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Posts tagged with "wwdc"

Production Of New MacBook Airs Starting Next Month? Thunderbolt and Sandy Bridge CPUs?

According to a report by AppleInsider based on research from Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is getting ready to start mass production of new MacBook Air models featuring updated Intel graphics, Core i5 and Core i7 Intel “Sandy Bridge” processors and Thunderbolt technology. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, production could start as early as next month in “late May”, with the new machines set to be released in June. The report seems to corroborate a previous rumor that suggested Apple was considering an “early refresh” of the MacBook Air line (which was unveiled by Steve Jobs in October 2010 at the “Back to the Mac” event) to implement the Sandy Bridge architecture. The current generation of MacBook Airs feature Intel’s Core 2 Duo processors – an outdated technology that can still be found in the original MacBooks, and was replaced in the early-2011 MacBook Pros by Sandy Bridge-based Corei3, Corei5 and Corei7 CPUs. Since the Cnet’s report that pointed to new MacBook Airs with Sandy Bridge coming out in June, however, speculation has arisen suggesting Apple also wants to integrate Thunderbolt in the machines’ thin design.

Kuo tells AppleInsider that his latest round of checks with suppliers and system builders in the region reveals that MacBook Air shipments are set to rebound during the current calendar quarter, fueled by an upgrade to Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge microprocessors, integrated Intel graphics, and the expected adoption of the new Thunderbolt high-speed I/O technology that made its debut on MacBook Pros earlier this year.

Should Apple follow its current trend of using ultra-low-variants for the 11.6-inch MacBook Air and low-voltage ones for the 13.3-inch models, consumers can expect to see new 11.6-inch MacBook Airs sporting 1.4GHz to 1.6GHz Core i5 and Core i7 chips and 13.3-inch MacBook Airs with 2.10 and 2.30GHz Core i7 processors.

With several Thunderbolt-enabled products coming out in the next months and the WWDC scheduled for June, it would make sense for Apple to refresh the popular MacBook Air family to include more powerful CPUs and a Thunderbolt port. The iMac line is also expected to go under a refresh soon – again, allegedly sporting Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt. The WWDC ‘11 kicks off in San Francisco on June 6, but it’s been rumored to be a software-focused event, rather than the stage for major hardware announcements. A speed-bump update for the MacBook Air, though, could fit well in Apple’s WWDC timeframe.

WWDC 2011 Student Scholarship Details Now Available

As promised a few weeks ago after the official WWDC announcement, Apple has updated its website to provide details about the WWDC Student Scholarship program. You can visit the Official Rules page to see all the requirements, deadlines and general terms, but Apple offers a quick roundup:

Is there a WWDC Student Scholarship ?

Yes, we award a limited number of scholarships to student developers. To apply for a WWDC Student Scholarship you must be at least 18 years of age, currently enrolled part-time or full-time at a college or university, and either an iOS Developer University Program member, Mac Developer Program member, or ADC Student member as of August 1, 2010 or later, and have identified yourself as a “Student” in your developer profile.

Scholarship applications are due by April 26, and winners will be notified via email by May 3. Each winners will receive an “e-ticket” to attend the WWDC ‘11, and Apple is planning on giving away a maximum of 150 prizes. Apple also specifies “applicants will be judged on technical ability, creativity of ideas expressed in products or projects, prior WWDC attendance, technical and work experience.” The WWDC 2011 will kick off in San Francisco on June, and this year’s edition will feature Apple Design Awards for both iOS and Mac apps. Considering WWDC 2011 “regular” tickets were sold out in less then 10 hours, it’s very likely that thousands of students who didn’t get the chance to buy a ticket will apply to the program.

First WWDC Ticket Shows Up On eBay For A Massively Inflated Price

If you missed out on snapping up a WWDC ticket, which is very likely considering the tickets sold out in less than 10 hours, but still desperately want one you could consider swallowing your pride (and emptying your wallet) by jumping on eBay. There has been at least one developer selling his extra unactivated ticket that was supposedly meant to go to a colleague who decided he couldn’t make it out this year.

