Yesterday, I watched the WWDC 2018 keynote with anticipation.

WWDC is ultimately a developer event, not a consumer one, so you have to look at it from the view of someone who writes software for Apple's OS platforms.

I am not a software developer. I am by profession a systems integration expert and an infrastructure-oriented guy. Still, as a lover of technology, I was keenly interested in new advancements in iOS.

APPLE'S BIG FIX FOR IOS

With iOS 12, there is enough for me to ponder, but I still walked away with the feeling that it was very much a release focused on qualitative rather than feature improvements.

This is not going to be the big re-write everyone wants, rather this is aimed at being the 'big fix,' which is fine because iOS 12 needs to be that big fix very badly.

But I was also keen on new hardware announcements. I was hoping that there would be new iPad Pros -- because that is the device I have come to use the most next to my desktop PC for work.

It's not that my current iPad Pro 12.9" is particularly old, but iOS's 11.x resource utilization has taken a toll on it, and it doesn't feel as snappy as it used to be. My iPad needs more RAM and more CPU horsepower.

And, yes, I'm potentially interested in new iPhones. Even though I love my iPhone X, it's on the upgrade program as a lease, so at some point in the next six months, I will have to turn it in for another model.

While I was disappointed there were no new pieces of iOS hardware, I know with reasonable certainty there will be new products to look at come September.

My VISA card and savings account have been given at least a temporary reprieve.

NO NEW MACS AT WWDC 2018

The big reveal at WWDC 2018 was not so much what was shown, but what wasn't.

To dispell any rumors, Apple came right out and said that they had no plans whatsoever to converge iOS and macOS into a single platform.

It is instead engaged in a multi-year effort to provide iOS API support on macOS so that iPhone and iPad apps can be more easily ported to the Mac.

It sounds similar to convergence, but it really isn't. True convergence would mean full touchscreen API support and multi-modality, which macOS doesn't have today. It would also mean support for ARM processors on macOS, which doesn't seem to be a near-future option either.

We did not get any new Macs at WWDC 2018. That breaks David Gewirtz's heart. Sorry, dude.

This is going to be the new normal for Mac users. I hate to say that I told you so, but I told you so.

I'm not going to go into the reasons for why I think Mac is a dying platform. I've done that already ad nauseam.

Heck, all traditional personal computers in a consumer setting, even ones that run on Windows, are dying platforms. And that is because people -- and I'm talking about consumers here, not businesses -- can now do much more now with smartphones and tablets and IoT devices than ever before.

THE MAC'S TWILIGHT YEARS ARE HERE

The Mac is definitely in need of assisted living and hospice services. It is in its twilight years now.

There will be several iterative macOS releases over the next few years. That much is certain. But the feature improvements you are going to see will be much more along the lines of "Dark Mode" and Stacks (which, by the way, exists already with feature parity in Windows 10) than major architectural and UX changes.

The Mac is heading for its retirement into the desert. First, we will get Mojave. I guess we get Sun City and Scottsdale next. At least it's not Boynton or Vero.

Don't worry, Mac. It's a dry heat.

It is now patently obvious that Apple is not undertaking the equivalent of a Windows 10 project -- where the fundamental DNA that makes up the end-user pieces of the OS is being completely re-written and legacy components are being discarded bit by bit through a continuous release agile development process.

In Microsoft's case, it just plain had to be done; there are API and other code underpinnings that are literally decades old that Windows needed cleaning up. The Windows 8 and Windows 10 API modernization projects were absolutely essential for moving their products into a cloud-based future.

The entire Surface family of touchscreen PCs would have been impossible to create without this modernization effort.

If Mac had a user base that was similar in size to what Microsoft has, it would have been an essential project for Apple to undertake in order breathe life back into the platform.

But Mac doesn't have Windows' vast user base in consumer and business; it's a boutique business by comparison, albeit a valuable boutique business, which generates about $26 billion in revenue a year -- around 12 percent of its net revenue.

A BOUTIQUE BUSINESS

But a boutique business for who? Well, for that increasingly dwindling subset of content creators who absolutely must use a Mac to get work done -- edge-case folks like David Gewirtz and folks who write software for iOS.

