It’s almost time for Apple’s 2013 World Wide Developer Conference. As usual, the internet is rife with rumours about new products and software that could be revealed. Here is a rundown of the most popular ones.
iOS 7
Apple's WWDC is traditionally the time that Apple uses to announce the latest version of their iOS software and I don’t expect this year to be any different. iOS is used on all iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices and also on the Apple TV in a heavily modified form.
For the last few years, iOS has undergone a gradual evolution and still looks very similar to the original version released in 2007. However, after Apple fired Scott Forstall, the previous head of iOS, in 2012 and replaced him with legendary designer Sir Jonathan Ive, there have been a lot of rumours that iOS is going to have a radical overhaul. Most of these rumours say that iOS is going to have a much cleaner, “flatter” style with lots of straight lines and none of the unnecessary shadows and design details that the current version is full of.
I’ve spoken to a lot of people in the last few months who have complained that iOS is getting stale and boring now so an overhaul like this could help draw in some Android fans that do not like the current software. However, it could also risk alienating long term iOS users who are used to the current system. We’ll have to wait and see how radical Apple decides to be.
OS X 10.9
A new version of OS X, the operating system used on all MacBook and iMac computers, is also likely to be floated at WWDC. Rumours from insiders have said that Apple have pulled developers from the OS X team to finish iOS 7 so the 10.9 update for OS X is probably going to be a more subtle upgrade. Current information suggests that a lot of the updates are going to be back end changes to make Safari and Finder more efficient.
The last few versions of OS X have started to introduce different features of iOS such as iMessage, Notes, Reminders etc. This is set to continue with 10.9 which may bring in the same sort of app-switching technology used in iOS. This would mean that apps are paused while running in the background which would give more resources to the foreground apps and should help increase efficiency and battery life.
New MacBook Air
Details are thin on the ground at the moment but Amazon has started to run low on stocks of the current MacBook Air which usually means that a new model is coming soon. Some rumours suggest that the new model could feature Intel’s new Haswell range of chips and could even bundle in Intel Iris integrated graphics which should offer significantly improved 3D performance over the old model.
New iPhones
Whether it is an iPhone 6 or, as most people would suspect, a 5S, there is a chance that we may see a new iPhone model at WWDC to go along with iOS 7. Although this would be nice, I think it is unlikely to be announced yet. The current iPhone 5 has been out less than 12 months and we have not seen the slew of leaked parts that usually appear in the month or two before a new handset is announced.
What could be more likely is the introduction of a budget iPhone using older technology and cheaper materials like plastic. This has been rumoured for over 12 months but so far we have not seen any trace of it. However, there have been several very convincing concept models released and Apple would not have to worry about it being released so soon after the iPhone 5 as they are likely to appeal to a different market. We’ll have to wait and see if there is any truth behind the rumours but if it helps Apple to get a share of the budget smartphone market then I’m sure it’s something they are seriously considering.
iWatch
This has been a pretty persistent rumour for some time now and seems to be gathering more and more momentum. Again, all the information we have is speculative but the iWatch is likely to be some sort of mini touch screen device that will connect to your iPhone via Bluetooth. This will probably allow you to read messages, make calls, skip music tracks etc. all without taking the phone out of your pocket.
Several companies have tried to release a similar device before without success, notably the Sony Smartwatch which was a complete flop.
However, if Apple get the design right and allow it to integrate with 3rd party apps on the iPhone then it could become an essential accessory for anyone with an iOS device.
Recently, the rumours could have started to become reality as Apple may have shown a glimpse of the iWatch in one of its latest commercials. At one point in the advert, there is a shot of a man wearing this mysterious device on his wrist. It’s either a sneak peak of the iWatch or a great practical joke by Apple.
So that’s my rundown of the current crop of rumours for this year’s WWDC. We’ll have to wait until the 10th June to finally find out what Apple has in store for us but so far it’s looking very exciting.