WWDC 2013 Announcements: Speculation And Rumor Roundup

WWDC 2013 is just literally around the corner. We’ve all waited patiently for this day, the day when Apple unveils the future of iOS and OS X, perhaps even some hardware as well. WWDC 2013 rumors have been chronicled in great detail here at Ubergizmo, we thought that it would be nice to round all of them up, just to give our readers an idea of what to expect from Apple tomorrow. The company has already confirmed that it will talk about iOS 7 and OS X 10.9 in great detail, its the hardware and an alleged Pandora like music streaming service that has got everyone excited more than usual. Lets dive in and try to get an idea of the WWDC 2013 announcements that await us.

iOS 7:

When former SVP Scott Forstall left Apple late last year, the task of iOS design fell in Sir Jonathan Ive’s lap. Ive is well known for designing some of the most beautiful Apple products, this time around he will be working his magic on the software that powers millions of iOS devices around the world. It was rumored quite a few month ago that Ive would be radically overhauling the entire user interface, doing away with the skeuomorphic design elements in favor of a flat and modern looking design. Various iOS 7 concepts have already been developed by many designers based on these rumors. Email and calendar apps are likely to be overhauled as well, while all native iOS apps are likely to tout a unified design language. Recently it was discovered that the Developers’ Portal was showing off square iOS app icons instead of the conventional rounded edges ones, this has once again lead many to believe claims that iOS 7 UI is going to be flat. In the past few months we haven’t heard much about the new features that iOS 7 will bring, almost all rumors have been about the design. AirDrop, a feature that allows Mac users to send files to other Macs even if they’re not connected to the same Wi-Fi network, is expected to make its way over to iOS as well. Don’t expect iOS 7 public release immediately after WWDC 2013 announcements, Apple traditionally releases a handful of betas first for developers, public release is rumored to take place in September.

OS X 10.9:

We haven’t heard much about OS X 10.9 over the past few weeks, certainly not as much as we’ve heard about Apple’s upcoming update for its mobile platform. Nevertheless we know for sure that Apple is going to unveil a new version of OS X at WWDC 2013. It has been speculated that we’ll see more integration of iOS in to OS X, Siri and Apple maps integration for OS X has already been rumored. The update may also come with improved multi-monitor experience, allowing users to run fullscreen apps on one monitor while having a full desktop space on other monitors. A job listing further fueled speculation of Siri coming over to Mac. There haven’t been many rumors about possible design changes, but they can certainly be expected. Perhaps the changes can be similar to those made in iOS 7. Tabbed interface for the Finder is expected as well. Back in April it was rumored that iOS 7 was falling behind on schedule and that Apple had to bring in people from the OS X team to cover the deficit. If that is indeed true, perhaps OS X 10.9 might be released after summer.

iRadio:

It was back in October 2012 when we first heard that Apple was working on a Pandora like music streaming service. The name hasn’t officially been confirmed as yet, but the service is popularly known as iRadio right now. Back then it was rumored that Apple will unveil iRadio in summer 2013, and there is a big possibility that it may happen, judging by recent reports which indicate that iRadio is back on track for a WWDC 2013 unveil. We had previously heard that the service may face delays due to licensing negotiations with music labels. Apple wouldn’t certainly want a delay, considering that Google has already unveiled its Play Music All Access service. The company has reportedly reached deals with Universal, Warner and Sony music labels, leading many to believe that iRadio just might make the list of WWDC 2013 announcements after all.

New 2013 MacBook Pro, MacBook Air And Mac Pro:

We’ve consistently been hearing rumors that Apple will release new 2013 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lineup. The company’s tower machine, Mac Pro, is also expected to be revamped this time around. The new MacBook are rumored to support Gigabit Wi-Fi which translates in to speeds of up to 1.3Gbps. The laptops are expected to tout Intel’s Haswell processors and are said to be in Apple’s “spotlight” for the event. 13 inch Retina MacBook Pro may get a little thinner as well as an upgrade to a full HD FaceTime cameras. MacBook Air models are likely to get dual built-in microphone supports. No radical design changes are rumored for both of these product lines. On the other hand, a complete redesign for Mac Pro has been rumored. Said to be “really different” from its predecessor, it will reportedly be capable of supporting three monitors by default. Firewire 800 and optical drive may be replaced in favor of Thunderbolt, and the hard drive in favor of flash storage. It has been rumored that Mac Pro users will no longer be able to pop the hood and make changes to internal hardware, though nothing can be said for sure before Apple’s official announcement. The new laptops and desktop might be readily available after WWDC 2013.

Other Hardware:

Devices such as the iPhone 5S, low cost iPhone, cheap iPad mini and iPad mini with Retina display are not likely to be unveiled at WWDC 2013. Apple CEO Tim Cook has already confirmed that the company’s new products won’t be coming until September. Worldwide Developers Conference has been used in the past to unveil new iPhones, but Apple had since moved away from that tradition. It is highly likely that it won’t be bringing back that tradition this year around. While there have been ample rumors, there’s little chance of these products being part of WWDC 2013 announcements.

In A Nutshell:

Even if your favorite product isn’t making the cut at WWDC 2013, keep in mind that the conference will bring a number of interesting and exciting announcements. Apple has been resting on its laurels while rivals such as Samsung, HTC and Google have been introducing new products and services. From tomorrow a new wave will begin. We’ll get to see software that will power some impressive Apple products in the very near future, and we may very well be treated to new services as well. Over the next couple of months, developers will tell us about the changes made and features activated in each beta version of the new software. Hold on tight, it is going to be an exciting ride.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Apple
Tags: iOS 7, iradio, mac pro, Macbook, Macbook Pro, OS X, wwdc 2013