WWDC 2012 – What to Expect based on Actual Facts and not based on Rumors

It’s that time of the year again. All the tech websites, geeks, apple fanboys, developers and most importantly the Apple Product users are super excited and waiting to see what Apple has in store for this year.

This being a Worldwide Developers Conference, doesn’t really mean its a conference only for developers but this is the time when  Apple gives a hint to everyone what they been working on from the past 8-12months and what they think is cool and would melt everyone’s heart. Rumors are flying by about the new mobile OS iOS6 and some websites have even plunged on this opportunity to make their wishlist of features the final features of iOS6.

Going through all the weird, obnoxious and not-so-real rumors, we have narrowed down to the following things we think are worth believing based on Apple’s every action from the past few months/year. So here are the list of things to expect from WWDC 2012 iOS6

- Early images/banners of the WWDC 2012 location have shown that iOS6 is coming. Even the schedule of events suggest so.

Brand New Google Apple Maps

- Apple is definitely ditching Google Maps and would bring in a new Maps system which would be pre-installed with the new iOS and would be much elegant and might have 3D mode enabled.
Apple’s new iPhoto stopped using Google Maps and had started using OpenStreetMap for the Map data, this was clearly a sign of trying to use some other service than Google for Map data.  Also from the past 4 years, Apple has been preparing themselves with Maps and has bought a few Map based/ 3D maps / visual mapping technology startups which had been in news for short time. Combining all this Apple surely must have built a robust and intuiting Maps system which is mostly ready and would be announced with iOS6. Should be promising and better and Google Maps. Do check out what Google Will lose if Apple wipes out Google Maps from iPhone.

Improved and Advanced SIRI

- We might hear some news for developers where in they could have SIRI APIs to work on and integrate some of their basic app features in SIRI. This might or might not happen but surely some great new advancements are coming to SIRI, chances are SIRI might also come for iPad. In a recent interview, Tim cook did gave a hint to lookout for some ‘amazing stuff coming out for SIRI in the coming months.’

iOS and Facebook

- Facebook is growing, even after their IPO fiasco it would stay strong for few many years. Some analysts say it would die by 2020, but that too is quite many years. Till then users would be using Facebook as they been doing it regularly. Just like iOS5 supported and deeply integrated Twitter, Facebook might be the social networking highlight of iOS6. The system wide Facebook Integration would not only have easy app integration all over the device and easy sharing but might also have check-ins. Facebook events and iOS calendar might work in harmony.

Mountain Lion

Even though OS X is half-baked and almost ready, there are only developer builds for developers to play with. The Gold Master is yet to be released, we should expect that to happen soon probably during this event or after it. Most likely older Macs won’t be supported for a newer OS X upgrade. Many did try to install on older Macs ( pre 2007 Macs ) and at least the developer build didn’t allow that.

 

It is highly unlikely that Apple would release a new iPhone or iPad, if you are expecting anything like that then sorry to disappoint you. But this is how the Apple year-long release cycle works, iPads come early Feb-March, iPhones come post July. So hold your horses and expect alot of iOS and OS X related announcements at WWDC 2012.

The event is at 10AM PT check for your time zone at WWDC 2012 Times around the World.

You can follow any of these sites for excellent live coverage of the event.

- GDGT
- The Verge
- Engadget
- ArsTechnica