Rumor or Fallacy? Let’s Check the Scoreboard After WWDC

by Aaron Kirchner-Loeser
Aurnhammer Marketing Coordinator

With the 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference now wrapped up, several things need to be addressed and some people need to be fact-checked regarding the rumor mill leading up to the five-day long event. Given some pretty inevitably significant announcements, there were also several anticipated announcements that simply did not happen as many users, techies, and bloggers expected and proclaimed.

As the WWDC kicked off last week, it was great to see that iOS 8 will be available to the public this year. Most likely in the fall, dubbed “the world’s most advanced operating system” by Apple, iOS 8 will come with a host of new functions and features. One of the neatest new perks that iOS 8 offers is the updated keyboard. Now, the keyboard will be able to distinguish between who you are sending a message to. This means that it will come up with different suggestions and spell checks depending on your desired recipient, whether it is a business colleague or your uncle from San Francisco. Another awesome feature is the updated Spotlight. In an age of globalization, this feature will be able to better contextualize what you are searching for. For instance, Spotlight will now be able to use your location, pull up Wikipedia pages, and more in order to better suit your search.

From these additional rumored products, Apple will indeed be releasing OS X 10.10 in the upcoming months. Moving from large, wild cats like Leopard to towns and parks of California, this operating system will be called OS X Yosemite to connote the system’s shear power and beauty. One of the most astounding features of OS X Yosemite is the new way in which one can send attachments via e-mail. Instead of high-resolution picture and video e-mail attachments being bounced back because the file is too large, users can now send attachments as large as 5 GB to the recipients’ mailbox via the iCloud. The way this will work is that the attachment one sends will first be sent up to the iCloud, compressed, and then back down to the recipients’ mailbox.

While some significant software updates wowed us at this year’s WWDC, bloggers and writers were off-base in some of their predictions regarding any new Apple hardware being presented. For instance, neither an updated MacBook nor iHome was mentioned. Additionally, Apple TV was completely left out of the discussion as Re/Code correctly predicted.

One of the most circulated rumors leading up to the WWDC that did not come to fruition was the presentation of the iPhone 6. Anticipated to have a screen between 4.7 and 5.5 inches, there was no mention of it at all. Looks like those that predicted the release of a new iPhone got this one wrong!

Given these momentous announcements and…not-announcements, it will be exciting to see how the world of Apple develops over the next few months. With iOS 8 releasing in October, we already have something to eagerly await. But for now, let the rumors begin for WWDC 2015!

Rumor or Fallacy?

by Aaron Kirchner-Loeser
Aurnhammer Marketing Coordinator

Between June 2nd and 6th, developers from around the world will converge on San Francisco to attend Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Although rumors leading up to the conference in the past have sometimes been true, such as the unveiling of iOS 7 at WWDC 2013, many rumors did not come to fruition.

With the upcoming conference in just a few days, there have been a slew of enticing rumors about new devices and technologies that Apple may unveil, ranging from introduction of iHome to the presentation of the iPhone 6. Since Apple is remaining close-lipped, everything is speculation and we look forward to seeing which rumors are true and which rumors are not.

IPHONE 6: The iPhone 6 is one device that techies and users think will be introduced at the conference. As the iPhone 5’s screen is significantly larger than the iPhone 4, the iPhone 6’s screen is expected to grow. According to MacRumors, the iPhone 6’s retina display could potentially be anywhere between 4.7 and 5.5 inches, which would level the playing field between the size of the iPhone’s screen and that of Android devices like Samsung’s Galaxy and the Nexus. Also, there are rumors that the iPhone 6’s screen will move from Corning Gorilla Glass to sapphire crystal, which is already used in small parts of the iPhone 5 such as the camera lens. This is what the rumored iPhone 6 may look like:

IOS 8: As iOS7 was speculated to be presented at WWDC 2013 and it was, insiders believe that iOS 8 will be introduced at WWDC14. Although the physical and aesthetic appearance of iOS 7 will not change, several new features are expected to be added, including split-screen apps, which will help users multitask, and an Apple Maps update, which will improve not only navigation by adding public transportation directions and more detailed streets, but also connectivity in an age of globalization.

IHOME: Another rumor that has been circulating leading up to WWDC 2014 is that iHome will be introduced. A smart home platform that will run on BLE and possibly NFC (near field communication), iHome would allow users to control the most basic functions of their home from the palm of their hand. This could be anything from opening the garage door when one pulls in from work to cranking up the heat in the winter to turning up the volume on the speakers at a 4th of July party.

APPLE TV: To the dismay of many hopeful onlookers, it doesn’t seem like Apple TV will be one of the keynote presentations at WWDC 2014. In fact, John Paczkowski of Re/Code claims that there will absolutely be no Apple TV at the conference.

With the conference less than a week away, these rumored technological unveilings will not only spark heated and productive dialogue, but also potentially change our lives for the better. Stay tuned for a follow-up WWDC 2014 blog post next week to see which rumors actually become reality!

Additional Rumored Products

-       iOS 8
-       OS X 10.10
-       iTunes radio and Healtbook
-       Updated MacBook air, updated MacBook Pro, and updated iMac
-       New Mac mini
-       IPad mini 3