back to article Apple unveils hints of Monday's new-product announcements

Apple has tarted up San Francisco's Moscone West convention center, where it will hold its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) beginning on Monday, as well as plastering humongous signs on the Metreon entertainment center across the street. In doing so it has provided more grist for the rumor mill. It is from such tea …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. frank ly
    Happy

    "... grist ....tea leaves and dove's entrails ..."

    You're making a meal of it Rik.

    1. LarsG
      Meh

      Re: "... grist ....tea leaves and dove's entrails ..."

      He's making a meal of it because he has no idea what will be announced, he has to fill in the white space with something, anything...

      No point in speculating, Apple only 'leak' information for their own benefit, it's all choreographed. Don't ever thing the leaks are ever 'accidental', they play their cards close to their chest.

      Let's just see what they come up with, there will be plenty to slag them off with on Monday.

      1. Bob Vistakin
        Unhappy

        It'll just be the usual Apple catchup fest we've seen in their last few handsets

        Now they've had time to photocopy the flat icons from Androids ICS of 2 years ago, its suddenly their newest, greatest innovation.

        As will be NFC, which miraculously transformed itself from being something their users "don't need" when only the competition had it, to another of their stunning breakthroughs essential to every smartphone from now on.

  2. Steen Hive
    Devil

    7 ... X

    Obviously iOS 7 is adopting the Windows close-button!

    1. VinceH

      Re: 7 ... X

      Nah... it's a reference to the camera's zoom capabilities.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: 7 ... X

      I'm pretty sure it means that they are replacing OS X with Windows 7.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      Re: 7 ... X

      The number of iPhone owners that have yet to buy a superior Android phone.

    4. Adam 1

      Re: 7 ... X

      I am pretty sure that they are merging their 2 UI from ios and OSX into one. When you boot up your next iMac you will be presented with a begin screen full of icons. The old desktop will be behind one of those icons but the other Apple store apps will get an icon as well. To get back to the begin screen full of icons you just move your mouse to one of the corners and wait for the new icharm menu to display.

  3. Richard Jones 1
    Coat

    Perhaps I did Not Sleep Well Last Night?

    I tried to read this through to the end, perhaps I wanted to know what new thing I would not want, or perhaps I wanted to fall asleep. In the end I managed neither and wondered why I took any interest. I still do not know, except that (Cr)apple will never interest me with their toys or their games.

    On second thoughts the grist, tea leaves and dove's entrails might have been interesting... Shame they were not better explored.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Perhaps I did Not Sleep Well Last Night?

      "and wondered why I took any interest."

      Because you don't feel able to reverse the public Apple critic mask you wear, secretly you're envious, have even taken to reading articles you tell yourself you have no interest in, and can't admit it to the real you under the mask ?

      Go on, come out the closet, you know you will feel better in the end.

    2. Tim99 Silver badge
      Stop

      Re: Perhaps I did Not Sleep Well Last Night?

      But, you still went to the trouble of posting...

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      Re: Perhaps I did Not Sleep Well Last Night?

      "I tried to read this through to the end, perhaps I wanted to know what new thing I would not want, or perhaps I wanted to fall asleep. In the end..."

      Understand, I couldn't even finish your post about the article before falling asle....

  4. VinceH

    Optional

    "Multicolored iPads? iPad minis?"

    Swap Shop? They've hired Noel Edmonds to speak!

    1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
      Coat

      Oh No....

      Not him. Mr Blobby can't be far away then. (Better it than Cheggers)

      That colour scheme would blow a few people's mind all right.

      Mines the one with a psychedelia print 'T-Shirt' in the pocket (yes I am old enough to have bought it the first time around)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Oh No....

        Edmonds? Blobby? Chiggers?

        Has Operation Yew Tree moved into the 80s?

  5. Tony Paulazzo
    Gimp

    Can't stand flat, flat is boring, not next gen.

    Ok, I hated the stupid green baize in the game centre app but you know what I hated more? that fricking fracking unused skeuomorphed bookshelf icon that I'm not allowed to hide, not being able to see at a glance what the weather's like outside my door, the very basic notification system...

    I'm actually expecting to be underwhelmed (unless they bring out a contact lens screen wirelessly connected to my ipad) - that'd shut up Google.

