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Apple's annual developer conference WWDC 2017 is scheduled to kick-off on June 5 and go on till June 9. And like every year, speculations have already begun on what announcements to expect during this year's keynote.
2016 had been an interesting year for Apple. From iPhones and Apple Watches to MacBooks and iPads, it rolled out many revisions of devices. MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar was introduced in the MacBook Pro line plus there was the release of iPad Pros, the Apple Watch Series 2 and a return of the 4-inch device, the iPhone SE. Apple also released the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, albeit controversially without headphone jacks.
So, what does 2017 have in store for Apple fans? Will they be announcing an iPhone 8? What will the iPhone 8 look like? 2017 also marks a decade-long journey of the iPhone - a big milestone in the journey of the company.
Will we see new Mac minis, iMacs (they've virtually come to a standstill) and Mac Pros as well? Apple is expected to reveal the latest versions of MacOS and iOS, and also tvOS and watchOS, for Apple TV and Apple Watch. More news on the products will come into light as and when we approach the conference date.
Based on the emails that went out, a lot of the emphasis during this year's conference would be on diversity and collaboration.
Well, here at NewGenApps we have donned our prognostication hats, gathering every rumor and whisper we could find about Apple, all to bring you our predictions for WWDC 2017.
iOS 11
Next version of iOS is most likely to be unveiled by Apple, due for a public release in September this year. The new iPhones will have this software first, with upgrades on iPhone 6 and above too. Also, we hear that Apple is working on expanded Apple Pencil, which would introduce features like smoother on-screen scrolling, panning and zooming as the hardware improvements.
Most probably devices like iPad mini 2, iPad 4 and iPhone 5 will miss this upgrade due to compatibility issues, but there is no official confirmation in this regard yet.
iPhone 8
At WWDC 2017 we expect Apple to make big announcements around the iPhone. Nothing’s official yet, but Apple could use the 10th anniversary of the iPhone to take the wraps off an iPhone 8.
MacOS 10.13
Like every year, this year also Apple would unveil a new version of MacOS, MacOS (10.13). We don't have much information about the update but can expect some apps like the Home app (which was introduced on iOS), Health app and hopefully a dedicated Music app for MacOS.
iMessage
One of the biggest rumours we have heard is that Apple will launch its iMessage service for Android users. Before this, they had just 2 apps on the Play Store - an app to help you switch from Android to iOS, Move to iOS, and Apple Music.
tvOS 11 and watchOS 4
Apple’s next Apple TV would feature 4K support, according to Bloomberg, which would be showcased at WWDC this year.
Like Apple's desktop and mobile operating systems, the OS running in their wearable line should get an update as well. We don't know yet what else tvOS and watchOS would feature but it definitely will have upgrades to integrate with iOS.
We do hope Apple also comes up with updates to MacbookPros and iMacs this year.
This was all we have in store for now and will keep updating you as and when we hear more.