By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
We're one week away from Apple's yearly World Wide Developer's Conference to be held in San Francisco's Moscone Centre (stay tuned for my live coverage here and on Twitter via @gadjosevilla) and the entire technology and mobile industry will no doubt be glued to the announcements as Apple CEO Tim Cook and Co. unveil the future of the iOS and Mac OS platforms. Here's what I think we can expect to see next week.
Software:
Being a developer-focused event, we can expect the variety of updates to both iOS and Mac OS.
-iOS
- iOS 7 and its specific new features will likely be announced
- The debut of Jony Ive designed UI (User Interface) look and feel (i.e. flatter, simpler)
- Update on Apple Maps (more of a, 'there's lots of progress, but we're not there yet' mention)
- More universal search functions a la Google Now, possibly integrated into Siri
- More Siri features, languages
- Improved Geofencing features
- Big focus on iOS security (in response to some recent hacks), news of iPhone in enterprise
- More efficient APIs to scale apps between iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad/iPad mini sizes
- Game Centre update
- PassBook update, new features, adoption (or why we don't need NFC for mobile wallets)
- Even greater kernel-level iOS integration with Twitter and Facebook, possibly Yahoo! properties like Flickr and Tumblr
- iCloud updates, hopefully a redesign of the currently woeful iCloud web interface (hopefully designed by Jony Ive)
- Improved keyboard functionality. Better predictive or SwiftKey-like gestures
- Updates to iOS versions of iLife, iWork, iCloud, iTunes, Newsstand, iBooks
- Integration of Facetime and iMessage into a BBM-like messaging app
- A 'more open' approach to iOS development giving developers a bit more freedom and a larger sandbox of tools
-Mac OS
- New Big Cat OS to be revealed
- Even more iOS features coming to Mac OS
- Greater iCloud functionality and integration
- Update to Time Machine/ better backups just like the iOS devices
- Updates to Safari, iLife, iWork on Mac
- Comparison of Mac vs Windows, performance, ease of use etc.
- More efficient OS with Instant On and quick resume features.
-Services
- New Music streaming service, biggest ever which ties in to iTunes and has social features (competitive pricing, available in more markets than competitors).
- Update on iTunes, new features, updated interaface. Expect focus on discoverability and sharing as well as an improved Genius feature
- iCloud revamp (it's been two years since Steve Jobs launched iCloud, now is a good time as any to improve the web interface, smoothen out some of the functionality across devices).
- Make iCloud available to more countries
Hardware:
While WWDC is not historically a big hardware event, last year's launch of the Retina MacBook Pro, the lack of Apple product launch events early this year, and the fact that the back-to-school buying season is around the corner, make seeing some new hardware next week a huge possibility.
- Intel's next generation Haswell architecture coming to the latest MacBook Pros and iMacs with vastly improved battery life for portables
- A new, completely redesigned Mac Pro/ Mac Pro Server
- Retina MacBook Air
- Retina Displays on more models
- Lower pricing on existing products
- New design and fabrication processes, possibly a new look for Apple portables whose design has been copied repeatedly by the Ultrabook makers.
Come back on June 10th for our full coverage of WWDC 2013, live from San Francisco where we will what Apple will reveal.
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Gadjo Sevilla has covered Apple's business and products for over 15 years. The Apple Beat is a regular opinion column focusing on the latest Apple news, products and personalities.