Steve Jobs to showcase OS X, iPhone platforms at WWDC

[AppleInsider]

Apple announced Tuesday that a team of Apple executives, led by CEO Steve Jobs, will kick off the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 9, 2008 at San Francisco's Moscone West.

This year's WWDC will showcase two revolutionary development platforms, the ground-breaking innovations of OS X Leopard and OS X iPhone, the company said in a statement.

The five-day event, which runs from June 9 to June 13, will feature the first ever iPhone track for mobile developers with in-depth sessions and hands-on labs to fully explore the capabilities of the OS X iPhone 2.0 software, including the iPhone SDK and the App Store, a new way for developers to wirelessly deliver their applications to iPhone and iPod touch users.

The iPhone track will also enable mobile developers to work side by side with Apple engineers to create fresh applications that leverage iPhone's groundbreaking Multi-Touch user interface, animation technology, rich set of APIs, including programming interfaces for Core OS, Core Services, Media and Cocoa Touch technologies, built-in three axis accelerometer and geographical location technology to deliver truly innovative mobile applications.

Meanwhile, this year's Mac track is being organized to give newcomers and seasoned veterans alike the technical foundation and techniques needed to develop world-class OS X Leopard applications with sessions that discuss every level of the system, including interface design and implementation, application frameworks, security, localization and networking.

In total, WWDC 2008 will offer over 150 information-rich sessions and labs where Apple engineers will go in-depth on the innovative technologies that power OS X iPhone and OS X Leopard, the company said. Developers are encouraged to bring their own code to the labs and work one-to-one with Apple engineers, applying development methods and best-practices gained from sessions to enhance their applications.

Other activities at Apple's WWDC 2008 include:
presentation sessions led by engineers that provide an in-depth look at OS X iPhone, OS X Leopard and innovative tools and technologies such as the iPhone SDK, Cocoa Touch, Interface Builder, Xcode and more;practical hands-on sessions where attendees can learn Apple's own coding strategies and techniques;technology labs where attendees can work one-to-one with Apple engineers; andspecial events, including the Welcome Reception, Apple Design Awards, Lunchtime Speakers and Stump the Experts.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[ascii]

I wonder if the App Store will be opened up to Mac? I'm sure devs at the conference would be happy to hear that.

[PG4G]

Now that would be amazing.

Buy your Apps and never have to go to a store again for them? I would give a bucketload for that

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by ascii

I wonder if the App Store will be opened up to Mac? I'm sure devs at the conference would be happy to hear that.

Do you mean an App Store for compatible Mac software or access to the mobile OS X App Store through iTunes?

If the former, I don't think we need it; if the latter, I would think Apple would set something up that is similar to the way iPod Games are listed in the iTS.

[ascii]

I meant Mac apps for sale through the iTunes App Store.

[TednDi]

I wonder if we will hear about os x 10.6 yet? Leopard is long out, the iphone sdk is long out, what's next for developers?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by ascii

I meant Mac apps for sale through the iTunes App Store.

Would you apply a similar pricing model to this? Like how Apple gets a percentage cut for hosting your apps?

Originally Posted by TednDi

I wonder if we will hear about os x 10.6 yet? Leopard is long out, the iphone sdk is long out, what's next for developers?

Some say yes, but I am weary that it will happen. I think Apple will want to wait until after the iPhone 2.0 launch is successful before showcasing the next version of Mac OS X which has only been out since last October (8 months from release to WWDC).

[aaple]

Does anyone think that they will announce new designs for the Macbook/Macbook Pro at WWDC or will they wait until later? Seems like a good time to me if the rumor about changing the designs over this summer that has been widely circulated is true....

[Obi-Wan Kubrick]

Surprise us with a new product Apple.

[Bageljoey]

Originally Posted by TednDi

I wonder if we will hear about os x 10.6 yet? Leopard is long out, the iphone sdk is long out, what's next for developers?

Lets not go crazy now. I wonder what your definition for "long out" is?
Think about how long it will take to develop a world class OS that will be able to compete with Vista...

