Gurman: WWDC 2018 to Have Software Focus, New Macs, iPad Pros, and Larger-Screen Apple Watches Coming Later

[maflynn]

What happened to your Surface Book?

I still have it, but I need a larger display, my old eyes struggle with a 13 inch display
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I'll wait until Monday to see what the outcome is regarding new hardware, but if we don't see a MBP refresh I won't be waiting any longer, I'd of preferred MacOS but frankly I can live with Windows at this point.

Yep, I'm not looking to pull the trigger anytime soon

 

[wigby]

With Apple's poor performance lately, they should just change to announcing new products every 2 years. Its seems like it now takes apple 12 months to get announced products working correctly, or in some cases even released and nobody (read that as senior management) seems to care.

So you want the company accused of withholding new products, slow to update and poor communication with customers to slow down their release cycles? I bet that wouldn't go over very well.

 

[Ries]

I'll be incredibly disappointed if Apple doesn't announce refreshed MacBooks and iPad Pros at WWDC, as I've been eagerly waiting to buy both and I refuse to invest in outdated technology. Their laptop line in particular is embarrassingly out of date.

They are going to wait with the iPad til iPhone, so they don't "leak" the new processor and other new stuff. They'll only announce lesser items in iOS (like the crippled school iPad).

 

[xgman]

People tend to make stuff up that they want to hear.

 

[Martius]

And, in the meantime, they are trying to figure out how to design a modular Mac Pro in a way that it’s not modular. They hope the iMacPro-thing succeeds in sales and everybody forgets to have heard the “modular Mac Pro” words.

You actually have a good point. I also think Apple has a hard time to design Mac Pro because of the iMac Pro. What PRO would buy an iMac Pro, if you could purchase a Mac Pro (hopefully with a new beautiful display).

There are two possible scenarios (maybe 3):
1. Mac Pro will be really really expensive. I mean like +2000$ for the equal performance as base iMac Pro (the base Mac Pro configuration and without monitor). So you will pay a huge premium for a modular design.

2. The Mac Pro won't be that modular / Apple will require some certification to manufacture "modules" for it. Which will make those "modules" expensive.

(3. They will stop selling iMac Pro.)

 

[sdf]

So basically, the worst keynote of all time? Why does Apple even do keynotes anymore???

The WWDC keynote is for developers.

I'm hoping it's all software this year. It should always be about software.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Coffee Lake Macs are heeeere

 

[aleni]

If there's a product that apple needs to make them thin, it's the apple watch. boy it's so fat.

I hope they give option to enable gesture on non iPhone X users in iOS 12.

 

[robbyx]

Well let's say he is right – so what is the point of this conference? I mean really – most of the software changes will be under the hood improvements, no new hardware...

I think the point of the conference is clearly expressed in the name: World Wide DEVELOPER Conference. WWDC is not, and never has been, MacWorld. WWDC has always been for developers, so yes, under the hood improvements are what this conference is all about.

 

[profets]

The OS X redesign to match iOS 7 was expected. I even recall seeing leaked screenshots prior to the keynote.

Yeah that is true. Lol even during the keynote before they showed Yosemite you could see the new design on the iMacs sitting on stage.

I'm thinking more Swift, iOS extensions, third party keyboards, etc.

 

[scouser75]

IOS 12 - all I ask for is better notifications! I want to be able to group all notifications together. Ideally so when you get 5 different types of notifications you can see an icon for each type and tap on it to see all of that type of notification.

 

[Sasparilla]

>> as Apple has decided to focus more on the quality and stability improvementsthis year, according to an internal meeting the company reportedly held earlier this year. <<

Yes! Give me quality and stability...we could use a Snow Leopard iOS release at this point, IMHO....

 

[SeattleMoose]

Please keep the headphone jack and home button on the iPad Pro!!! Also the SE2 iPhone.
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>> as Apple has decided to focus more on the quality and stability improvementsthis year, according to an internal meeting the company reportedly held earlier this year. <<

Yes! Give me quality and stability...we could use a Snow Leopard iOS release at this point, IMHO....

Yep, quality and stability releases are the best. SL remains a classic because of that focus.

 

[maflynn]

If Apple announces a 6-core iMac I will love them forever! I'm using an incredibly powerful PC as my main workstation but Windows is killing me. Please Tim, make it happen!!!

I can get a 6 core laptop right now, that's the problem.

