to the Apple TV experience, but announcing a TV set at the WWDC show is unlikely.
