I’m not one for posting my predications of Apple announcements. They’re usually reserved for the “I think Apple will…” conversations with friends. Which usually stems from my time of working as an Apple Retail employee. Trust me, they have no inside info and speculate just as much as everyone else. But for fun, I thought I’d post my thoughts for the upcoming WWDC.
Just to note, I have absolutely no inside knowledge or “sources”. These predictions are based entirely on my observations of trends, gut feelings, and pulling things out of my ass. So without further ado.
Mac OSX 10.5 Leopard
It’s already been announced that we’ll get a preview of the feature complete version of 10.5 Leopard, but what will those still unannounced features be?
New User Interface
We’ll see a revamped user interface. Less glossy with a more matte gradient finish. I believe the latest version of iTunes and the new iPhone commercials are hints to that.
Touch Screen Support
Leopard will incorporate touch screen support similar to what’s used in the iPhone. The technology is there. Why not use it? And as an added bonus, it’ll tie into the already existing inkwell technology for onscreen writing.
Lots of Google Integration
Google and Apple have been close bed fellows recently. With Google CEO Eric Schmidt being on Apple’s board of directors, the integration of Google Maps on the iPhone and now YouTube becoming available on Apple TV. I believe we’re going to see a lot of Google Integration in 10.5. Spotlight will not online search your hard drive, but it will provide the most relevant web results via Google. You’ll be able to get directions from within Address Book via Google Maps. And we’ll probably see a bunch of new Google Dashboard widgets.
Dashboard Improvements
They’ll be lots of improvements with the Dashboard and the related widgets. There’s already been rumors of having multiple dashboard workspaces. Widgets will be allowed to live on the desktop (without a hack).
New iMac
Sure, this is a “Developer” conference. But you’re going to need something to demonstrate that new touch screen functionality in Leopard. And since the iMac hasn’t been updated in ages, it’s about due.
Touch Screen Support
There will be a new iMac introduced with touch screen support. Allowing you to move windows, resize objects and page through documents like you can on the iPhone. You’ll also be able to write onscreen using inkwell technology.
Updated Look
The new iMacs will have a slightly updated look. Probably thinner and available in black.
New Model
This is really going out on a limb, but there will be a new iMac model. A smaller one, that can detach from the base and be used as a tablet. Of course utilizing all the new touch screen and inkwell goodness.
New iLife & iWork
This is a given. But the reason this has been in the holding pattern for so long is all the Leopard integration both suites will incorporate. The new iLife will see modest improvements to all apps, but the biggest will be to iWeb. iWork will include a new spreadsheet application. That’s about it.
New .Mac
Long overdue for a complete overhaul if Apple’s struggling .Mac service. I say struggling because it’s struggling to keep up with all the superior FREE online services it competes with. The only thing it has going for it is the Syncing feature and the tight integration with the operating system and iLife apps. But what good is that tight integration if the online experience sucks?
Free version
They will introduce a free version of .Mac to compete with all the free competition. This will be similar to what exists now, but will include vastly improved online experience.
Pro Version
There will also be a Pro version introduced. Apple has tried to position .Mac as small business solution (website, online backup, email), especially in the retail stores. This Pro version will introduce features that make it worthwhile. Increased disk space, customer support, ability to host your own domain and perhaps some online apps.
Vastly upgraded services
All the services will see a major overhaul, making .Mac something you would want to use.
Google Integration
I think it’s possible you’ll see some Google integration with the new .Mac. Apple is big on partnering with companies who specialize in specific services. And Google excels at online services. Update: Looks like I’m not the only one who thinks this. So does Wired and BusinessWeek.
iPhone
They’ll obviously be some talk of the iPhone. But I don’t think it’ll be anything more then a rehash of what we already now and possibly a preorder date.
Those are my predictions.
Comments
I love predictions. I am really pining a way for a new .Mac. I am subscriber but it’s really just the syncing that I need, and I am often tempted to to ditch the whole overpriced service. I think the time is right for them to announce some big improvements there.
A detachable tablet monitor on the iMac? That would really surprise me. I am still dreaming of a mac competitor to the Nokia N800 - basically the iPhone as a tablet PC.
I think they’ll be announcing a lot of Google-iPhone integration as well, and possibly dangling the possibility of developing 3rd party apps for the iPhone.
If all of this comes true it will be wonderful. Seems like a lot, though, and the tablet seems like a stretch. New iMacs make sense, as does the touch screen. That seems to be a theme across the industry.
I’d dearly love an upgrade to iWeb and .Mac but I wonder if Apple thinks this is strategic. The whole iLife integrated experience plays to Apple’s strength in integrating HW, SW and services - and it’s why I bought a Mac again some years back when I had converted to a Windows machine for most routine things - but it just seems like they’ve neglected it for a long time.
Don’t forget the addition of bittorrent functionality built into the OS level architecture.
Many people have questioned why Apple annouced they were doing this, my prediction is that they are playing catchup with vudu who’s big thing over itunes is that downloading a movie it plays almost immediately. They’re able to almost stream high quality video because the vudu box downloads not only from the main server, but also from any other vudu boxes that have that movie (and even more from ones that will allow the fastest download speeds).
Vudu is a total apple TV killer (especially considering how badly the sales are doing).
But in theory you could apply the same download technology to the iPhone as well.
As broadband rates have gone through the roof, actual download speeds are usually dictated by the server not the receiver. Using a bittorrent approach gets round that.
So expect to see itunes, video, system updates, etc all being accessed via this bittorrent network at break neck speeds.
Apple Tablets, it’s 1993 all over again. They were ahead of the game then, it’ll be interesting to see what they do this time round. A iphone that’s twice the size and doesn’t have a phone I would buy in a second.
Sadly due to my boycott of Cingular/At&t I won’t be getting an iphone for a few years, and will have to make do with my new HTC Apache.
I know the whole tablet thing is a stretch, but it’s something I could see them pulling out at the end. But I don’t think it would be a tablet in the traditional sense, or at least not positioned that way.
I can see it being a small version of an imac… say 10 to 12 inches that would be placed in your kitchen. It would be used for checking email, listening to music, video chatting, etc. All without a keyboard. Think of it as a big iPhone. As an added bonus, you could detach it from the base and carry it around the house.
This predication is classified under the “pulling things out of my ass” clause ;)
But I think everything else: iLife, .Mac, iWork, new iMac… all circles around Leopard.