But even when you look at software development for iOS, owning a Mac is not really a hard requirement anymore. You need access to a Mac running XCode to produce the object code, but it isn't necessary to use it as your primary development environment for most types of apps.

The current software development trend is to be multi-platform so that you have as many device targets as possible to consume your software. If you are a small shop, that's the smart way to do things and the most efficient use of developer resources.

Modern development environments such as Microsoft's Visual Studio allow you to work from a single unified codebase, and from there, deploy to Windows (on any architecture), Android, the Web, iOS, and, yes, the Mac.

Microsoft is all about being the home for your code if its $7.5 billion acquisition of GitHub means anything to anyone.

Developers use GitHub today as the repository of repositories to download, compile, and test their code using their own systems. But when it is ported to Azure, they will be able to do it all in the cloud much faster without pulling and pushing code over the internet.

While Microsoft doesn't currently have a solution in Azure to directly output application code for iOS and Mac, this is not something that would be difficult for it to implement, especially if it did this in partnership with Apple.

In fact, third parties such as MacStadium and MacinCloud already do this. As a one-man development shop, you don't need to actually own a Mac for the purposes of compiling the code. You just need access to one, or an on-demand cluster of them as shared resources.

Indeed, if you're one of the big game development shops producing a popular 3D title for multiple platforms, you're probably going to want a whole bunch in-house. But this is the exception rather than the rule.

APPLE IS SHIFTING ITS PRIORITIES

I'm under no illusion that there won't be more Macs in the offering. You can pretty much guarantee there will be new Macs, but I think that Apple is now shifting its priorities.

To paraphrase a famous old man that lived in the desert: These are not the Macs you -- as a Gewirtz-style edge case and power user -- are looking for.

It's not unreasonable to assume there will be further consolidation of the line, and the company is going to focus on getting by with the least amount of SKUs to address the widest base of users.

We will probably see the MacBook line whittled down to just the Pro, the iMacs reduced to two models, and the elimination of the Mini.

And given Apple's enthusiasm for eGPUs, I think its a given that this is the way the company sees being able to scale performance for Macs going forward. Need more compute for that 3D visualization or model running on your MacBook or iMac? Add an eGPU. Or two. Or three. Or eight.

By the way, I wrote about this seven years ago as a fanciful prediction of the future.

I don't think it's a guarantee we are going to see a new Mac Pro if developers and content creators can get better bang for the buck with more modular system designs, especially if you combine this with cloud-based resources that can be provisioned on demand and paid for when they are really needed.

WHAT ABOUT ARM?

I have no doubt that Apple has a Marklar-style project, which has the objective of creating a next-generation computing platform using that architecture.

It is investing a lot of resources in producing new A-series semiconductor designs, no doubt with the ARM Cortex-A76 architecture that has performance rivaling true desktop PCs and Macs.

So, yes, Apple is creating new computers. But I don't think these will be Macs. And it won't be iPads. Not as we recognize them now. They will be something else.

At this point, the fundamental software architecture of Mac and iOS is approaching 30 years old, if you count everything that came out of NeXT in the late 1980s as part of modern Mac and iOS device DNA. So, everything needs a re-write and replacement.

Apple does not have the problem Microsoft faces with trying to bring legacy users into the future with a hybrid OS like Windows 10, which incorporates both new and old technology in order to maintain compatibility with application code in very wide use that is very old and to provide functionality for new features and modernized applications.

For Microsoft this is a difficult tightrope to walk on: To find that balance that is acceptable to everyone. Ditching legacy baggage is extremely difficult for it, and it is probably its No. 1 challenge going forward.

ENTIRELY NEW PLATFORMS ARE COMING

Because Apple isn't Microsoft, it can afford to throw babies out with the bathwater, which would be a very Apple -- even Jobsian -- thing to do. So, rather than re-writes of OSes, I believe it intends to create entirely new platforms that have little or no ties to the past.

What types of platforms are systems are we talking about?

We are talking about platforms that use modern systems architectures, such as ARM, rather than Intel, which has decades of power-consuming cruft included for backward compatibility, something that such a future platform would not need.

