It's time for another round of last-minute WWDC predictions! Last year, I wrote this in the hall leading up to Presidio with all the other nerds enthusiasts, but this year I'm leaving you enough time to actually read this. Here's what I think is going to happen.
Notifications will see a revamp. Instead of an annoying popup, when a new alert is received, the left side of the screen will highlight and you can pull it over. Android's notifications come from the top, I think Apple will be reluctant to copy this. Notifications can include emails, text messages, Flickr pictures, Facebook chats, or anything developers can put inside of a web view.
Apps will be able to support a "widget mode" in which their height and width will be doubled on the home screen. This can display things like your latest Twitter update, your friends' latest Facebook posts, or the last few pictures you took with the camera. Widgets will be built in HTML5 and can receive updates via push notifications. They won't need to have rounded corners, either.
iPhones and iPads will gain an auto-update mode, and it will be enabled by default. Apple TV already does this, so we know it's possible in iOS. Devices will just upgrade to the latest firmware overnight, and users will have the option of downloading all app updates automatically at the same time.
Apple IDs will be used to synch music, apps and documents online as part of iCloud. iPads in particular will gain a "user login" capability so that families can share the device easier.
iPhones will gain a voice feature very similar to the Siri app. This app allows you to find restaurants, book reservations, set calendar reminders, and call a taxi all with just your voice. Maybe Apple will allow developers to work with this API, too. Just a shot in the dark, but a great name for this feature would be "Concierge."
When you scroll your iPhone / iPad home screen all the way left, right now you see an entire screen dedicated to a simple Search bar. This area can be used for a whole lot more. I'm guessing notifications and voice control will be seen here. The Lock screen is another place for both widgets and notifications.
HTML5 apps will gain more capabilities. Particularly, Web Sockets support, push notifications, in-app purchases, multitasking (the fast-app switching variant), and access to the camera, address book and calendar. Apple will start listing them in the iOS App Store alongside native apps, and they will go through the same review process.
I also think it's time that apps in the Mac App Store gained support for in-app purchases. Not sure if Apple has anything else up their sleeves for Lion, except for a lot of demos showing off all the new APIs and end-user features. Eventually I think the iPad will get "Mission Control," but I don't think it will happen this year.
Other random predictions:
- Steve Jobs will tell everyone to turn off their WiFi for a demo. Everyone will obey.
- There will be an incredible demo of the iPad 2's graphics capabilities that will blow everyone away.
- MobileMe will be rebranded as iCloud, and a one-year subscription will be included when you buy any device.
- Phil Schiller.
There you have it. Maybe if I get some of them right I'll do a scorecard after it's over. Keep in mind that it will be a miracle if I am at least partly accurate—all of this is completely made up.