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The Apple store is down... here we go
Down goes the Apple store. Whatever the reason is, it'll be a few short hours until we know what new goodies have been added to Cupertino's boutique. Whatever happens, we'll be right there, detailing all the action in our liveblog -- in the meantime, you can check what we're hoping to see in iOS 6 right here. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Editorial: What we want to see in iOS 6
We asked for third party apps, copy and paste, multitasking, wireless sync, data-only messaging and better notifications and year by year, they all arrived. iOS 5 may be one of the most mature, and popular mobile operating systems out there, but that doesn't mean Apple can take the day off. If you'd like to know what we're hoping Scott Forstall announces when he takes to the WWDC stage in a few short hours, head on past the break.
iOS 6 "officially announced" by new WWDC banners
@SteveStreza has been haunting the Moscone West convention center in San Francisco the past few days and zapped some photos to the good folks at MacStories.net. As just about everybody on the planet expected, iOS 6 will be announced at WWDC 2012 as these photos of the big new banners on the first floor indicate. Streza and MacStories were kind enough to give us permission to run these photos, which are sure to stir up more excitement. Streza also noted that banners on the second floor of Moscone West tout Messages, Notification Center, and Game Center for Mac. Be sure to join us on Monday morning (June 11) at 11:30 AM ET for a pre-keynote episode of TUAW TV Live, followed by our metaliveblog of the event at 1 PM ET.
WWDC banner shot betrays iOS 6 debut
What does Apple have in store for us at WWDC? Well, it was a pretty safe bet that there was going to be some iOS news, and now we can pretty much confirm that iOS 6 will be unveiled at Cupertino's big developer event. What exactly we might see from the self proclaimed "world's most advanced mobile operating system" is anybody's guess, but it's probably safe to assume the power of flight or teleportation is not on the feature list. Hit up the source links for some more images and don't forget to check back in here Monday for the official unveiling.
Apple possibly held back by Google for years on iOS' Maps features, might bring turn-by-turn nav to WWDC
The tales of Apple possibly dumping Google Maps as the backend for iOS 6's Maps app are gathering steam, but we're now learning just how much forethought may have gone into the split. According to the WSJ's favorite tipsters, "people familiar with the matter," Apple isn't just hoping to spurn Android -- it's reacting to push-back it got years earlier. Google supposedly delayed Street View, and blocked Google Maps Navigation outright, as it wasn't getting the limelight for branding and couldn't push in social tracking services that tend to make a privacy-sensitive Apple jittery, like Latitude. The August 2009 buyout of Placebase was ground zero for Apple's shift, which saw subsequent deals for Poly9 and C3 Technologies flesh out the project. As for the end results? They supposedly include turn-by-turn navigation that mimics an "in-car GPS device," and regular mapping should now be free to integrate with other apps: Calendar might warn you if a traffic jam on Interstate 280 will affect that appointment at 1 Infinite Loop, as an example. We might not have long to wait for the truth behind the new tips and earlier leaked shots, as the contacts believe Apple could show its Maps overhaul when WWDC starts next week.
Rumors give 2012 iPhone shiny new chip, 1GB of RAM, mystery iOS app
We've potentially seen a lot of the next iPhone's exterior; it may be the interior's time for a shakedown, as an unusually detailed rumor out of 9to5 Mac has claimed scads more about the processor and iOS 6. Going by the tips, the 2012 design would use an S5L8950X, a processor with unknown specs but likely a step ahead of what we've seen in the iPhone 4S (8940X) and new iPad (8945X). There would likewise be a new spin on the PowerVR SGX543 graphics from the iPad as well as 1GB of RAM -- which doesn't sound like much next to a 2GB Galaxy S III, but stands to produce a similar speed boost for a lightweight platform like iOS. As for iOS 6 itself, the software is supposedly using underlying code newer than recent OS X Mountain Lion builds and is dumping Google Maps, as some have claimed ever since iPhoto for iOS made that step in the spring. The new Maps app (possibly pictured here) is said to be rough, but the OS as a whole could be coming along so swimmingly that Apple might have no trouble shipping on time. As always, we're skeptical when so much detail is in flux. The rumor still jives with much more tangible behavior from Apple, such as its experimentation with 32-nanometer processors and a tendency for Apple to refine the chip from the current year's iPad for the iPhone months later. We may know the accuracy soon enough: more leaks are promised in the next two weeks, including an "entirely new iOS app."