These will be built from the ground up to be secure with fault domains built into the hardware and the operating system working together -- rather than have security features bolted on in order to address threats from everywhere and everyone.

Most importantly, they will have user experiences that are not just the desktop and icon paradigm, which we have been used to for 30-plus years, but also new experiences such as augmented and virtual reality, holographic interfaces with computer vision, machine learning, and voice control.

They will have sensors that are not just on our bodies using wearables like Apple Watch, but also all over the home, in our vehicles, and in public spaces that will anticipate our needs and inform us at all times.

In essence -- to paraphrase Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella -- everything we interact with in our world will be our "computer."

These won't be Macs. They won't be iOS devices. They will be something else. It's not entirely apparent as to what these are, but I believe we are at a transition point where these plans will become much more self-evident in the next 18 months or so.

SOURCE BY ZDNet

Apple's annual developer conference, WWDC 2018, kicks off today with a keynote presentation from Tim Cook and co, and we'll be reporting live from the event at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California.

The WWDC 2018 keynote will start at 10am PDT, 1pm EDT, 6pm BST, or Tuesday 5 at 3am AEST if you're in Australia.

You can follow all the announcements, as they happen, right here with our Apple WWDC 2018 live blog, updated constantly as we sit, watch, listen and absorb the all the latest news from the Cupertino-based firm.

Apple WWDC 2018 live blog

All times in PDT (Pacific Daylight Time)

02:00 - Apple has reduced the amount of new hardware it announces at WWDC, but last year we still got our first glimpse at the HomePod as well as the iPad Pro 12.9 and iPad Pro 10.5 - so we're keeping our fingers crossed for new hardware this time around as well.

What would we really love to see? Well, the long-rumored iPhone SE 2 would be a good start.

01:00 - Tim Cook will be tucked up in bed, dreaming - we hope - about all the wonderful iOS 12 and macOS 10.14-related treats he'll be announcing later today. 

While we let Mr. Cook enjoy his slumber, why not check out what you can expect from today's keynote and the whole of the WWDC 2018 week.

SOURCE BY TechRadar

Apple holds its Worldwide Developers Conference every year, and with WWDC 2018 kicking off on June 4, there's plenty of speculation about what Apple might have in store for iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. It turns out we might just get some new hardware too.

As Apple-centric sites including AppleInsider and The Mac Observer have noted, some MacBook and MacBook Pro models are now displaying delivery dates after WWDC 2018 starts – suggesting Apple is about to refresh at least some of the models and doesn't want to deliver hardware that'll soon be out of date.

While WWDC is traditionally focused on software and intended for app makers, Apple has been known to unveil new devices in the past. In 2017 the HomePod was revealed to the world during the main keynote, so this year it could be the turn of the MacBook.

The time is right

It's not clear exactly which models might get an upgrade or what that upgrade might be, though a refresh involving Intel's new Coffee Lake CPUs is one possibility. We've also heard rumors that Apple is planning to power its laptops with its own custom-made processors in the next few years.

It's almost exactly 12 months since the MacBook got its last refresh, while we haven't seen updates to the MacBook Pro for even longer. The timing is certainly right for some new models even if a major revamp of the hardware range appears pretty unlikely.

Something Apple might want to do with the new laptops it brings out fixes the keyboards: failure rates are reportedly higher than normal for models with the new 'butterfly' switch design, with the ultra-compact mechanisms apparently prone to getting stuck. In a couple of weeks' time we'll see what Apple has in store, but maybe hold off on that MacBook or MacBook Pro purchase for now.

SOURCE BY

The official Apple WWDC 2018 keynote date is June 4, which is next month. That means new software updates and maybe several long-overdue hardware surprises are a lot closer today.

That's good news, because Google just wowed us at Google IO. For developers, WWDC offers a similar chance to get an idea of what they’ll be working with in the coming year so they can start planning. For everyone else, it’s a glimpse at the interface refinements and exciting new devices ahead of the iPhone X sequel.

Last year’s WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) saw the announcement of the HomePod as well as the new iPad Pro 12.9 and iPad Pro 10.5. This was also when Apple revealed iOS 11 and watchOS 4. 