But seriously, these things take years and I am sure that many of the programers are still working on the 10.5.X releases to get all the bugs and flaws out.
Regardless, if you rush to talk about all the things you are *going* to have in the next OS you give the "competition" a heads up. At the same time, you risk alienating your fans if you have to cut out something you promised before you could deliver...

I say get the iPhone thing solidified and give the cats a break...

[Bageljoey]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

...including programming interfaces for Core OS, Core Services, Media and Cocoa Touch technologies, built-in three axis accelerometer and geographical location technology to deliver truly innovative mobile applications.

Does this mean no GPS or is this just a hedge that covers all possibilities?

[netdog]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Would you apply a similar pricing model to this? Like how Apple gets a percentage cut for hosting your apps?

If you sell your software to a store, they get a cut. If you use one of the online transaction vendors, they get a cut. Who cares?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Bageljoey

Does this mean no GPS or is this just a hedge that covers all possibilities?

I think we'd both write it like that to cover the different technologies, but while we've heard about the 3G chip code in the v2.0 software we've heard nothing about code for a GPS chip yet.

Personally, I don't want a GPS chip. The Google Maps location finder is more than adequate for my needs. But I am by far the minority here. Hell, i don't even want a camera on my phone.

[Clive At Five]

Originally Posted by Bageljoey

Regardless, if you rush to talk about all the things you are *going* to have in the next OS you give the "competition" a heads up.

I've heard this excuse before from the mouth of Steve Jobs himself. I call bullsh*t. Microsoft is aiming for an '09 release of Windows 7... and I think they know they have to meet that deadline, else investors will bail. That being the case, I'm pretty sure that they'd have the feature set just about locked down by now... especially since feature-creep is what killed Vista production.

Besides, Windows 7 is to Vista as Windows XP was to Windows ME: basically the same feature set except the newer iterations are quicker, smaller, and more stable. Rumblings from Windows 7 M1 (milestone 1) users are quite positive... I'm not about to wave the flag for MS, but Apple might actually get a challenge this time... which would be a good thing in my mind. We all get better OSes out of the deal.

-Clive

[bdkennedy1]

Originally Posted by TednDi

I wonder if we will hear about os x 10.6 yet? Leopard is long out, the iphone sdk is long out, what's next for developers?

It's too early. I doubt they're going to release anything until more is known about Windows 7.

[NasserAE]

Originally Posted by ascii

I wonder if the App Store will be opened up to Mac? I'm sure devs at the conference would be happy to hear that.

I said few days ago that the iPhone AppStore model would be very successful for computers as well. For customer, it can save time, money, and provide better security against credit cards theft and spyware. For developers, it can save money spent on building a website, hosting, marketing, and website maintenance. Everything in one place.

[Timon]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Personally, I don't want a GPS chip. The Google Maps location finder is more than adequate for my needs. But I am by far the minority here. Hell, i don't even want a camera on my phone.

Not me, I want to see the GPS chip. Combine that with a good car mount, i.e., AMPS compatible, and good routing with traffic avoidance and I can dump my GPS

[hmurchison]

Originally Posted by bdkennedy1

It's too early. I doubt they're going to release anything until more is known about Windows 7.

Why would you think this? The featureset for 10.6 was decided a long time ago. There's a team working on it seperate from the current 10.5. I don't think people understand how large projects like these are handled. The quicker Leopard matures the faster Apple can pull a few engineers over to the 10.6 project.

Apple may or may not divulge information on 10.6. I personally think they should highlight a couple of nuggets of information because this "is" a Developers show after all. Knowing more of the OS roadmap is always preferrable than knowing less.

I think Apple delivers iPhone 2.0 and delivers at least 3 "statement" applications that get people buzzing.

They smooth out Leopard with 10.5.3 and give a couple of nuggets about 10.6 and christen it with the latest Feline name.

[satchmo]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I think we'd both write it like that to cover the different technologies, but while we've heard about the 3G chip code in the v2.0 software we've heard nothing about code for a GPS chip yet.