    DISCLAIMER: I love Apple, Google, the NSA, GCHQ and the glorious land of America.

    1. User McUser
      Trollface

      "not being able to see at a glance what the weather's like outside my door"

      Try opening it...

  6. strangelybrown
    Meh

    What do we want? Gradual change!

    I may have sprinkled to much Cynicism on my Mehflakes this morning, but I can't really get terribly excited about keynote product launches these days... mainly because it's all gone terribly conservative.

    In fact, I think the last genuinely surprising launch was the Surface RT - steaming pile of mediocrity it may have been, but at least it was different.

    The only surprise about BlackBerry's last effort was Alicia Keys.

    Nokia are fully paid up members of Darwin's theory of IT product development.

    Samsung just make it MOAR SKREEN! each time (I heard the Galaxy S7 will have wheels)

    Will Apple launch anything different, radical, or revolutionary? Probably not. Will whatever they launch sell like hotcakes? Absolutely.

    1. ChrisM
      Joke

      Re: What do we want? Gradual change!

      when do we want it, as soon as practically possible whilst also allowing system stability to be maintained....

      1. strangelybrown

        Re: What do we want? Gradual change!

        I prefer;

        'when do we want it?'

        'In good time!'

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What do we want? Gradual change!

      It's still an Apple and Microsoft world. They are still the big two innovators generally. If you disagree look at their products in the 1980s compared to their products now, there's been a lot of change over the years. This heritage and experience is what others don't have.

      The current smartphone market is now mature, you aren't doing to see much more innovation with the touch screen phone. Just better facilities.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Facepalm

        The big two innovators?

        It's still an Apple and Microsoft world. They are still the big two innovators generally. If you disagree look at their products in the 1980s compared to their products now, there's been a lot of change over the years. This heritage and experience is what others don't have” .

        Microsoft was *never* an innovator what it does do best is play catch-up. Apple never made 'product`, what it did was build a series of iconoclastic designs that people would want to buy. Comparing Microsoft to Apple is like comparing a bucket meal to haute cuisine ..

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: a bucket meal to haute cuisine

          Wow, that's even more disturbingly fanboy-ish than the usual 'rusty Ford Escort vs. Ferrari' crap.

  7. Lord Elpuss Silver badge
    Happy

    Cynicism on my mehflakes

    Genius.

    1. Monkey Bob
      Meh

      Re: Cynicism on my mehflakes

      meh...

  8. ACx

    It will be the new Apple iSpy.

  9. Ye Gads
    Black Helicopters

    Whatever they're selling

    We can be sure that the NSA (Hi guys!) will have your usage and browsing patterns analysed before Apple does.

  10. OrsonX

    Consistency

    Flat = make it all flat

    Whizzy = make it ALL whizzy

    Sparkly = make it all sparkly

    skeumorphic = make it all......

    ...just make it consistent!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Consistently boring...should not be a problem.

  11. JDX Gold badge

    Flat design

    Copied from W8?

    1. Matt_payne666

      Re: Flat design

      Flat design, possibly add some live information in the tiles - creating a 'Live Tile'

      Ground breaking!

      no doubt any flattening of the interface will be seen as design perfection, whereas the flattening that Microsoft has been introducing over the past year has been seen as gack

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    Apple meets BTOpenworld..

    Oh the irony, Apple takes its design cues from BT 'Openworld'

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    7 and X ==> Consolidation?

    The 7 and X signs could be a hint for consolidation of iOS and OS X to form a common OS platform across all Apple hardware; they already have started that with restructuring the top management team.

    1. jai

      Re: 7 and X ==> Consolidation?

      If they ever do go that path, it'll be a long while. They wouldn't have had time in just a year

      1. FeRDNYC

        Re: 7 and X ==> Consolidation?

        Moreover, they would NEVER announce such a consolidation with giant banners devoted to the two technologies being replaced — they'd have some whizz-bangey new name for the common platform, and the old names would never be seen or spoken ever again.

        Apple is very much a sweep-the-past-under-the-rug / meet-the-new-boss sort of company. All of the tapdancing they do at these events is precisely to draw your attention away from where they had been (or were supposed to be going), and keep your eyes locked on whatever direction Tim Cook happens to be pointing this time.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: 7 and X ==> Consolidation?

      didn't MS get bollocked for trying that with Win8?