We expect a range updates at WWDC 2018. Here's everything anticipated this year, based on rumors and leaks from various Apple sources.

iOS 12 reveal

Apple WWDC 2018 is the next big event in the Cupertino company's calendar and it'll be the first time we see iOS 12 features, among other software sneak peeks.

Seeing the latest mobile operating system update for iPhone and iPad makes sense for WWDC – most attendees are software developers. But what we'll see out of it is suddenly a big mystery in 2018.

iOS 12 was due to see an intriguing home screen redesign and tweaks to core apps like Mail, Camera and Photos, but that’s said to have been shelved in favor of stability improvements. Yes, iOS 12 could be less exciting due to its security and performance focus, likely because of how many iOS 11 problems there have been. The latest is the frightening-sounding 'black dot' bug. It's a lot of bad PR.

It’ll still have some new features, including the continued push of Apple’s Augmented Reality (AR) ambitions and the still-surface-deep Health app. Parental controls will probably also be in the spotlight, especially after recent concerns over childhood phone addiction.

There are a few other's features we expect iOS 12 to offer. One of the coolest is both first- and third-party iOS 12 apps becoming compatible with Mac computers. We also think that Animoji might show up in more places in iOS 12, such as in FaceTime and on a new iPad Pro 2018.

We're hopeful for some features as well. A welcome upgrade in the new operating system would be improvements to Apple's meddlesome keyboard autocorrect. An always on display for OLED models would also be a great way to show off the technology and help Apple match the competition. Another quality of life change that we'd like to see are grouped notifications instead of the chronological mess we get now. Finally, one thing we've got our fingers crossed for is Apple finally offering the ability to change cameras settings directly in the camera app instead of having to dig through one phone settings menu after another.

Unfortunately, with security and performance taking the lead roles in iOS 12, we may see the company push the more exciting features to iOS 13, like a paid subscription to a premium version of Apple News, in 2019.

iPhone SE 2 debut

The iPhone SE has aged gracefully, but for any technology, aging isn't a great thing. Anyone hoping to get an update to the one-hand-friendly iPhone in the form of an iPhone SE 2 could be in luck, though.

The Eurasian Economic Commission had a number of new iOS 11 devices registered with it recently. There's a strong record of products leaked by the agency launching within a couple months of registration with the agency, so WWDC on June 4 would be a grand stage for something to launch within that time frame.

While we expect a new iPhone X2, iPhone X2 Plus, and cheaper models in 2018, we don't believe they'll come until September. It would be highly unusual for Apple to launch a successor to the iPhone X so soon, especially since the iPhone X itself launched late into 2017. That's why odds are in favor of the device registration pointing towards a new iPhone SE 2 in a variety of sizes and colors.

Though we've been waiting over two years to see an update of the iPhone SE, we may not be waiting much longer.

watchOS 5 unveiling

The Apple Watch 3 just came out a few months ago with a focus on the LTE model and running, but it should take its wellness-focused features even further in 2018.

That’s why watchOS 5 and WWDC may be the right update and venue to show off a possible sleep tracking feature for the smartwatch. After all, Apple did buy Beddit in May of last year. We also hope to see more customizations come to Control Center, new watch faces, and software that makes room for an always-on watch face in the Apple Watch 4.

A cheaper iPhone X?

A new iPhone X, or an iPhone XI, with a lower price tag might be a long shot for WWDC. Apple is likely to save any phone reveals for September when it historically launches new iPhones. That said, any new features Apple mentions for iOS 12 could give us hints about what it’s planning for future phones.

The latest rumors suggest that two models of the iPhone XI will be coming this year. With one expected to have an extra large 6.46-inch screen while the other has a 5.85-screen, both OLED displays. Neither is expected to be cheap, and it's been suggested that they may switch from running on Qualcomm modems to ones made by Intel. 

As for rumors of a cheaper iPhone X, rumors have floated around about a version lacking 3D Touch and using a cheaper LCD display could be that cheaper iPhone X, but we’ll probably be waiting a few months after WWDC to find out.

