I think it's pretty clear. Apple called iCloud their "cloud services" on the press release, and there has been evidence of iCloud stuff in Lion.
But you're right, it is speculation. We'll find out soon enough.
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iCloud Icon Revealed. Apple Posts iCloud Banner at WWDC
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I think it's pretty clear. Apple called iCloud their "cloud services" on the press release, and there has been evidence of iCloud stuff in Lion.
But you're right, it is speculation. We'll find out soon enough.
Why is the iOS 5 image still using the water drops image? Reflects only minor changes? Reading too much into this? Probably.
That "Lion + iOS 5 + iCloud = WWDC 11" banner is so disjointed, the 3 different images just don't gel together. Pretty shoddy design considering it's Apple.
My expectations are somewhat down after seeing the iOS 5 icon with the same waterdrop background as in iOS 4.
There are so many signs that point to a moderate update:
- Notifications? Could also be an bigger iOS 4.x update
- iCloud? Just update the iDisk app and improve upload/download capabilities. But maybe there's a connection to Lion's AirDrop feature...
- Widgets? Don't see it happening
- Improved Lockscreen? Maybe as part of the new notification system.
- New UI? Don't think so, especially since Apple showed Launchpad for Lion. It's the same grid-like UI, even with the same fugly folders...
My lowered predictions for iOS 5:
- iCloud syncing for some media, but not everything
- MobileMe still around, but with tiered pricing plans
- Notifications, but not something completely new or revolutionary, just less annoying.
- Improved Mail app (Flags, rich & selectable HTML signatures per account, etc.)
- WebKit 2 engine for Mobile Safari (Release of Safari 6 for Lion)
- Reading List syncing with iOS devices
- AirDrop capability with unified Files app
- More business and security features for enterprises
- Maybe improved SMS app?? (Twitter integration, WhatsApp killer?)
- API for unified File location with Folders set-up
- Facetime over 3G
Again, I hope for more. My inner fanboy demands it
! But I try set to my expectations low. The iPad 2 event already lacked a lot of new things and I don't see many crazy new things as far as integration of iOS and Lion besides Files and media syncing with iCloud/AirDrop.
There are so many signs that point to a moderate update:
- Notifications? Could also be an bigger iOS 4.x update
- iCloud? Just update the iDisk app and improve upload/download capabilities. But maybe there's a connection to Lion's AirDrop feature...
- Widgets? Don't see it happening
- Improved Lockscreen? Maybe as part of the new notification system.
- New UI? Don't think so, especially since Apple showed Launchpad for Lion. It's the same grid-like UI, even with the same fugly folders...
My lowered predictions for iOS 5:
- iCloud syncing for some media, but not everything
- MobileMe still around, but with tiered pricing plans
- Notifications, but not something completely new or revolutionary, just less annoying.
- Improved Mail app (Flags, rich & selectable HTML signatures per account, etc.)
- WebKit 2 engine for Mobile Safari (Release of Safari 6 for Lion)
- Reading List syncing with iOS devices
- AirDrop capability with unified Files app
- More business and security features for enterprises
- Maybe improved SMS app?? (Twitter integration, WhatsApp killer?)
- API for unified File location with Folders set-up
- Facetime over 3G
Again, I hope for more. My inner fanboy demands it
! But I try set to my expectations low. The iPad 2 event already lacked a lot of new things and I don't see many crazy new things as far as integration of iOS and Lion besides Files and media syncing with iCloud/AirDrop.
So iCloud is completely replacing MobileMe? I thought iCloud was just going to be a service of MM.
Don't see why they wouldn't, they kept the @mac.com addresses and you could use either. It's nothing more than a simple redirect, now we can also use @icloud.com addresses.
My prediction, that you not only will be able to use @mac, @me, or @icloud, but they'll introduce the option of using any domain you have registered, just like you already can do with a google apps account. It's technically Gmail, but using your own domain instead of gmails.
Yes the two we know are developer platforms. The third is being released at a developer conference. Yet most people think it's just a music streaming and maybe iDisk/iSync replacement. They say in advertising that all images are crafted so that nothing implied is not intended. Apple are the masters of no casual references. They do seem to pride themselves on obtuse references. Which would include these in posters and the fact that they have allowed them to be seen. The invite said "come see the future of Mac OS X and iOS" which now includes iCloud at the same level as them.
Something is not gelling.
I get the feeling iCloud is a HTML5 app platform.
Re: the aluminum iCloud icon...
Maybe this points toward a case redesign of both the AEBS and Time Capsule? Finally bringing the case design in line with the current aluminum/glass/black theme they have established (now the lone hold out is the MacBook). If true, the device could get somewhat smaller... Something between an TV2 and Mac mini. They could drop the AEBS completely, remove the physical storage from TC in favor of a "send all backups to the iCloud" feature... as a way to tie more people to their MobileMe/iCloud services.
Or not.
Four. More. Days.
Maybe this points toward a case redesign of both the AEBS and Time Capsule? Finally bringing the case design in line with the current aluminum/glass/black theme they have established (now the lone hold out is the MacBook). If true, the device could get somewhat smaller... Something between an TV2 and Mac mini. They could drop the AEBS completely, remove the physical storage from TC in favor of a "send all backups to the iCloud" feature... as a way to tie more people to their MobileMe/iCloud services.
Or not.
Four. More. Days.
Re: the aluminum iCloud icon...
Maybe this points toward a case redesign of both the AEBS and Time Capsule? Finally bringing the case design in line with the current aluminum/glass/black theme they have established (now the lone hold out is the MacBook). If true, the device could get somewhat smaller... Something between an TV2 and Mac mini. They could drop the AEBS completely, remove the physical storage from TC in favor of a "send all backups to the iCloud" feature... as a way to tie more people to their MobileMe/iCloud services.
Or not.
Four. More. Days.
AL enclosure sounds plausible, except, wouldn't that hinder the antennas? There would be some portion of it that would have to be black plastic, and even then, I doubt it would get as good reception as the version we have now.
No way will TM hard storage be removed--cloud backups would take forever. I could see them potentially axing TM and sticking a few extra USB ports on the Extreme, with full support for Time Machine backups over an attached external drive.
Instead of making them Aluminium, they could make them shiny black, like the AppleTv.
1. They have already said the Keynote will be about Lion, iOS 5, and iCloud...so it's pretty obvious that that 5 icon is referring specifically to iOS 5.
2. In any case, iPhone 5 will most likely come out with iOS 5...when it is released in the fall.
They can't release it, as developers need the GM first. It'll be either a preview, in which case or it'll be a while, or it'll be the GM, in which case we'd get it in 2-3 weeks.