Personally, I don't want a GPS chip. The Google Maps location finder is more than adequate for my needs. But I am by far the minority here. Hell, i don't even want a camera on my phone.

I would love a true GPS chip, but one that you can selectively turn off to save battery life.

[PG4G]

Mac OS X 10.6 Lynx

[gunzel]

Originally Posted by TednDi

I wonder if we will hear about os x 10.6 yet? Leopard is long out, the iphone sdk is long out, what's next for developers?

Will this be the OS that fixes the wireless problems in 10.5?

[NasserAE]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I think we'd both write it like that to cover the different technologies, but while we've heard about the 3G chip code in the v2.0 software we've heard nothing about code for a GPS chip yet.

Personally, I don't want a GPS chip. The Google Maps location finder is more than adequate for my needs. But I am by far the minority here. Hell, i don't even want a camera on my phone.

It would be interesting to see if Apple will still use Google Map if they use GPS. However, using Google Maps will require internet connection. GPS maps are usually low resolution, ugly, and need big space to save all the data, I really rather have Google Maps. I would like to see how they solve this.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Timon

Not me, I want to see the GPS chip. Combine that with a good car mount, i.e., AMPS compatible, and good routing with traffic avoidance and I can dump my GPS

Originally Posted by NasserAE

It would be interesting to see if Apple will still use Google Map if they use GPS. However, using Google Maps will require internet connection. GPS maps are usually low resolution, ugly, and need big space to save all the data, I really rather have Google Maps. I would like to see how they solve this.

I hadn't thought of that. If there is a GPS chip (which seems to be highly likely) Apple may do nothing with the chip, but instead allow 3rd-parties to develop the software that utilize it. This allows Apple to state that it has GPS capabilities—with an asterisk at the end to explain that a 3rd-party app is needed—while allowing them to save money on not having to pay huge sums for the GPS tracking data IP and the R&D on creating and updating the app.

They also don't bog the storage capacity down with all the map data or have to supply for countries that currently don't have any GPS road mapping. For instance, I can't get Brasil maps for my Tom Tom. You can buy the country or region maps you want from the vendor you prefer.

[poke]

Leopard was first discussed in June 2005 at the WWDC 05 just two months after Tiger was released that year. It was demonstrated the following year at the WWDC 06. I think it's possible 10.6 will at least be mentioned. Maybe we'll get confirmation on the codename.

[Feynman]

Originally Posted by hmurchison

Why would you think this? The featureset for 10.6 was decided a long time ago. There's a team working on it seperate from the current 10.5. I don't think people understand how large projects like these are handled. The quicker Leopard matures the faster Apple can pull a few engineers over to the 10.6 project.

Apple may or may not divulge information on 10.6. I personally think they should highlight a couple of nuggets of information because this "is" a Developers show after all. Knowing more of the OS roadmap is always preferrable than knowing less.

I think Apple delivers iPhone 2.0 and delivers at least 3 "statement" applications that get people buzzing.

They smooth out Leopard with 10.5.3 and give a couple of nuggets about 10.6 and christen it with the latest Feline name.

I agree. They have to give us some kind of details on what's in development for the latest Mac OS.

While I agree some of the features look impressive for Windows 7, they look far to complicated for your average user, at least the video that was posted on Digg yesterday.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Bageljoey

Lets not go crazy now. I wonder what your definition for "long out" is?
Think about how long it will take to develop a world class OS that will be able to compete with Vista...

But seriously, these things take years and I am sure that many of the programers are still working on the 10.5.X releases to get all the bugs and flaws out.
Regardless, if you rush to talk about all the things you are *going* to have in the next OS you give the "competition" a heads up. At the same time, you risk alienating your fans if you have to cut out something you promised before you could deliver...

I think Apple reps were saying that they want to shorten development cycles again. I wouldn't be surprised if they shoot for middle of next year, that would be about 2 years. Keep in mind that some of the earlier releases were 1yr (Jaguar?), 18 months (Panther), two years (Tiger) between revisions. Leopard was the longest at something like 2.5 years.

The "competition" heard about the major Leopard features over a year beforehand. It didn't help them.