iCloud.com slip-up shows Notes and Reminders, iOS 6 references
Looks like Apple's going to add more than just banner notifications to iCloud.com in the near future: a randomly available beta.icloud.com page has shown Notes and Reminders alongside familiar iCloud fixtures like email and Find My iPhone. If that wasn't enough, some skulking about in the HTML code of the beta page showed for a time that access to the new features requires signing in to the "iOS 6 beta," a fairly strong indicator that a web refresh will go hand-in-hand with a new mobile platform at this year's WWDC. What else is in store will likely have to wait until the developer event next month, but we at least know now that our iPhone's grocery lists will survive on the web. [Thanks, Tommy]
Report: Apple dumping Google for own Maps app in iOS 6 (update)
Granted, Apple and Google aren't quite the bosom buddies they once were, but how far is Cupertino going to free itself from the Android-maker? Well, Apple's picked up a number of mapmakers and is now reportedly getting ready to unveil a Google map competitor for iOS. 9to5Mac is reporting that the mapping solution will be in-place for the next major version of the mobile operating system, combining technologies gathered with the acquisition of Placebase, C3 Technologies and Poly9. The star of the show is said to be the 3D mode with graphics nabbed from C3. All Things D has "independently confirmed" the forthcoming app reinvention, with sources adding, (hopefully a bit hyperbolically) that it will "blow your head off." According to rumors, we'll be finding out a lot more come WWDC next month. Update: To add more fuel to this rumor, a TechCrunch source notes that the iOS 6's "Sundance" codename is aptly named after a resort, just as previous versions have. Hit up the more coverage link below for further insight.
15 suggestions for iOS 6
I've been writing these posts for the last couple of years, usually always before WWDC, as mini roundups of what I, my colleagues, and readers want to see in the next iOS release. However, as releases go on it gets harder and harder to put together lists of major features I'd like to see in the next iOS. That's because iOS has now become a fairly developed OS capable of doing most of what you'd ever need it to do. I mean, remember when multitasking or copy and paste were the big feature requests? What about improved notifications? Wireless sync? Folders? All that's been done. The list I present now features a few big items, but many of the suggestions are small features that would really "tidy up" the OS and make it more usable. That's not to say I don't think iOS won't continue to innovate, but those major innovations and brand new features will most likely be something Apple will surprise us with and not something that many people could have guessed beforehand. This list also doesn't take software features that would require hardware upgrades into account, like a mobile payment system. So here's the list of what I hope to see in iOS 6. And when you're done reading it, I'd love for you to add your own feature requests to the list in the comments below. 1. Expand Siri's capabilities and open up the Siri API. This is probably the biggest request on anyone's wish list. When Siri debuted in iOS 5 on the iPhone 4S, it was easily the most touted new feature. However, after the novelty wore off iPhone 4S users quickly divided into two camps: those that do use it and those that don't. I'm one of the guys that do. However, that's not to say there isn't room for major improvements to Siri, or as I call it: the most underdeveloped feature on the iPhone. Now to be fair to Apple, Siri is still a beta feature, so it's unfair to really judge it as if it has been completed in Apple's final vision. It will continue to evolve over time, and here's what I hope it can do in iOS 6: Apple needs to expand Siri's capabilities. The easiest way to do this would be to open up Siri's API to third-party developers. Once Apple does this, that's when the power of Siri will really shine. Imagine being able to say "Skype my brother," "Tweet '@TUAW' rocks," "Shazam this song," or "Record my weight in LoseIt." Those are just some simple examples, of course. If Apple were to open up Siri's API it would be the developers who could really make Siri the killer feature. However, given the server requirements it takes to run Siri queries and the fact that it's still in beta, it's unlikely Apple is going to open Siri to third-parties any time soon. If they don't, I at least hope they'll add more features in-house, including things like asking for local movie times, telling the camera to take a picture "in 10 seconds," and turn by turn directions. Another thing Apple could do to improve Siri without opening it up to devs is adding the ability to toggle system services, including turning Bluetooth, Wifi, Personal Hotspot, and Airplane mode on or off. Also commands like "Go to TUAW.com" would be nice instead of the current way of navigating to a website via Siri by having to say "search for TUAW" and then clicking on the website in the search results list in Safari. 