Apple is holding its annual developer’s conference next week at the Moscone West convention center in San Francisco, California. The 5-day event will kick off with a keynote on June 8th where Apple is expected to announce iOS 9, OS X 10.11 and other changes to its software products and services. Read on to find out what major announcements we expect to see from Apple next week.
iOS 9
The next version of iOS (likely iOS 9) is expected to be more of a Snow Leopard-like release, with less of the focus on new features and more on refinements. iOS 8, too, has been criticized for bugs and stability issues, and it sounds like Apple means to squash those bugs in iOS 9.
That doesn’t mean we won’t see any new features, though. Rumors indicate that Apple is working on a new Google Now-like feature called Proactive, which will make Siri smarter and more contextually-aware, as well as the ability to run apps side-by-side on iPad, and access to public transit information in its Maps app. We’re also expecting design tweaks, and various other enhancements.
As previously rumored, split-screen multitasking may finally land on the iPad. This feature would allow an iPad owner to run two apps at the same time with each app sharing a portion of the screen. This layout makes it possible to watch a video while browsing the web or reply to an email while reading the news. Apple will reportedly allow users to split the screen in several ways: 1/2, 1/3 and 2/3, all depending on which app they are using and how they want to use them. Apple will also allow users to not only use two apps at the same time, but also let some apps have multiple views at the same time. This could work for Twitter clients, for example, with one screen showing the main Timeline, while another shows Mentions or DMs.
OS X
Similar to iOS 9, OS X 10.11 may be a refinement release that introduces a new few new consumer features, several security features, and the typical bug fixes and stability improvements. The rumored improvements include a revamped Control Center, a new kernel-level security system called “Rootless†and the adoption of the San Francisco font.
Apple Music with Beats
Apple is expected to talk about the overhaul of two major services on Monday: Beats Music and iTunes Radio. Let’s discuss the former first. It’s been reported that Apple is rebranding the streaming music service, which it acquired as part of its $3 billion Beats purchase last year, to simply ‘Apple Music’ and has rebuilt it from the ground up. Rumored features include a $10/month subscription fee, a 3-month free trial to make up for the fact that there’s no free tier offering, exclusive content, and a focus on music curation and discovery.
Apple TV
Previous rumors hinted at the unveiling of a new Apple TV and bundled TV service, but this new product is not expected to debut at WWDC. Apple reportedly shelved the announcement because the product was not ready to be demonstrated, according to people familiar with Apple’s plans. The holdup allegedly is content with Apple still in talks with TV networks and other content providers about pricing and availability of their TV shows and movies.
iCloud
Apple may expand its iCloud Drive platform and bring applications such as Notes, Reminders, and Calendars into the fold. This new iCloud drive support will increase security and improve syncing between the iPad, iPhone and Mac versions of the app. It will work behind the scenes and will not affect the consumer portion of the apps.
HomeKit
There has been lot of talk about HomeKit in recent weeks, as multiple companies have announced products that will support the smart home platform. Announced at last year’s WWDC, HomeKit acts as a unifying bridge and dashboard for various accessories. The goal is to allow users to control products made from different manufacturers with touch and voice controls, and rumor has it that there is an app coming in iOS 9 called Home that will help achieve that objective.
Apple Pay
Still a US-only product, Apple may use WWDC to announce the expansion of the mobile payment service to additional countries, including Canada. Apple also may unveil a new rewards program for Apple Pay that will offer perks to customers who use Apple Pay during checkout.
Apple’s WWDC keynote begins at 10am Pacific Time on Monday, and a live stream will be available on the Apple TV, and iOS and Mac devices via Safari. We will be covering the event live on iDB, as well as subsequent announcements throughout the day.
