No new iPhone hardware expected at Apple's software-centric WWDC - report
Apple is not expected to introduce a new iPhone at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference in June, as it has done in years past, and will instead focus on software for the 2011 show, according to a new report.
Jim Dalrymple at The Loop reported Monday that sources have informed him that the upcoming WWDC in June is a "software show," and "not a hardware event." This year, Apple reportedly plans to focus on iOS, which powers the iPhone and iPad, as well as the upcoming release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.
Apple set the tone earlier Monday in announcing that WWDC would be held June 6 through June 10 at Moscone West in San Francisco, Calif. In its announcement, Apple said that this year's show would be used to "unveil the future of iOS and Mac OS."
A preview of the next version of iOS is typically shown to developers at a special event prior to the June WWCC show. But Apple's announcement would suggest that the company will instead give developers their first look at the anticipated iOS 5 in June.
Apple's statement that this year's WWDC will focus on software corroborates with what sources have told The Loop. That would mean Apple will break from its annual release cycle for new iPhone hardware. Likewise, new iPad and Mac hardware were also ruled out.
"It's important to remember that this is a developer conference, not a consumer show," Dalrymple wrote. "Apple will host developers from around the world to show them what's new in their mobile and Mac operating systems."
The news follows another rumor that Apple is working on a cloud-based update to iOS that will arrive this fall. The major update to iOS will allegedly add support for accessing music, photos, movies and other content from remote storage on the Internet.
Jim Dalrymple at The Loop reported Monday that sources have informed him that the upcoming WWDC in June is a "software show," and "not a hardware event." This year, Apple reportedly plans to focus on iOS, which powers the iPhone and iPad, as well as the upcoming release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.
Apple set the tone earlier Monday in announcing that WWDC would be held June 6 through June 10 at Moscone West in San Francisco, Calif. In its announcement, Apple said that this year's show would be used to "unveil the future of iOS and Mac OS."
A preview of the next version of iOS is typically shown to developers at a special event prior to the June WWCC show. But Apple's announcement would suggest that the company will instead give developers their first look at the anticipated iOS 5 in June.
Apple's statement that this year's WWDC will focus on software corroborates with what sources have told The Loop. That would mean Apple will break from its annual release cycle for new iPhone hardware. Likewise, new iPad and Mac hardware were also ruled out.
"It's important to remember that this is a developer conference, not a consumer show," Dalrymple wrote. "Apple will host developers from around the world to show them what's new in their mobile and Mac operating systems."
The news follows another rumor that Apple is working on a cloud-based update to iOS that will arrive this fall. The major update to iOS will allegedly add support for accessing music, photos, movies and other content from remote storage on the Internet.
Comments
Apple will break from its annual release cycle for new iPhone hardware. Likewise, new iPad and Mac hardware were also ruled out.
Apple's hardware lines used to run different OSes, but Mac OS X Lion and iOS 5 seem to represent a convergence as has never been seen. The closer Mac OS X and iOS come to becoming a single, unified OS, the less need there is, from an OS standpoint, to stagger the various hardware releases. This could be part of Apple's motivation for reworking its product release schedule.
Also makes sense with the rumor about no iOS five till fall.
We've gotta remember that not every rumor is an employee spilling beans against company wishes. Rumors are a well-established way for a company to manage expectations.
I now definitely expect iPhone 5 with iOS 5 and not till late summer at earliest.
iOS 5 (Universal), Lion, iPhone 5, maybe ATV 3 all come out together. Lion w/in-built server software ties MMe cloud and cloud apps to iOS 5 on devices, of which iPhone 5 is the flagship.
Perhaps they are waiting for further build-out of LTE so the next redesign can be an LTE phone? Maybe iOS 5 is going to take longer to deliver so they delay the accompanying new hardware (recall that at about the 4th or 5th iteration of Mac OS X they started lengthening the OS release timelines).
Apple's hardware lines used to run different OSes, but Mac OS X Lion and iOS 5 seem to represent a convergence as has never been seen. The closer Mac OS X and iOS come to becoming a single, unified OS, the less need there is, from an OS standpoint, to stagger the various hardware releases. This could be part of Apple's motivation for reworking its product release schedule.
The thing is the OSX side of this convergence seems quite challenging. I'm not sure if Lion will actually make things that much easier, it still needs a lot of reworking to "become" more like iOS. iOS users do still find OSX weird, at least initially. Lion does seem a mish-mash of sorts... The Dock still there with Lanchpad as well? Hmm...
Suddenly the verizon iPhone debut makes some more sense. Some were wondering why they should buy an iPhone 4 when a new one was just 4 months away. Ah, not 4 months away.
Also makes sense with the rumor about no iOS five till fall.
The white iPhone launch "in spring" also makes sense now.
The other rumor this could confirm is that the next iPhone is not named the iPhone 5, but the iPhone 4G. The smaller, lower-power-consuming LTE chips are due to arrive from Qualcomm this summer, and maybe Apple has completely bought up the initial supplies. The whole MobileMe cloud focus makes much more sense when using LTE.