      1. FeRDNYC

        Re: 7 and X ==> Consolidation?

        Not entirely — MS's failing was more about trying to get their one OS to serve everywhere, they really didn't have anything worth mentioning on the mobile side to consolidate it with.

        But more than that, where they went wrong was doing it badly. Apple dovetailing their two established and generally well-liked platforms to run on a single OS (and a friend likes to claim that "iOS is just a tweaked version of OS X", though I think that's overstating how closely they're related today) has a lot more potential to go right, assuming they do a smarter job of marrying the two sides. (For any Apple devs listening, a tip: When seeking to unify your desktop and mobile interfaces, resist the temptation to introduce a vocabulary of strange and confusing gestures and interactions, unfamiliar ones that didn't originate in either world!)

        1. Mark .

          Re: 7 and X ==> Consolidation?

          I think you're about 10 years out - MS "trying to run their one one OS everywhere" was more what they did with Windows Mobile. Windows Phone is very much a mobile OS, and the supposed criticisms are them trying to make their one OS more touch friendly, not run it everywhere.

          "Apple dovetailing their two established and generally well-liked platforms"

          MS have two established and generally well-liked platforms (sure, there are haters, but look how many haters there are of IOS). Three if you include X Box. Sure, WP has smaller share than IOS, but then OS X has smaller share than Windows.

          OS X and IOS share the same kernel, but aren't the same OS. Same as with Android and GNU/Linux, or Windows and Windows Phone. And the assertion that they'll unify them better is just a made up claim - it's the same old story, people claim Apple are better even before a product even exists. Same as the way the media gave vast amounts of media coverage to only Apple before the ipad was even announced - yet when Android tablets finally got the coverage, Apple's sales collapsed and Android dominated.

          1. Joerg
            FAIL

            Re: 7 and X ==> Consolidation?

            Apple sales collapsed in your own dreams.

            Apple own over 70% of true market profits.

            Samsung with its fake claims of number of units sold just lost $12billion in a single day.

            Apple sold more iPad and iPhone in each quarter of 2013 so far compared to 2012.

            And Apple customers buy content, apps, music, movies... Android users go all piracy or buy nothing.

  14. IGnatius T Foobar
    Megaphone

    If Apple wants to delight their users...

    If Apple wants to delight their users ... they'll announce that they're switching back to Google Maps.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    (x)

    They'll bring out their first phone running windows 8. They'll call it Apple iEadon and only we'll understand why.

  16. tempemeaty

    Expectations

    Knowing that they have now finished introducing never seen before products to fill every imaginable tech toy need there is work to be done on showing off what can be done to technologically move these toys forward. My expectation is we are now going to see that from here on out.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    does anyone even care what Apple do these days?

    What ever they announce its almost certain to be available on android already.

    They still haven't sorted out the broken maps... perhaps they should fix that before copying Android custom keyboards API and widgets.

    1. ThomH

      Re: does anyone even care what Apple do these days?

      That's because Google fixed the maps. There's actually quite a lot of precedent for OSs shipping with applications that many feel are better implemented by third parties: TextEdit, MS Paint, Internet Explorer, Safari, etc, etc.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: does anyone even care what Apple do these days?

      You seemingly care enough to troll the comments...

      "They still haven't sorted out the broken maps..." how so? Do you *use* iOS Maps yourself regularly? Or is your opinion informed second hand from a 'friend' or 'spouse'?

      Anonymous because I know it annoys you...

  18. Mark .

    Not news

    "An announcement that Apple might announce something!"

    Next please. How about coverage of actual product releases? Takes me back to the days when the media would go on about iphones for months, whilst ignoring the better selling phone companies like Samsung and Nokia. Oh wait, that's still the case now.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    More of the same with a few sprinkles....Fanboi Nirvana (again)

    So ya

    Thought ya

    Might like to

    Go to the show.

    To feel that warm thrill of confusion,

    That space cadet glow......

  20. Lord Zedd
    WTF?

    Apple fanbois, writing for The Register?

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!

  21. CmdrX3
    Meh

    It's a wild guess but...

    I'm expecting a new IOS "flat" theme with over 200 new features, a new OS X operating system with over 200 new features and a speech by Tim Cook with over 200 new adjectives.

  22. Stuart johnson

    What's the fuss?