 

[asiga]

I also think Apple has a hard time to design Mac Pro because of the iMac Pro

It’s the opposite: they launched the iMac Pro as a last attempt for avoiding a modular Mac Pro, which would obviously be a product contrary to current Apple’s strategy. I guess somebody at a meeting said “wait, let’s release a powerful iMac rather than surrendering so soon releasing something we don’t want”.

 

[skitidetdu]

If there won't be a new iPhone SE my wife will go Android.

 

[Mike MA]

I’m sure some hardware goodie will be around. Nevertheless I’m happy anyway as the HomePod finally will be available in two weeks time...

 

[44267547]

If there won't be a new iPhone SE my wife will go Android.

There is basically zero indication of an SE will launch during WWDC, it’s highly unlikely for 2018 in my opinion at all. I’ve been speculative rumors, but none of them seem believable at this point. I think Apple will Retain The SE at least one more year in their lineup before it is either discontinued all together or updated.

 

[Mike MA]

Everything with Apple now is “later, later, later”. Then what’s the point of this conference?

Developer Conference->Software? But as said, I believe they will present something...at least a Mac Pro sneak preview?

 

[justperry]

I am ok with no hardware release, but I do expect stability.

As always, beers ready.

 

[Kaibelf]

I’m finding it absolutely astounding how many people don’t understand that this is a developer conference about software, and that the conference itself is several days rather than the streaming keynote that comprises like 1% of the actual event.

 

[CPTmom2wp]

I’m sure some hardware goodie will be around. Nevertheless I’m happy anyway as the HomePod finally will be available in two weeks time...

Have fun with the HP! Despite all the criticism and complaints on MR, this has been a product that really has advanced our smart home and something we all are enjoying using. We have two, and will hopefully, gradually add more with the AirPlay 2 and stereo capabilities. Even Siri has worked well on the HP.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

The point is right there in the name: "developers". If you're not a developer, then this isn't the conference for you.

I'm sorry, but WWDC has never only been for developers. If it was, they would never debut any hardware at WWDC (which they often have), nor would they demonstrate the software that consumers will be using. Yes, a big part of it is aimed at developers, hence its name, but it's not only for developers and it's not completely unreasonable, based off previous patterns, to expect hardware or at least a significant software update.

 

[Juicy Box]

I think you should re-read my comment with your /s filter activated bro.

Sorry, I quoted the wrong post. I will fix my post.

 

[Zdigital2015]

I wouldn't mind an event specifically for new Macs, or even just silent updates, but I really hope it's going to be sooner than September/October. Intel already released the new chips and a lot of manufacturers already made the switch. Does Apple gain anything by waiting before putting up to date components in its Macs?

It does if Apple is reworking any of the MacBook Pros innards, addressing the keyboard issues or is still waiting on discrete AMD Vega mobile GPUs - then prudence would say to wait on any announcement.

Intel's new Coffee Lake 45w H-Series (six-core versions) CPUs were just introduced on April 3rd of this year. The 5w Y-series (MacBook) has yet to be announced and above all, Intel staggered the roll out of its Coffee Lake (8th Gen, if you will) over a period of 9 months, which is a long time in the microprocessor world. Without announcing the 8th Gen Y-Series, they are, technically, still not done with the roll out.

There is no doubt in my mind that Apple would use Intel's introduction of their 4-core U-Series and 6-core H-Series to their advantage to rework the MacBook Pro making it slightly thicker to accommodate better cooling, a larger tiered battery, a better shielded keyboard with a revised butterfly- or even a modified scissors-based mechanism and turn the trials and tribulations of the 2016/2017 MacBook Pros into a marketing triumph. I can hear almost hear Schiller now, "In order to make the new MacBook Pro the ultimate, no compromise notebook computer, we went back to our groundbreaking 2016 MacBook Pro and re-examined everything!"

This might also be the opportunity for Apple to release a NON-touchBar version of the 15" MacBook Pro, by using the Intel G-Series CPUs (4-core i7 w/ Vega Graphics built-in) and further segment the market, which is what we have seen Apple do with both the iPhone (SE, 6s, 7, 8 and X) and the iPad (mini, iPad, iPad Pro). Doing this would allow Apple to address criticisms of the current-generation 13" and 15" MacBook Pros and turn it into a marketing win for themselves.

And if Apple does have a larger 13" MacBook waiting in the wings, then they are going to want to hold an event to showcase this new computer along with the revised MacBook Pros.

I would not be surprised if the iMacs get 8th Gen CPU updates on Monday, if nothing else.

One last thing, Apple has two optimal timeframes for releasing hardware updates, three if you count March. These are May, June, July (the Back To School season) and September, October, November (the Holiday Shopping Season).