But unsurprisingly the ticket is being sold at an insanely inflated price of US$3,500 – more than double the original price of $1,599. In fact that’s nearly $2,000 more.  Whether or not the story from the seller is genuine, this ticket scalping will probably attract the attention of Apple’s legal department. But it’s unlikely to stop others from at least attempting to resell their tickets, given the incredible demand for tickets – so if you are desperate you may want to keep your eye out on eBay, Cragislist and even Twitter.

[Via TUAW]

 

WWDC ‘11 Sold Out In Less Than 10 Hours

The WWDC 2011, announced earlier today, is already sold out, as you can see on Apple’s official webpage for the event. This year’s conference sets a new record for Apple and the developers community: last year, WWDC tickets sold out in 8 days. For the 2011 edition, Apple managed to sell all tickets (which start at $1,599) in less than half a day since the announcement this morning – which saw developers from all around the globe quickly buy tickets to secure their presence in San Francisco from June 6 to June 10.

As a quick recap, the WWDC 2011 will focus on “the future of iOS and Mac OS” with:

  • more than 100 technical sessions presented by Apple engineers on a wide range of technology-specific topics for developing, deploying and integrating the latest iOS and Mac OS technologies;
  • over 1,000 Apple engineers providing developers with code-level assistance, insight into optimal development techniques, and guidance on how they can make the most of iOS and Mac OS technologies in their apps;
  • the opportunity to connect with thousands of fellow iPad®, iPhone® and Mac developers from around the world;
  • Apple Design Awards which recognize iPad, iPhone and Mac apps that demonstrate technical excellence, innovation and outstanding design.

Rumor: Siri “A Big Part” Of iOS 5, Demo At WWDC

Following this morning’s formal announcement from Apple about the WWDC ‘11, a number of reports surfaced indicating this year’s conference will be a software-related event, with the focus on iOS and Mac OS X Lion. Several bloggers and journalists have reported there won’t be a single hardware announcement at the WWDC, meaning a new iPhone – for the first time in years – won’t be announced at the June event.

Such an announcement, of course, lead many to speculate what features of iOS 5 (Lion has already been demoed and released as a preview to developers) will exactly make their way to the WWDC stage. TechCrunch now reports Siri, the startup bought by Apple last year, will play a big role in iOS 5 and a first demo of the integration of the technology will be shown at the WWDC.

Oh, and one more thing. Following our report on iOS 5, we heard a tiny bit more about it.

A year ago, Apple bought Siri, a virtual personal assistant startup that had released a very cool iPhone app. The Siri team and technology are now said to be a big part of iOS 5.

The use of Siri’s artificial intelligence and assistance technology is said to be deeply integrated into the OS for all the different services offered. And the team is now putting the finishing touches on the elements that will be demoed at WWDC, we hear. This tech may also be opened to developers for use in third-party apps — though that information isn’t quite as concrete.

The Siri iPhone app is still available in the App Store for free, and it allows users to “speak” to their iPhones to book restaurants, movie tickets, taxis and much more. Siri is undoubtedly a great piece of technology and this rumor, combined with previous reports of Apple looking to improve speech recognition functionalities and navigation in iOS, certainly backs up the theories of Cupertino engineers building a completely new OS focused on speech, new maps and more “human” interactions.

Another report by TechCrunch yesterday pointed to iOS 5 being released this fall with new location and music services. With an iOS 5 beta (likely) to become available at the WWDC in June and the time needed for developers to update their apps, it makes sense for Apple to wait until their usual September music event to launch the new OS and cloud services. In the meantime, you can check out the old Siri demo video and product description below. Read more

WWDC To Be Software Focused, No iPhone 5 Launch?

There is speculation today from Loop Insight that this year’s WWDC, to be held from June 6 , will not include any new hardware announcements – namely the iPhone. Apple said in its press release earlier today that WWDC ’11 will  focus on unveiling “the future of iOS and Mac OS.”

