This is part three of a three-part series that will look at Apple's announcements from the Worldwide Developers Conference Keynote presentation as well as the rumors that are still just talk. Today we look at what wasn't announced and what the future could hold.
Rumors are a time-honored tradition when it comes to big events from Apple. The blogosphere is always abuzz with the latest rumblings and talk from "someone in the know." Leading up to this week's Worldwide Developers Conference, there was much speculation about what to expect and many of the final prediction lists proved to be accurate. However, there were some misses and the rumor mill is already turning for what could be coming in a few months.
The prediction that popped up more than any other that proved to be false (at least for now) is the inclusion of the MacBook Pro in the refresh along with the MacBook Air. However, the reports of the new Intel Haswell processors and 802.11ac Wi-Fi support were real.
WWDC is traditionally a software convention, which is why the operations systems are front and center and hardware takes a back seat. According to a ComputerWorld article, it seems like Apple is priming to upgrade its entire ecosystem for the Holiday season. There is speculation of upgrades to the entire mobile device product line (iPhone 5S/6, iPod Touch, iPad and iPad mini) to go along with the release of iOS 7. This could also be the time of new MacBook Pros and iMacs.
"I may be wrong, right, or half-right, but the timing on these releases suggests to me the company has a few more cards to play, a few more OS/device features that breathe extra life into its overall platform strategy," Jonny Evans, the author of the piece, wrote. "It will be interesting across the remainder of summer to see what these might turn out to be."
Some other, more far-fetched rumors
On top of those updates, there is also rumblings of other new products that could be coming down the pipeline. Many of these have been covered on this blog before like the a low-cost iPhone that would be plastic and retail for $99 and the iWatch. Then there is the entertainment ventures like a full Apple television or a gaming device – which could be one and the same.
According to a release from Apple that was obtained by Gizmodo, the company has released its first ever instructions for designing a gaming controller for its products. While the company did try the gaming world once – 1995's Apple Pippin – the growing platform of mobile gaming could give them a chance to try it again, and the Apple TV will be key.
"Apple supporting game controllers, or especially making them at some point in the future, could mean massive things for gaming," a Gizmodo article reads.
Businesses considering Mac Integration have much to think about
As this week has shown, Apple has many exciting things coming down the pipeline. Businesses will have several decisions to make over the coming months when it comes to their future technology strategies. By partnering with an IT consulting firm that specialized in Mac Integration and training, any company can feel better about bringing new or upgraded Apple products into their company.
