Work on iOS 10 and OS X 10.12 Ramping Up Ahead of WWDC

[MacRumors]

As we get closer to the date of Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, work on next-generation operating systems iOS 10 and OS X 10.12 is unsurprisingly ramping up based on data gathered from our site logs.

MacRumors first started seeing visits from a small number of devices running iOS 10 and OS X 10.12 in late 2015. Visits picked up starting in January, and have grown steadily throughout the month of February.

Visitors to MacRumors.com from devices running iOS 10​

We're now seeing hundreds of visits per day from devices that have iOS 10 or OS X 10.12 installed, and we will undoubtedly see those numbers continue to climb as the months tick by.

Visitors to MacRumors.com from devices running OS X 10.12​

It's still early in the development process so we haven't heard much about the new features we can expect to see in iOS 10 and OS X 10.12, but there have been a few tidbits. One of the main focal points in OS X 10.12 is said to be Siri for Mac, finally bringing Apple's voice assistant to OS X.

Both iOS 10 and OS X 10.12 may also include improvements to the Photos app, introducing some capabilities that were removed in the transition from iPhoto to Photos. Additional details about the two new operating systems will leak out as we approach the middle of the year.

While iOS 10 and OS X 10.12 are unlikely to be released to the public until the fall, Apple traditionally debuts new operating system updates at WWDC, giving developers time to get acquainted with new features and build new capabilities into their apps.

This year's Worldwide Developers Conference is expected to take place from June 13 to June 17, based on the booking schedule for Moscone West in San Francisco, where Apple has held the event for many years in a row.

MacRumors is also seeing a small number of visits from devices running iOS 9.3.1, suggesting there will be additional updates to iOS 9 ahead of the debut of iOS 10.

Article Link: Work on iOS 10 and OS X 10.12 Ramping Up Ahead of WWDC

 

[Richardgm]

Tell us something we don't know.

 

[garirry]

Um, how exactly is it determined that someone visits from a software that was never released? Not to mention it's just weird, isn't it supposed to be ultra-confidential whatever they work on?

 

[evenworstteddy]

What's the scale for these graphs ?

 

[gwhizkids]

I've always found visits by Apple employees to Apple-related sites interesting. What portions of the site do they hit? Do they just hit the home page or do they go to the forums? The latter would be very interesting.
[doublepost=1456779871][/doublepost]

Um, how exactly is it determined that someone visits from a software that was never released? Not to mention it's just weird, isn't it supposed to be ultra-confidential whatever they work on?

Pretty hard to cover up your operating system when you visit someone else's site. But they need to test under real world conditions, so they have to go somewhere.

 

[Dydegu]

Can't wait!

 

[thekeyring]

Um, how exactly is it determined that someone visits from a software that was never released? Not to mention it's just weird, isn't it supposed to be ultra-confidential whatever they work on?

When you visit a website you reveal certain things about your device (it's how some sites know to load mobile websites when you're viewing them from a phone). One of the things you give away is the OS version.

Yes, it's meant to be ultra-confidential, but as iOS 10 is kind of a given, it's not too much of a give away. When Apple were first developing Safari, and didn't want anyone to know they were working on a browser, they used code to make sure it looked like a different browser.

 

[Michael Goff]

Um, how exactly is it determined that someone visits from a software that was never released? Not to mention it's just weird, isn't it supposed to be ultra-confidential whatever they work on?

I'm guessing browser sniffing.

 

[jmh600cbr]

Um, how exactly is it determined that someone visits from a software that was never released? Not to mention it's just weird, isn't it supposed to be ultra-confidential whatever they work on?

its super easy, you browser send specific information about your device, including operating system, browser type, device type, pixel range...it has to in order to deliver the right content

 

[-Ray-]

I don't know why you guys post this. It is so easy to change my browsers user agent. Someone is just toying with the site.

 

[laudern]

So macrumors won't put a y axis value and actually tell us the number of hits, but will give us a vague "hundreds of visits" comment immediately below.

Nice work.

 

[itguy06]

Pretty hard to cover up your operating system when you visit someone else's site. But they need to test under real world conditions, so they have to go somewhere.

Really? You write the OS. Just have the user agent respond with whatever version you want. Heck, there are browser extensions that do that.

 

[576316]

Apple devs gonna lurk...

 

[WordMasterRice]

I don't know why you guys post this. It is so easy to change my browsers user agent. Someone is just toying with the site.

They often correlate it with known Apple IP addresses. It isn't really worth messing with it to just hide user agents.

 

[sza]

Fuji?

 

[justin216]

Really? You write the OS. Just have the user agent respond with whatever version you want. Heck, there are browser extensions that do that.

But to what end, and for what reason would you fake the string if you're Apple? It's expected they're working on iOS 10 and Mac OS 10.12, these are annually-released software products. This type of post is typically referred to as a "slow news day" type of post. We all know they're working on next generation of software, this is just additional confirmation.

MacRumors has posted these same types of posts every year. Interesting to see, but that's about it. It'd be one thing if this were a feature dump or similar. But version numbers? Not a big deal.

 

[iLoveDeveloping]

I'm starting to get really confused with all these version numbers now. Do most people (not devs) even remember what version is running on their phone without checking it?! Can't wait to see iOS12.8.749 yey, a slightly new colour on the safari icon.

 

[XTheLancerX]

I'm starting to get really confused with all these version numbers now. Do most people (not devs) even remember what version is running on their phone without checking it?! Can't wait to see iOS12.8.749 yey, a slightly new colour on the safari icon.

That would actually be pretty big news in comparison to most stuff that happens in x.x.x releases lol.

 

[emm386]

Pretty hard to cover up your operating system when you visit someone else's site.

absolutely. pretty, pretty hard.

browser sniffing

Browser:"Hello www.macrumors.com - I would like to have some data from... "
Website :"*sniff* *sniff*"
Browser:"What the heck are YOU doing?"
Website :"Sniffing you... "
Browser:"... are you from the past? that's soo 90'ish... why don't you just read my user agent ?"
Website :"*sniff* *sniff*"

 

[-Ray-]

They often correlate it with known Apple IP addresses. It isn't really worth messing with it to just hide user agents.

Ever hear of IP Spoofing?

 

[m.x]

Can someone help me and explain why there are so many sharp dents in the graphs? I can't think of a satisfying answer, other than it is each time a new build which takes a few days to check and then later to test in the web?

 

[AppleFan91]

Tell us something we don't know.

I open-mouth kissed a horse once.

 

[Mascots]

Can someone help me and explain why there are so many sharp dents in the graphs? I can't think of a satisfying answer, other than it is each time a new build which takes a few days to check and then later to test in the web?

Most of people who are working on these prerelease versions most likely aren't using them as their primary OS on their primary devices (prevent leaks, instability issues, and other purposes) - so they're probably using them in intervals that relate to the internal development, are close to HQ, and are more predictable and beneficial (to the team) timeline.

I say that because it looks like the spikes are mostly on weekdays with breaks on weekends.

 

[leventozler]

Can someone help me and explain why there are so many sharp dents in the graphs? I can't think of a satisfying answer, other than it is each time a new build which takes a few days to check and then later to test in the web?

Weekends

 

[VulchR]

Apple employees obviously don't know about the 24/7 economy. Explains a lot.

I open-mouth kissed a horse once.

Eeewwww!