Based on information from his sources and the focus of the press release, Jim Dalrymple believes that this means more than just a strong focus on iOS and OS X, but a complete focus on the software driving Apple’s hardware forward. The iPhone 5 has, until now, largely been expected to launch as previous iPhones have, during the WWDC launch. Dalrymple contemplates that instead of a new iPhone taking stage it would be Lion, which is set to launch around WWDC and the ever-important iOS.

Read more

Apple Design Awards 2011 To Feature Both iOS and Mac Apps

Together with the official announcement of WWDC 2011, Apple also put a teaser page up for the Apple Design Awards, which recognize “apps that demonstrate technical excellence, innovation and outstanding design.” Unlike last year, this year’s ADAs will feature both iOS and Mac apps: in 2010, Mac software was surprisingly excluded and iOS was the focus. Steve Jobs said that it was “just the normal cycle of things”. Among the winners of the 2010 edition: Flight Control HD, Star Walk and Doodle Jump.

At the WWDC 2011 Apple will award outstanding apps for the iPhone, iPad and Mac. Apps that  are “currently on the App Store and demonstrate excellence in the following areas:”

  • Design: Well designed apps are delightful, elegant, intuitive, engaging, exciting, compelling, and reliable.
  • Innovation: Innovative apps are revolutionary, inspirational, unique, and do things in completely new and exciting ways.
  • Technical excellence: Technically advanced apps have excellent performance and make extensive use of the latest Apple technologies to deliver innovative, platform differentiating, and advanced features.

To be eligible for the Apple Design Awards 2011, apps must be available in the App Store by May 23. More details and frequently asked questions here.

Apple Announces WWDC 2011 Dates: Kicks Off June 6

Apple just announced the official dates for the WWDC 2011. The developer event kicks off in San Francisco on June 6 and it runs through June 10. With more than 100 sessions and support by over 1,000 Apple engineers, the WWDC is the perfect place to connect with fellow iOS and OS X developers around the world. Apple is heavily betting on the WWDC 2011 to “unveil the future of iOS and OS X”:

At this year’s conference we are going to unveil the future of iOS and Mac OS,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “If you are an iOS or Mac OS X software developer, this is the event that you do not want to miss.

Furthermore, there will be Apple Design Awards for iPhone, iPad and Mac apps this year. Last year, Apple didn’t include Mac software in the Design Awards, which “recognize apps that demonstrate technical excellence, innovation and outstanding design”.

Tickets are available now starting at $1,599 here. Press release below.

Read more

Rumor: Cloud-based iOS 5 Coming this Fall with New Location & Music Services

Following the speculation that Apple might soon seed a GM build of OS X Lion to developers, TechCrunch now reports the long-awaited major revamp of iOS, dubbed iOS 5, has been pushed back to fall, with a possible WWDC preview in June. The rumor is interesting because it breaks Apple’s usual release cycle and media event pattern: in the past years, Apple previewed a new version of iPhone OS (and then iOS) with a media event in March / April, and then released it by the WWDC, or soon after that together with the availability of a new iPhone model. And in the past years, this plan has worked quite well for Apple: developers had time to test the OS in the months leading up to the WWDC, whilst everyone else was getting ready for a new iPhone in June / July. According to TechCrunch, this is about to change.

Citing “two solid sources”, MG Siegler reports this year’s plan involves a preview of the new OS at the WWDC, and a public release “this fall”. Putting the pieces together, as TechCrunch also notes, pushing iOS 5 back to fall would play well with Apple’s usual music event in September. But why would Apple use the music event to do some major iOS-related announcement? TechCrunch speculates it’s all about the cloud: the rumored “music locker” service will be ready this fall, and being a major new feature of iOS 5 Apple might as well wait until September to unveil it. iOS 5 is also rumored to introduce a new UI, a new notification system, direct OS X integration. Read more