WWDC - page 15

Wow! 2011 has been one of the most interesting years in recent memory for Apple Inc. Of course the death of Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs, stands out as one of the most important events of the year for Apple, but there have been a load of other stories too that have made 2011 a very memorable year for the fruit company. From one controversy to the next, to record-breaking earnings, and new products, Apple has plowed through 2011 with a steady determination to be the best technology company on the planet. Only one device underwent a redesign (the iPad), while other form factors stayed the same. Instead of focusing on making pivotal leaps forward with hardware, Apple’s main focus of 2011 was to fortify their strong foundation in the software game.

Here’s Cult of Mac’s look back on the Apple in the year 2011.

Following its unveiling at WWDC back in June, users in the U.S. have been able to enjoy the iTunes in the Cloud beta, which allows them to re-download content purchased from the iTunes Store. Users in other parts of the world were left out, and we were led to believe that iTunes in the Cloud would be U.S.-only upon its launch. Today, however, Apple is rolling out the feature internationally.

When Apple announced iTunes Match at WWDC back in June, it was a little unclear whether the service would allow you to stream your music library to your iOS devices as opposed to storing it locally — allowing you to access your tracks without actually taking up any of your precious storage space.

Following the launch of the iTunes Match developer beta yesterday, it has been confirmed that streaming is possible with Apple’s upcoming $25/year service.

Developers are now enjoying the fifth beta of Apple’s next major iOS release, but just like everything created at the Cupertino camp, we never know when an update is about to drop. Unless, of course, you go digging around in iOS files… which seemingly reveals the release date of iOS 5 beta 6.

Apple’s annual iPod media event traditionally happens during September, and we’re hoping that this year’s is going to be pretty spectacular. In addition to the final previews, and possibly the public release, of iOS 5, we’re hoping that elusive iPhone 5 finally shows its face.

While we’ve heard many, many rumors surrounding the fifth-generation device, and indeed the next-generation iPod touch, we’re yet to hear a specific date for their unveiling. Until now.

After a torrent of speculation surrounding the Apple’s fifth-generation iPhone in recent months — nearly all of which has offered the same launch date — it seems the iPhone 5 may not be arriving this September after all.

It seems reasonable by now to expect Apple’s iPhone 5 to launch this September. Considering all the speculation we’ve waded through over the past few months, a September launch has certainly been the most consistent claim. And while we’re no closer to an exact launch date, the China Times pinpoints the second week of September for the launch of the fifth-generation device, and later this fall for the launch of the iPad 3.

Apple’s eighth major release of the Mac OS X operating system finally hit the Mac App Store on Wednesday, after what seemed like a painfully long wait since it was teased at WWDC in June. Its $29 price tag, coupled with over 250 awesome new features, makes it a ‘no-brainer’ upgrade for anyone using a compatible Mac, and its launch day download numbers certainly prove that.

Apple has confirmed that OS X Lion will be hitting the Mac App Store today, and while we already know it will cost $29.99 for those in the U.S., do you know how much it will cost where you live? Here’s Apple price structure for Lion.

Following its absence during 2010, Apple could be set to launch another round of the developer “Tech Tour World Tour” later this year to coincide with the release of iOS 5 and iCloud.

Apple teased the latest features in the upcoming OS X Lion operating system at WWDC early this month, but when it comes to a release date, the company has left us hanging. Now a new report claims that Lion will launch on July 19th… and will drag new MacBook Airs out to customers immeditely in its wake.

Developers who weren’t able to attend this year’s WWDC can catch up with over 100 WWDC session videos, which are now available through Apple’s Dev Center.

Mobile is the future. Despite App Store integration in OS X Lion and Apple’s increased excitement about the Mac, the number of iOS developers also working on Mac applications has dwindled to single digits.

We met some amazingly fantastic people at our first-ever shindig (at San Francisco’s Il Pirata) and gave out a smorgasbord of smashing raffle prizes.

In honour of the final day of this year’s WWDC today, the iPhone Dev-Team may have a little treat in store for those of you have are running the first iOS 5 beta.

While the iTunes in the Cloud and iTunes Match features unveiled at WWDC this week have since been the center of attention for user in the U.S., users across the pond in the U.K. are still wondering when these features may be available to them. According to record label executives and music analysts, us Brits won’t get our hands on them until at least 2012.

With the unveiling of iOS 5 at WWDC earlier this week, Apple announced a few features that may be cause for concern for some third-party application developers. One feature that wasn’t mentioned, however, may worry those who produce panoramic camera applications.

The Apple Design Awards just concluded at WWDC, and the winners are…

As a follow-up to last week’s super guide of everything we expected at WWDC 2011, here’s everything Steve Jobs and Apple actually did announce at this year’s WWDC, from Lion’s exciting new features to the revolution of iOS 5 and iCloud.

Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon that leads us to interpret a random image as somehow being informationally significant. It’s why you see Jesus in the char on the face of your morning slice of toast, and it’s why you see Kermit the Frog on Mars.

It’s also why several prominent Apple blogs think they see an S (if they squint) in Apple’s WWDC invite, heralding the arrival, perhaps, of an iPhone 4S. Or it could be a 5, proclaiming the announcement of iOS 5. If you really squint, it even looks a little like an ampersand!

Hey, this is fun. What do you see? As a little bit of pre-WWDC frivolity, tell us in the comments the wackiest thing you see in the pareidolia of the WWDC invite.

[via Razorian Fly]

Is this a leaked photograph of the new iOS 5 home screen complete with a swanky new notification bar and a revamped camera icon, or simply the work of a talented Photoshopper?

With just under 10 hours still to go before Steve Jobs kicks off this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, some eager attendees are already forming lines outside San Francisco’s Moscone West. A famous face among the bunch is Jay Freeman (better known as Saurik), the creator of Cydia.

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When Steve takes the stage tomorrow morning, it’s pretty much a sure bet that he will use the words, magical, amazing, beautiful, and extraordinary a few dozen times each as he introduces the new iOS 5, iCloud and OS X Lion. We’re sure that iOS 5 is going to be great, but the iOSMagic Team has dreamed up something more amazing than even Steve Jobs can deliver.

When Apple reveals iCloud at WWDC on Monday, it’ll have the kind of impact the iPod has had, predicts Kevin Fox, a Silicon Valley software veteran who’s worked at Apple, Yahoo and Google.

“The rumblings are huge,” says Fox, lead designer at Mozilla. Fox worked on Newton software before designing Yahoo’s chat service and then software for Google (including Gmail 1.0, Google Calendar 1.0, and Google Reader 2.0). He continues:

… given the complete failure of MobileMe over the last decade there’s no way Apple would introduce [iCloud] on such a pedestal unless it’s incredible. My guess is that iCloud is to MobileMe as iPhone was to Newton: a complete, deep, polished solution after an underwhelming market failure.

In just three days, Steve Jobs will take the stage at San Francisco Moscone Center and kick off this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference, or WWDC. In so doing, he’ll announce new software, new products and end months of speculation about the new iPhone, iOS 5, iCloud music streaming and OS X Lion.

Here’s Cult of Mac’s complete overview of what we’re expecting to hear about at this year’s WWDC.