Apple’s annual World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) kicks off tomorrow in San Francisco. And yes, the rumor mill is now churning at full speed with speculation.
To help make sense of the hearsay, here’s a concise summary of everything Apple is rumored to debut Monday morning.
iOS 8 Predictions
The next version of iOS is absolutely coming, according to WWDC event banners photographed last week. Here’s what we know:
Healthbook
Apple will debut a Passbook-style health app tomorrow, according to detailed leaks published back in March. While some rumors suggest that Apple has health-tracking hardware in the works, such claims have died down in recent months.
Read more about Healthbook here.
No multitasking
Windows 8-style multitasking is reportedly in the works for iOS, but it appears that the new feature will not debut at WWDC tomorrow. According to NY Times reporter Brian Chen, split-screen multitasking just “isn’t ready yet.”
New iOS Features
iOS 8 is rumored to include numerous feature updates, including the addition of transit directions for Apple Maps, Shazam-style song detection for Siri, a stand-alone app for iTunes Radio, mobile versions of OS X apps Preview and Text Edit, and payments-centric updates to Touch ID.
Apple is not expected to redesign iOS this time around. The flat, glass like aesthetic of iOS 7 is here to stay.
Mac OS X 10.10 Predictions
Tomorrow Apple will debut the next major version of Mac OS X, perhaps under the name “OS X Yosemite,” according to recent trademark filings.
Major Redesign
The next version of OS X is expected to feature an iOS 7-like design overhaul. The redesign is thought to mirror iOS 7 and 8 with glass-like effects, flat icons, and an overall minimalistic style which may finally do away with brushed aluminum design elements.
New OS X features
Rumors say the next version of OS X may include an iOS-style control panel, a new Mac App Store design, and new editions of the iWork and iLife suites.
Hardware Predictions & More
New Macs
Some say Apple will debut Retina MacBook Airs at WWDC this year, but don’t bet on it. Likewise, although Apple apparently has cheaper iMacs in the works, Apple pundits shot such rumors down recently.
Apple TV
For years, Apple analysts and insiders predicted Apple would introduce a new, revolutionary television product — yet here we are, forever stuck with consistently minor upgrades to the original Apple TV.
Some insist that a revolutionary new Apple TV is still in the works. We’re not holding our breath.
Home Automation
Another thin, yet exciting rumor suggests that Apple will get into the “Internet of things” trend. Hardware of the sort is not anticipated, but Apple could introduce new apps for controlling things like “lights, security systems and other domestic appliances.”
Developer Tools
Apple is expected to debut the next version of its developer IDE, Xcode 6. The update may feature a new iOS simulator app. Along similar lines, Apple may debut new “improved tools for developers to build iCloud-infused applications.”
Check back here tomorrow at 10 a.m. PT for on-site coverage of Apple’s WWDC keynote presentation.
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Apple designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. Apple software includes t… read more »
Everything we think Apple will announce at WWDC: OS X 10.10, iOS 8, & more
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