The biggest date on Apple’s calendar is just around the corner. Every year, the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) plays host to developers from all over the world who want to learn about the next thing for Apple’s software platforms.
Set to take place from June 13th, this year's event is making the move from the Moscone Center in San Francisco to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, the venue where Apple unveiled its Apple iPad Pro and the new iPhone 6s.
The main event will be the keynote speech on June 13th, before developers get hands on in labs and technical sessions to get to grips with the new software.
Apple is notorious for keeping things under wraps as much as possible. One thing that is almost certain to be unveiled are the new versions of Apple’s desktop and mobile software.
It’s a staple of WWDC, and rumours are already doing the rounds. Top of the list is a new look for the App Store, which many believe is due an overhaul.
The introduction of Mac OS, replacing OS X, has also been debated, fuelled in part by a recent Apple webpage that referenced the new name. It would also bring the desktop software in line with WatchOS, tvOS and iOS.
That new version of the desktop software, whatever it ends up being called, could also see the introduction of Siri, Apple’s digital assistant.
Siri is already available in iPhones, iPads, and the the Apple Watch; adding it to the Mac would bring a new level of functionality to the desktop. Siri recently made its debut in the updated Apple TV, although not in every country, cutting some of the functionality from the platform for those countries omitted from the initial roll-out.
Apple is also competing with Microsoft, which has introduced Cortana across its Windows 10 software, although it is not available in all territories.
Another service that could see an overhaul is Apple Music. The streaming music platform has had some hiccups, but it has signed up 13 million paying customers as of the last financial update. The current speculation is that the platform will get a new interface to help make it simpler to use.
Apple Pay – another service not yet launched in Ireland – is likely to see some new features added at WWDC.
WWDC is usually more about software than hardware, and it seems that 2016 will be very focused on Software. Apple isn’t unveiling any updates for its external monitors, for example. But regardless, there are hopes that the MacBook Pro will get a refresh – long overdue in some eyes – to include new developments such as the USB C charging port that the 12-inch MacBook currently sports and an all-round more streamlined product.
The Watch may also be in line for an update in the coming weeks. It has been more than a year since the watch went on sale, and while the software has reached its second version, the Watch itself has had to settle for some cosmetic changes – new bands, for example.
The expectation is that Apple will debut a new version of the Watch that is thinner, lighter, and capable of more. That could include bringing mobile connectivity to the watch and a faster processor to make it less dependent on your iPhone.
Those who are expecting it at WWDC though may be out of luck – but it wouldn’t be beyond Apple to pull a last minute “One more thing” either.