Of course, the next question is will there be a new LTE iPad as well? How fast will Qualcomm be able to produce these chips?
I guess we can expect the next iPhone launch in early September (week of Labor Day), alongside any new iPods, in preparation for the Christmas selling season.
I almost find this a little hard to believe. Apple, if anything, should release new devices a little faster than a year apart.
But you are missing the genious of Apple's marketing.
Just think of all the free publicity Apple has gotten from the predictable annual iPhone releases. People know the new iPhone will be released in the summer, so in the spring they hold off buying a new iPhone. This creates a backlog of demand so when the new model is released there are huge crowds lined up at the Apple Store waiting to buy the latest iPhone. Then Apple struggles mightily to ramp up production to meet demand, all the while the news coverage of poeple trying to get an iPhone gives Apple millions of dollars of free publicity and brainwashing of the iPhone being a "must-have" device.
If Apple released more frequent updates, and especially if it was unpredicatble, each event would be much less of an "event" and the iPhone would be just another smartphone (ok, not really, but you get the point).
If true, it suggests that the next iPhone will either be released later than normal, or it will simply be an iPhone 4+, not an iPhone 5 (even if it's called a 5, it would have only marginal spec improvement). And if it's a 4+, what does that mean for when we'd see a "real" 5? They aren't going to do a spec increase in June/July and then release a whole new iPhone later in the year.
Perhaps they are waiting for further build-out of LTE so the next redesign can be an LTE phone? Maybe iOS 5 is going to take longer to deliver so they delay the accompanying new hardware (recall that at about the 4th or 5th iteration of Mac OS X they started lengthening the OS release timelines).
iPhone 4+ = White
Gotta have a reason to line up at the Apple store, put up an unboxing video on YouTube, blog endlessly about it, etc, etc.
Apple's statement that this year's WWDC will focus on software corroborates with what sources have told The Loop. That would mean Apple will break from its annual release cycle for new iPhone hardware. Likewise, new iPad and Mac hardware were also ruled out.
I hope this is not the case. While they may not focus on hardware or even announce the iPhone5 at WWDC, it doesn't mean that it will be delayed. Likewise, there is no rule that says the new handset cannot ship with iOS 4 and then be upgraded to iOS5 when it is ready in the fall. The iPad 1 came out in April with an earlier version of iOS and was announced that it would be updated in the Fall. So I think they can do the same with iphone. I don't think Apple wants to wait when they know they have customers ready to upgrade.
Even if the WWDC is primarily a software event, the updated iPhone could still be introduced. I'm not expecting many changes from the iPhone 4, probably better cameras and double the storage.
I agree. The WWDC was ALWAYS a software event in the sense that the WWDC has always been used to train programmers how to program for the various Mac OS's.
Releasing the iPhone at these events was icing on the cake.
An earlier report claims that iOS5 is not being released in June and will probably be released in September instead. That might be a bigger indication that the iPhone will be released in the Fall. But stating that the iPhone5 will not be released at the WWDC because "it's a software-based 'show'" makes no sense to me. WWDC is not a show, never has been.
If Apple doesn't release a full-on iPhone 5 this year and instead opts to do a "4+" or whatever, then the next model after that would not be the iPhone 5; instead, it would be the iPhone 6, since the 4+ would be the fifth model released.
The hardware in the iDevices is pretty well up to date in my opinion. Unless they want to try put the A5 in an iPhone but not sure the thermals will allow that. It makes sense for them to concentrate on software at this point, until hardware is ready to make another leap. It's like Intel's tick-tock, alternating process and architecture, Apple almost needs to alternate hardware-software-hardware-software.
Well for starters, the hardware may already be in place to make a "leap". We obviously have no way to know this. But more importantly, the hardware does not always have to make a leap. I for one don't consider the 3G a leap over the original iPhone, and honestly, it was a bit of a step back in terms of design. The original was far superior on design and construction. Likewise, the 3Gs was almost physically identical so it definitely was no leap. The iP4 was a big leap forward, but they won't always make such big changes for every iteration. They may or may not go with the A5 for iP5, but I am thinking they will. They already have the hardware, and everyone is expecting it, so it's not a huge undertaking. All they really need to do is slightly tweak the back so that it is no longer glass and maybe up the storage, and we are in business.
I expect iPhone 5 to be announced at WWDC as do most logical thinking people who have followed Apple in the last 10 years
Apart from the original iPhone, all iPhone's have been announced at WWDC and released within a few days or a few weeks.
I expect iPhone 5 to be announced at WWDC as do most logical thinking people who have followed Apple in the last 10 years
Just when you think you've got it figured out, Apple changes. (Although I think Apple is changing the schedule because it's waiting for the new LTE chips, and the externals aren't changing much.)
Note that Apple has stopped giving quick sales-on-launch updates. After several years of doing so, it didn't happen for the Verizon iPhone 4 and for the iPad 2.