WWDC 2016: 40 mostly credible rumors (abridged)

Short of time? Me too. Here is every currently popular and credible rumor for what to expect at WWDC 2016 in one short blast. NB: Some of these things may not happen.

iOS X and OS 10

Or is it the other way round? Or is it macOS? Anyway, expect a host of OS improvements (extending to tvOS and watchOS) with a focus on Continuity. Oh and Night Shift for Macs, obviously. And new Web standards. And Siri for the Mac. And much more news on Swift and Metal. And better CarPlay. And, and, and – we’ll probably see a list.

AI

• Siri gets smarter (see below).

Android

• Wondering what new apps Apple may announce for Android users? iMessage makes sense. Will they or won’t they?

Apps

• Hide stock Apple apps
• HomeKit becomes the one app to control your home, rather than a plethora of different ones.
• News stand migrates to News, subscribe to feeds there
• Apps discovery improvements (NB: I expect surprises).

Apple Music

• iTunes overhaul, simpler UI and now with lyrics (about time)
• Apple Music to be “more intuitive”, but that could mean anything
• Connect becomes the new Ping. Surprised?
• Beats 1 gets some love. Beats 2?

Apple Pay

• Wish list includes expansion into more countries, person-to-person payments, ATM support (take out cash without a card)

Apple TV

• Jury out on video on demand services
• Expect some key new broadcast app additions
• A HomeKit app for Apple TV makes sense really, don’t you think?
• Get everything you need for Apple TV here.

Apple Watch

• Hello Apple SIM
• New fitness sensors (non-invasive diabetes testing?)
• Faster, thinner, better performance
• Much better battery life
• More models
• More on this here

Car

• It’s a secret, isn’t it?

iCloud

• Better encryption
• Improved Pages et al.
• Notes improvements
• Faster sync, storage and improved API’s

Macs

• The list looks pretty long, really, but people are expecting a new MacBook Pro that’s thinner, faster, with a great screen and better USB.
• And Siri.

Maps

• Maps will go nuts:
• SDK
• New 3D views
• Apple Streetview?
• Additional features and data stacks

Medical

• Big news from ResearchKit and more
• New health sensors
• Third party device announcements?

Photos

• Some anticipation of new Photos functions.

Siri

• Siri SDK for developers
• Siri Remote for Remote app in iOS
• Siri powered speaker systems
• Improved capabilities and predictive intelligence
• Now on Macs
• More here

TouchID

• Touch ID support for Macs – open a Mac with your iPhone

watchOS

• People want third party watch faces
• They’ll also get cool features like taking iCloud memos on your watch that are made available across all devices.

Caveat emptor

Apple does its own thing. Rumours and expectations are meaningless. Any or all of these predictions could turn out false, but these are the cream of the crop of current speculations. It will be interesting to see what does happen. Expect the unexpected.

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