The AppAdvice Week In Review: Preview And Predictions For WWDC '13
June 9, 2013
Our Week in Review is, for obvious reasons, looking forward on the eve of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference.
It has been eight long months since Apple last held an event that launched a new product or service. That will change tomorrow, June 10, when Apple CEO Tim Cook welcomes the technology world to this year’s WWDC in San Francisco, Calif.
So what should we expect to see during the 10 a.m. PDT keynote? We have our thoughts.
For one, it isn’t known whether Apple will offer some sort of iRadio Premium service that would eliminate the ads. For another, we don’t yet know whether iRadio will run through iTunes, or through a separate application.
A new iOS device announcement will likely be absent at WWDC. Instead, expect to see a few new Macs. The MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Pro should all receive updates.
Were Apple to surprise and actually announce a new iOS device, it would probably take the form of the rumored budget iPhone or second-generation iPad mini. Will this happen? Stranger things have happened, but neither is likely.
Here are just a few of the headlines making news during the very busy week that was:
iOS 7
Make no mistake: For Apple, the unveiling of iOS 7 is the most important part of tomorrow’s presentation. As the first version of iOS largely crafted by Jony Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of Industry Design, iOS 7 is a big deal. As a result, where skeuomorphism once ruled the day, expect to see a lot less flash, and more simplicity. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the official iOS 7 logo, which couldn't be any more simple, or flat: Besides likely design changes, iOS 7 will also come with new features. These may include deeper Vimeo and Flickr integrations, plus more services tied directly to Yahoo. Beyond this, very little is known.iRadio
With important music contracts finally signed, Apple’s long-rumored streaming music service should finally make its debut. The service is expected to be free and supported by ads. Despite this, iRadio is said to be easier to customize than Pandora. As a result, the service is being described as somewhere between Pandora and Spotify. Some questions remain, however.
For one, it isn’t known whether Apple will offer some sort of iRadio Premium service that would eliminate the ads. For another, we don’t yet know whether iRadio will run through iTunes, or through a separate application.
Mac OS X 10.9
The next Mac OS may feature Siri and Maps integration, and some minor improvements. However, forget the features. What we really want to know is what cat name Apple has chosen for OS X 10.9.New Macs
A new iOS device announcement will likely be absent at WWDC. Instead, expect to see a few new Macs. The MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Pro should all receive updates.
Apple TV SDK
As I noted last week, the Apple TV remains one of Cupertino’s most under-utilized products. For them to take Steve Jobs’ “hobby” product to the next level, they need to open it up to developers. While an Apple TV SDK has long been rumored, perhaps now is the best time for it to become a reality. Especially with rumors of an Apple television only growing louder.iWork ‘14
Apple’s productivity suite, iWork, was never the market leader. However, there was a time when it was a suitable alternative to Microsoft’s product. In recent years, however, Apple’s suite seems to have become little more than an afterthought. How else to explain the fact that Mac versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote haven’t seen a significant update since the waning days of the George W. Bush presidency? You can’t, of course. Come on, Apple, announce iWork ’14.One More Thing
Were Apple to surprise and actually announce a new iOS device, it would probably take the form of the rumored budget iPhone or second-generation iPad mini. Will this happen? Stranger things have happened, but neither is likely.
News In Brief
Here are just a few of the headlines making news during the very busy week that was:
- Laugh Your Way Through Comedy Central's Stand-Up Specials With CC: Stand-Up by Aldrin Calimlim. Because we all deserve to laugh sometimes.
- NSA Collecting Phone Records Of Verizon Subscribers On An 'Ongoing, Daily Basis' by Aldrin Calimlim. Is anyone surprised?
- US Senators Think There's Nothing Wrong With Secretly Monitoring Your Phone Records by yours truly. Of course they don't.
- Apple And Other Providers Deny Helping The US Government To Spy On Us by yours truly. The denial game begins.
- Apple's 'Stanford 2' Store Features All New Glass Box Design by Joe White explains what Apple stores of the future will look like.