    So it's 3.43am and I can't sleep. I managed to read the whole article AND all the whiney comments, on my iPhone, and I'm still awake.

    Glad to have a sneak into the conference centre, will keep an ear open on Monday for any interesting news. Re homogenisation, I think apple have a golden opportunity to learn from M$' mistakes with win8. We don't have touchscreen computers folks, please remember that...

  23. Rukario

    Next OSX version?

    Mandatory xkcd reference

    http://xkcd.com/1056/

  24. gcarter

    Ipad mini with retina screen... its the only thing people are still crying out for

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I thought they were crying out for a watch with a one-day battery life and an overpriced TV?

      You mean all of those articles I read over the last year were MADE UP??

  25. Chris Reynolds
    Megaphone

    iPods Please

    I've just gone out and bought an iPod Classic. Why? It's the only pocketable music player on the market that I know of that can store my music collection. It is also the only player on the market that fits onto the various docks in my house and cars.

    Here's what I wish it could be. It ain't going to happen, but here goes:

    - 256Gb flash memory

    - Big battery

    - Keep the click-wheel but make the screen touchable.

    - If you can't keep the click-wheel, at least retain a big pause button I can hit through the fabric of a pocket.

    - Keep the original dock connector but make it USB 3

    - Add Wifi for syncing

    - Add Bluetooth for streaming

    If Apple don't make something like this, then my next music player will be something that can take SD cards and sync with Google Play because (most of) my music collection sits there these days.

    Now it's ranty-ranty time.

    Apple: I don't need a multimedia device. I have a smartphone, a tablet, a PC (and even a standalone GPS and digital camera!!). I want a music player because I like to listen to music. I don't want a music player that can take photos or post to Facebook because I already have one of those on my lap and another in my pocket and the moment you turn music playing into an app, it's a layer between me an the music. I want to listen to music, I have an iTunes account and a bunch of docks (and cars) with dock connectors so sell me a music player or lose me as a customer. The iPhone was great, but I'll not go back from my Nexus. the iPad was great, but can't hold a candle to my Surface RT for getting work done. You used to know how to make music players and I hope one day you remember again. Sony forgot. Seems you're doing the same.

  26. Will Godfrey Silver badge
    Meh

    And another Meh

    Just think this article space could have been filled with something more interesting... Like, maybe, the number of transistor types that went obsolete this year.

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Apple WWDC on Monday

    Photos Apple has tarted up San Francisco's Moscone West convention center, where it will hold its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) beginning on Monday

    Did you get your invite?

    1. Daniel B.
      Unhappy

      Re: Apple WWDC on Monday

      El Reg has been unofficially banned ever since the Jagwyre presentation. That explains the lack of WWDC invites...

  28. MigMig

    I have an educated guess

    I think it has something to do with their Solar LCD patent, which also includes digitizer capabilities. Well, one can only hope.

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    To recapitulate :

    1. The Apple WWDC starts today.

    2. The 7 MAY pertain to iOS 7.

    3. You have no clue whatsoever what else may be on the books.

    Please refrain from publishing articles like this. You, together with the rest of the world, have no clue whatsoever waht's going on in SF. So please don't make us waste time by reading articles where a calendar would have sufficed.

    1. JDX Gold badge

      Re: To recapitulate :

      I missed the part where you were forced to read the article. And where like an idiot you wasted even more time writing a comment about it.

  30. Frankee Llonnygog

    Signs on the Metreon

    The black roundrect with the Apple logo looks like an AppleTV. So, I'm guessing a new Apple TV that runs iOs 7 apps, one of which will be the new iRadio service. There will be an updated Airport Express and enhancements to Airplay. Some interesting 3rd party licensees will be presented. Apple will announce that the AppleTV is no longer a hobby. This will be a consolidated and explicit bid to for market leadership in networked home entertainment.

  31. Carpe Pesce
    Facepalm

    What I would like to see

    I would like to see an announcment that the Apple TV that I won in a door prize can work with my NAS box, pull down my photos over the LAN, my videos of my family I have sitting on it play back nicely, over the LAN, and all without having to have another Apple product in the middle.

    That should not be too hard should it, for a device to work as a stand alone? It is not as if my fridge also needs the toaster to be working to keep my food cold.

    My personal pictures, and videos need not be streamed over any internet connection, or cloud service.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like