2. Multiple users (on iPad). Let me state that multiple users on an iPhone would be ridiculous, but on an iPad I think it makes a lot of sense. Phones are personal, but iPads are shared a lot in homes. It would be great if iOS 6 adds user support to the iPad. After all, it'd be nice to let my niece use my iPad without worrying she'll accidentally delete an important email. There was a time when multiple users on an iPad wouldn't have made sense from a practical point of view. After all, if each user stored all their photos and videos on the iPad, it could quickly fill up the hard drive. But with iCloud and iTunes Match -- and their no doubt continued expansion -- multiple users are much more feasible as each user could access all of his or her documents and media right from the cloud. 3. Facebook integration. I use Twitter 10x more than I used to because of its integration with iOS 5. It's so nice to be able to tweet a photo or a web link right from Photos or Safari without having to switch to the Twitter app. Given that I'm a bigger Facebook user than Twitter user, I hope Apple adds system-wide Facebook sharing to iOS 6. This isn't an original feature request, and it's actually appeared in in-house beta's of iOS before, but never actually included in public releases. The fault here, of course, probably lies with Facebook more than Apple. Apple generally likes to protect their user's information as much as possible while Facebook, well...they want as much as that information as they can get. Until Apple and Facebook can work something out, I'm afraid we won't see system-wide Facebook integration. That's really a shame, more so for Facebook than Apple because, as I've said, iOS 5's Twitter integration has got me using that service a lot more than I ever would have. 4. Auto-hide an empty Newsstand. I first suggested the idea of a Newsstand-type app years ago before Apple finally introduced it in iOS 5. Magazines are a natural fit for the iPad, after all. However, while Newsstand is welcome by some, for others it's like the houseguest that just won't leave. The problem with Newsstand is that it takes up a space on your screen even if you don't have a subscription to a periodical. Now I realize why Apple did this: they wanted to encourage people to check out subscriptions. But unlike the iBooks, iTunes, or App Store apps, you don't need the actual Newsstand "app" to search for or buy magazines and newspapers. That's because Newsstand isn't actually an app, much less a store, at all. It's just a glorified folder that holds specific types of apps -- newspapers and magazines. Magazine and newspaper apps can all be found in the Newsstand section of the App Store and could still be found there even without the Newsstand folder (remove iBooks, on the other hand, and you'll have no access to the iBookstore on your iOS device). What I'm proposing is that the Newsstand folder remains hidden until you download a subscription. As soon as you download even one, its app appears in the Newsstand folder on your homescreen. But when you delete all the subscriptions inside your Newsstand folder, the folder disappears as well. 5. Multitasking gestures for iPhone. With iOS 5 Apple introduced four- and five-finger gestures on the iPad. Using four or five fingers you can pinch to reveal the homescreen, swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar, or swipe left or right to move between apps. Those gestures made the iPad infinitely more pleasurable and organic to use. I suggest Apple bring multitasking gestures to the iPhone. Three finger pinch to homescreen; three finger swipe up to reveal multitasking bar; and three finger swipe left or right to switch between apps. 6. Improved Notification Center. Improved notifications were a big request before iOS 5, and Apple hit it out of the park when they completely revamped notifications with the introduction of Notification Center. However, as good as Notification Center is, it could still use some improvements. First, it could use more widgets, specifically on the iPad. There's no built-in Weather or Stocks app on the iPad, but it would be nice if Apple would at least give you the option of showing the weather forecast and stock quotes in Notification Center on iPad for unity's sake (see #7). Another nice feature would be a timer widget that shows up in Notification Center so you don't have to tap through to your Clock app to see how much time you have left for that cake to get done cooking in the oven. A final improvement to Notification Center: clearing notifications takes a couple of awkward taps in a narrow corner of the notification's header. Instead it would be much more intuitive if you could swipe right, then tap a standard big red delete button to remove a notification. 7. Weather, Stocks, and Clock for iPad. Unity is nice. And iCloud could keep stock quotes, weather locations, and alarms in sync across devices. 'Nuff said. 8. AirDrop for iOS Pre-iOS 5, many people clamored for a Finder app to store files on the iPhone. Apple's answer was simpler: iCloud. However, while iCloud is a great way to keep your documents in sync across your devices, it doesn't really help when you want to easily share a file with someone else. Enter AirDrop for iOS. Select a file, select the Share button, tap "AirDrop" to see a list of AirDrop-enabled iPhones, iPads, and Macs in your area, then select the device you want to share with. This would work great for sharing something as simple as a virtual business card or as large as a video or Keynote presentation with other people. Extra points if the AirDrop interface had cool GUI animations where you could just slide a file from one iOS device to the next. 9. Quick access to toggle Bluetooth, WiFi, and 3G on and off. Yeah, some people toggle their Bluetooth a lot. Right now it takes five steps. Apple could always move the Bluetooth