Apple WWDC Recap

Once a year the world stands still to listen to what Apple is going to reveal come WWDC time. This year was no different, there were rumors flying around saying they were going to announce an Apple TV, or maybe the next generation iPhone, or just the next big thing. At this year’s WWDC, first one without Steve Jobs, they announced their new MacBook line updates, Maps app, improvements to Siri, and Facebook integration. While a lot of these improvements are going to launch with iOS 6, the MacBooks are already out on the market for you to purchase.

At the WWDC keynote, Apple announced the next version to its operating system for their iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. iOS 6 is going to feature new functionality thought, mainly to Siri, Facebook integration, a revamped Maps app, and Shared Photo Streams via iCloud. Siri will now be able to provide sports scores and schedules to any team in any sport that your heart desires. Make restaurant reservations via OpenTable and find local movie listings when you are trying to make it date night. It will even be able to launch apps, even if you are speaking Spanish, Italian, or French now that Siri has learned them. Facebook is now going to get the same integration that Twitter had in iOS 5. You will do a system wide log in though iOS 6 so you can quickly post though apps, and contacts will be updated automatically though Facebook. Shared Photo Streams, which is going to allow your friends and family to see the photo though any iOS devices, such as iPhoto, iPod, iPhone, or Apple TV. Apple decided that users wanted a Do Not Disturb mode that will allow users to schedule when notifications will not set your device off. But with the iPhone app you are going to be able to set return messages and phone calls alerting people you are busy. Finally, Apple is adding a Passbook wallet app, this is going to be able to consolidate all your payment cards and electronic tickets into a simple to access place. So you are going to be able to save your airline tickets or concert tickets instead of having the paper ticket. Or this would even work with your coffee card you might have or even gift card to go catch a movie.

All these apps were just a warm up to Apple’s very own Maps app, which is going to be replacing Google Maps. Apple’s biggest announcement came when they unveiled their new additions to their iOS 6 system and more specifically that Google Maps was going to be replaced with an Apple map app. This new app is going to replace the Google Maps app which has been there since day one. But you are still going to get a lot of similar features that you had in Google Maps in Apple’s version of Maps. Apple has replaced Google’s satellite view with Apples version which is going to be called Flyover. This new feature called Flyover is going be more of a 3D flyover which will give you the overhead view. Apple is also integrating Yelp for business listings, when it comes to traffic it will be updated by the iOS users. A huge feature coming to Maps for Apple is the turn-by-turn navigation guided by Siri. All these additions are going to be compatible with iPhone 3GS and later, 2nd-generation iPad and later and 4th-generation iPod touch. iOS 6 well become available to the public this fall, but if you are signed up to the beta program you are available to get the iOS 6 beta system now.

Moving from apps to hardware, Apple has revealed there new MacBooks also. Most of their MacBook Pro and Air models are only getting minor spec bumps. Little additions to the MacBook Air are going to be 512GB of flash storage, 60% faster graphics, 8GB of memory and a 2.0 GHz i7 Ivy Bridge CPU. As for the exterior of the laptop, you are getting 3.0 USB instead of 2.0 USB also a 720p Facetime camera. As for the MacBook Pro 15” model you are getting a quad-core i7 CPU’s up to 2.7 Ghz, a 1GB GeForce GT 650M discrete graphics card, a standard 8GB of 1600 MHz memory, and 3.0 USB ports. If you get the 13” model you are getting the Ivy Bridge dual-core i7 CPU’s up to 2.9 GHz. But *the* big announcement that really stole the show what the MacBook Pro 15.4” display will sport a Retina display. The Retina display going to put out a 2880×1880 resolution, 220 ppi with 5,184,000 pixels, which is all, going to be in a unibody construction making a lighter notebook. But the amazing screen is going to set you back $2,199.99 for the lowest end model. For the high powered model you are looking at $2,799.99.

With all this buzz coming out of WWDC 2012, it is looking like Apple is bringing more advanced technology to their existing products. But will this really make Apple fans purchase a new MacBook for over $2,000? It seems like it is going to be a tough sell. Maybe if it was a truly enhanced MacBook, something more than just a screen+ and some minor spec bumps to make this a must-have product. As for iOS 6, it did get some nice features but many at WWDC commented these are all features that Android is already doing. No information on the new iPhone as of yet, hopefully we will get some more info in the coming weeks.

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