It's
almost time for Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, and that means
CEO Tim Cook will be getting up on stage to talk about the company's progress
and potentially reveal details of new products and software. Apple's policy of
keeping future products secret has become legendary, and it's no overstatement
to say that people around the world are already salivating in anticipation of
what might be announced.
Thanks
to dozens of leaks and even a few teasers from Apple itself - Senior Vice
President Eddy Cue has boasted that the products coming later this year are the
best he's seen in 25 years - we have a fairly good idea of what to expect at
WWDC 2014. Here's a quick recap of everything we know so far:
Hardware:
One of
the most tantalising rumours suggests that we'll see new iMac and MacBook
models. The iMac is said to be more affordable than existing models, which
would help Apple strengthen its position in emerging markets and attract orders
from educational institutions where it has traditionally had a strong
footprint. Current iMac models are more expensive than the ones they replaced
and are also less repairable and upgradeable, thanks to a super slim chassis
and increasing integration of core components.
The new
MacBook, which could be the basis for a new or revamped product line, is said
to be a 12-inch model. It might replace the current MacBook Air lineup, but
would come with the same kind of Retina Display that defines the current
MacBook Pro models.
A far
more ambitious claim that somewhat dovetails with the iMac and MacBook rumour
is that Apple will reveal a new lineup of low-cost, low-powered devices based
on the same ARM architecture that powers its iPhones and iPads. While the
specifics of actual products might not be discussed yet, Apple could announce
its intentions in order for developers to have time to port applications to the
new architecture, and would have to share details about an ARM-ported version
of OS X.
Even
more recent leaks suggest that Apple has something entirely different in mind -
a home automation platform. After Google's recent acquisition of Nest, Apple
might be trying to make sure its competitor isn't able to entrench people in an
ecosystem spanning every part of their lives.
Apple
has also been allegedly working on wearable devices for several years, and with
Samsung, Google and other companies jumping into the battle with all guns
blazing, now would be the time to act. We might see a smartwatch iPhone
accessory, or perhaps some kind of fitness tracker. Other accessories such as
new earphones could also be on the cards.
The
Apple TV is long overdue for an update, but if it's addressed at all, it will
be a minor refresh. A more radical overhaul will come later, with fresh
software and content made possible thanks to the recent acquisition of Beats
and its team. Apple will certainly acknowledge the team, especially Dr Dre and
Jimmy Iovine on stage, and could discuss what it's planning for the hugely
popular Beats line of headphones.
Apple
might provide hints about its next iPhone and iPad releases, but only to the
extent that developers need to know in order to get apps ready for the expected
launch of those devices in the August-October time frame.
Software:
It's
pretty certain that OS X v10.10 will be previewed, but it also might be that
Apple dedicates a significant portion of WWDC to its desktop OS, which has been
overshadowed by iOS in recent years. iOS got a radical makeover last year, with
an all-new look and a number of major features. That aesthetic is widely
expected to be carried over to OS X this year. All remaining leather, felt and
canvas textures will be excised in favour of sharp lines, stark colours and
frosted translucent overlays. OS X v10.10 could also feature improved
interoperation with iCloud and iOS.
There
have also been plenty of leaks regarding iOS 8, although it now seems as though
not all planned features will be available at the time of launch. There have
been strong indications that Apple will update its Maps app with better imagery
and more helpful directions, split the iTunes Radio feature off into its own
app, allow Siri to recognise songs, and introduce mobile equivalents of the OS
X Preview and TextEdit apps. Perhaps the most significant update could be
Healthbook, a new app designed to tie in to potential new health tracking
hardware, and track information such as heart rate, sleep patterns, food
intake, physical activity, hydration, and much more. iPad users might be able
to use two apps side by side if another rumour of split-screen functionality
and improved inter-app communication proves to be accurate.
It's
also high time the iWork and iLife apps received some attention - Apple changed
Pages, Numbers and Keynote significantly in an attempt to simplify them and
allow documents to be created and edited on Macs and iOS devices, but alienated
many users in the process. Many features were dropped, but Apple has promised
to reintroduce many of them.
Developers
would also love to hear about improvements to iCloud, hopefully including
better file sharing, version control and collaborative editing. iCloud would
also have to be a major part of the rumoured home automation platform, so
that's another potential topic of discussion.