setting to a first-level heading in the Settings app, but if you're a "power toggler" and are constantly turning Bluetooth on and off (or 3G or Wifi) it might be nice to have quick access to these settings in another way. Here are a few ideas how Apple could do it: Siri -- (as mentioned earlier) "Turn Bluetooth Off." Done. Swipe the dock to the right -- The dock in iOS doesn't do anything when you swipe over it. Apple could easily enable left or right swiping of the dock to reveal quick-access toggle buttons for wireless services behind in. Swipe up at the bottom of any screen -- Just like you can swipe down from the top of any screen to reveal Notification Center, Apple could enable up-swiping from the bottom of any screen to quickly reveal wireless service toggle buttons. Add Bluetooth to the multitasking bar -- This of course is the most obvious answer. Just like you can adjust the volume or screen rotation lock from the multitasking bar, Apple could easily add a Bluetooth toggle button there too. 10. Universal passcode locks for apps. Right now it's up to the developer to include a passcode lock option for an app. It would be nice if Apple could add a Passcode Lock Center in Settings where you could choose to set not only a passcode for your iPhone or iPad, but also apply the same or different passcode to any app of your choice on your device. More security is always nice. 11. Multiple signatures in Mail. Sometimes you want to send emails with different signatures. Right now iOS only lets you have one signature -- and it's either attached to every email or it's not. Give us multiple signature options, including the ability to include or exclude signatures right within each email composition window. 12. Safari Top Sites. This isn't so much a feature I'd like to see on the iPhone, but I think it would rock on the iPad. This is also a holdover from my last iOS wishlist. Ever since Apple introduced Top Sites for desktop Safari, I've used them as my primary way of getting to my favorite sites. I love how they give me a graphical representation of when a site has new content on it, and it's much better for the layperson than updates through RSS feeds. Enabling Top Sites in mobile Safari would make it much easier for users to navigate to their favorite sites and know when those sites have new content (something web clip icons can't do either). 13. Ability to select default mail, calendar, and Twitter clents. Yeah, this is a long shot, but I'm adding it to the list because so many people have requested it. Do I see this ever happening? Nope. 14. Styled Text APIs. This is also another holdout from a previous wishlist and it's something I hope Apple implements this time around, again, for developers' sakes. While there are many great word processors available for iOS, Pages on the iPad is still the best. Why? Because it's got an incredibly rich set of styled text features. Apple hasn't made the styled text APIs used in Pages available to developers, so if developers do want to use styled text in their apps, they basically need to write all that code from scratch. If Apple decides to open up the styled text APIs used in Pages to other developers, we'll see some great productivity apps coming out later this year. 15. Improved cursor navigation. I originally didn't have any suggestions for improving iOS's text entry or onscreen keyboard, but then I saw this concept video by YouTube user danielchasehooper. The concept is simply brilliant and would make cursor navigation much, much easier on the iPad's large screen where text entry fields are generally further away from your fingers than on the iPhone's screen. iOS 6 is expected to be shown off at this year's WWDC, which runs from June 11-15.
Apple's March 7th event roundup: the new iPad, Apple TV refresh and everything else
Weren't able to keep up with all the news from the unveiling of Apple's new iPad today? Don't worry, we've got you covered! Whether you're looking for more info about its Retina Display and LTE-connectivity, the refreshed Apple TV or related bits, we've listed links to our coverage of everything "new and noteworthy" after the break. Happy perusing! Oh, and be sure to check back to our the archive of our liveblog and pre- and post-event broadcasts for a few extra doses of "amazing."
Ars server logs show iPads using iOS 6, high-res displays
Another piece of interesting evidence of a higher-resolution iPad has been exposed by Ars Technica. Looking at web server logs for February, Ars staffers found that the site had been visited by devices running iOS 6. Additionally, some of the devices had a screen resolution matching the alleged specs of the next iPad -- 2048 x 1536 pixels. The Ars visitors came from Apple; staffers were able to match the device IP address with Apple's corporate IP block. While it is very unlikely that iOS 6 will be announced simultaneously with the new iPad on Wednesday, it appears that Apple is beginning to test early versions of the next mobile OS in-house. The screenshot (shown above) also show that the iOS 6 devices are running a slightly newer version of WebKit, the layout engine that powers the Safari web browser. Devices running iOS 5.0.1 display a WebKit version number of 534.46, while the iOS 6 devices are displaying 535.8. We're in agreement with Ars on one point -- iOS 5.1 will most likely be introduced on Wednesday at the Apple event or shortly thereafter, while iOS 6 will arrive in the late summer or early fall on a next-generation iPhone.