[dr_lha]

Originally Posted by Timon

Not me, I want to see the GPS chip. Combine that with a good car mount, i.e., AMPS compatible, and good routing with traffic avoidance and I can dump my GPS

Can you put a car charger on that wish list also? I'm not using any of the iPod ones until they're officially sanctioned because my first iPhone got fried by a Belkin car charger.

EDIT: I guess Griffin Powerjolt now has an "iPhone" official stamp of approval on it. I'm still nervous though!

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

Keep in mind that some of the earlier releases were 1yr (Jaguar?), 18 months (Panther), two years (Tiger) between revisions. Leopard was the longest at something like 2.5 years.

Note that between Tiger and Leopard Apple also transition from PPC to x86. While some argue that Apple had it running side-by-side since Apple bought NeXT, their was still a lot of work to make the transition.

[Feynman]

Also worth noting, I don't think we will go an entire year without hearing word of anything about Mac OS 10.6. By this time next year Microsoft will have publicly shown off Windows 7 and will likely be starting to wrap up development (and then another year to release )

[Bageljoey]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

The "competition" heard about the major Leopard features over a year beforehand. It didn't help them.

This is true.

In fact, I wonder if it is possible that getting peeks at the what Apple are planning could add to the distraction of Microsoft's OS development teams. They are as smart as anybody and can think up cool things to do and cool uses of different technologies. If they get to thinking "me too" with every good idea they hear out of Cupertino...
It just seems that MS cannot tie it up in a package that works right/feels right/looks right.

[SpamSandwich]

OK, everyone post your best guess at what the "...one more thing" will be.

My guess? Real GPS features on the iPhone.

[tcbritt]

check this out, i put this event in my iphones calender, I selected June 9th as the date, typed "WWDC" as title, "San Francisco, Moscone West Center" as location, and it automatically set the time as 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm, which is the correct time for my time zone, does anyone else find this awesome or what?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by tcbritt

check this out, i put this event in my iphones calender, I selected June 9th as the date, typed "WWDC" as title, "San Francisco, Moscone West Center" as location, and it automatically set the time as 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm, which is the correct time for my time zone, does anyone else find this awesome or what?

I was hoping this was an easter egg, but everything defaults to a 2pm to 3pm timeframe.

[ecking]

Let me ask you guys this, does it feel as if apple has been boring for the last 6 plus months? I don't know what it is but it always used to feel like something crazy was happening and now, nothing.

[8CoreWhore]

I could see a teaser for the next cat.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Bageljoey

This is true.

In fact, I wonder if it is possible that getting peeks at the what Apple are planning could add to the distraction of Microsoft's OS development teams.

I think it's an easy way to cause disruption. They see a feature that someone high up decides just *must* be in the next version, and the quality ends up being like it was strapped together with a kite string and duct tape because it's hastily put in mid-cycle.

[hmurchison]

Originally Posted by ecking

Let me ask you guys this, does it feel as if apple has been boring for the last 6 plus months? I don't know what it is but it always used to feel like something crazy was happening and now, nothing.

The Intel effect. There's no longer that feeling that "anything" come come because Macs now run on commodity hardware. Everyone knows Intel's roadmap and now we all know that for Macs ...Apple will be following this path.

With the PA Semi purchase a bit of that excitement is back because there's the potential for something cool that doesn't exist within the hallowed Halls of Intel.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by hmurchison

The Intel effect. There's no longer that feeling that "anything" come come because Macs now run on commodity hardware. Everyone knows Intel's roadmap and now we all know that for Macs ...Apple will be following this path.

With the PA Semi purchase a bit of that excitement is back because there's the potential for something cool that doesn't exist within the hallowed Halls of Intel.

Of course, Apple can work in secret with PA Semi, then spring the magic on the public and have Intel manufacture the new AppleMagic™ chips in mass quantities.

[satchmo]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

OK, everyone post your best guess at what the "...one more thing" will be.

My guess? Real GPS features on the iPhone.

New aluminum clad MacBooks.

[Fairly]

So WWDCs are still open to the public?