The redesigned Mac Pro – finally:

We’ve known a redesigned Mac Pro is coming eventually, and Apple even recently made a point of reminding everyone when it said the following in a press release: 

“In addition to the new iMac Pro, Apple is working on a completely redesigned, next-generation Mac Pro architected for pro customers who need the highest performance, high-throughput system in a modular, upgradeable design, as well as a new high-end pro display.”

It’s been a long wait, but a Mac 2018 could finally debut at WWDC. The conference has introduced updates to Apple’s computer lineup in the past, and what better group to tout a new, powerful desktop computer to than a bunch of developers. The new Mac Pro may also be one of the computers to come installed with Apple’s new, custom co-processors.

New Apple display to go along with it

With the redesigned Mac Pro expected, WWDC would also be the perfect time for Apple to reveal that “new high-end pro display” it has mentioned. Anyone who goes for the new Mac Pro will be looking for a quality display to use with it, but the 5K LG monitor that Apple currently sells may feel dated by June. It’s far more likely is Apple revealing the new display. 8K perhaps?

New MacBooks and Mac mini?

While Apple is updating its lineup for computers, new MacBooks, and an at-last updated Mac Mini could be revealed. The MacBooks may only get minor updates, with upgrades to some of the internals and an increase to the maximum supported RAM. Updated MacBooks may also come with those new co-processors expected to show up in a new Mac Pro.

The new MacBook could also come with the anticipated support of iOS apps in macOS. Pricing is expected to line up with the prices of the MacBook lineup it would replace, and we believe it could arrive as early as April. A new MacBook Air may be joining it while Apple announces new computers.

The hope is for the Mac Mini at long last to see an update as well. It’s been over three years since Apple last updated the Mac Mini, and it will be closer to four years when WWDC rolls around. 

Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, brought it up last year, saying “The Mac mini is an important product in our line,” but not suggesting an update was imminent. Similarly, MacRumors reported in October that a reader received an email from Tim Cook which stated, “while it is not time to share any details, we do plan for Mac mini to be an important part of our product line going forward.”  All the same, the small and affordable desktop option is still running on Intel Haswell processors (which are a few generations old), and is at least as due for an update as any other computer mentioned here.

New iPad Pro 2018 hints?

There’s likely going to be iPad Pro 3 news this year, even if the next tablet doesn’t actually get called the iPad Pro 3. The last update to the iPad Pro landed in June of 2017, so a refresh at WWDC doesn’t seem like a complete stretch. 

Rumors suggest it will come in 12.9-inch and 10.5-inch varieties, include Face ID, a TrueDepth camera and have a bezel-less design inspired by the iPhone X. With any luck, Apple will also take steps to make the new iPad Pro in 2018 more of the laptop replacement than earlier models have managed to be. But, the latest rumors seem to be pointing to a release separate from WWDC. Instead, we may be getting a different iPad refresh.

We already for an entry-level new iPad 2018 with a 9.7-inch screen, one that's ideal for schools. It's time for the Pro-level iPad to get its refresh this year.

Get ready for Apple TV content

The news surrounding Apple’s push into original TV content has been mounting, and WWDC 2018 may be when we get some more info. At last year’s WWDC, Apple didn’t talk much about its television programming plans, simply revealing the addition of Amazon Prime Video to its Apple TV app offerings. But, with original content on the way, there could be a fair bit more to talk about this year.

Apple has already started toying with original content, with Carpool Karaoke as an example. And it has also put more than $1 billion toward original programming, with its first efforts due to launch as soon as March 2019.

What kind of content can more than a billion dollars create? Well, it can get Steven Spielberg and Bryan Fuller (of Starz’s American Gods) involved, and it’s gotten Breaking Bad showrunners Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg on board. Deadline recently reported Apple's plans for a new animated series called 'Central Park' with some star power behind it. 

While Apple is busy highlighting other cool stuff it has coming at WWDC 2018, why not top it off with exciting new TV show previews, even if they are nine months away?

Stay tuned as we update our expectations for WWDC 2018 with more Apple news and rumors as we hear them.

SOURCE BY TechRadar