10 Things to Expect from Apple’s 2014 WWDC

by Don Reisinger

There’s no doubt about it: Apple’s next mobile operating system, believed to be named iOS 8, will be shown off at WWDC. Rumors suggest that iOS 8 will come with the same look and feel (with a few updates here and there), but offer many more features centered on health and an improved Siri. Many of the iOS changes this year will be “under the hood.”

The next OS X update will also be unveiled at the event. Each year, Apple uses WWDC to showcase software, so it would only make sense that the Mavericks follow-up will be shown off. Look for the update to include some design enhancements and better functionality on Mail and Calendar.

Although rumors have been swirling for months that suggest Apple is working on a watch it’ll call iWatch, the latest rumors say that won’t actually happen. Indeed, Apple will come out on stage with a smartband in-hand and partner with Nike to bring it to the market, according to the latest reports. Apple reportedly believes the market isn’t yet ready for a watch, but is ready to invest in a smartband that works with iOS devices and has fitness features built in.

With Amazon now breathing down Apple’s back, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the iPhone maker will also unveil a new and improved Apple TV this year. The set-top box is no longer a “hobby” for Apple and could include everything from integration with your cable provider to access to more apps and games. Watch out, Kindle TV.

There’s a chance, though it’s not clear how good of one, that Apple will announce a partnership with broadcasters to create a cable TV alternative with the Apple TV. The details on the move are slim at this point, but it’s believed that the entertainment app integration in Apple TV could act as a streaming alternative to having cable or satellite service in the home. We shall see.

According to reports, Apple will show off two new iPhones at WWDC. The first will be an update to the iPhone 5S that features a 4.7-inch display. The other device, which will launch at the end of the year, will be a phablet with a 5.5-inch screen. Apple has stubbornly stuck to smaller display sizes, but the time has come to change that. And it appears 2014 will be the year when it finally rips the Band-Aid off.

Apple loves to start off its keynotes with stats showcasing its success since the last time Tim Cook was on stage. So you can expect to see Apple discuss market-share figures, how many products and apps it has sold, how much money it’s pushed to developers and more. Apple is all about showcasing its success. And WWDC 2014 will be no different.

The sheer amount of health-related features expected to be coming to Apple products this year is unprecedented for the company. Rumors have suggested that everything from the aforementioned smartband to reinvented Apple earbuds will come with health-related features that can integrate with new software in iOS. It sounds like Apple is health-obsessed, and WWDC might prove that.

Unlike Steve Jobs, who always wanted to be on stage to announce the company’s latest and greatest technologies, Tim Cook likes to take a backseat and leave that to his top executives. So, at WWDC this year, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if Cook comes out first, talks about Apple’s successes, introduces executives, and then ends the show with a new commercial and musical act. Some things never change.

Although Google wouldn’t admit it publicly, Apple is extremely concerned about Android’s success in the mobile space. That’s why the iPhone maker focuses so much time at these kinds of presentations on Android and why that will happen again this year at WWDC. Expect Android to play a central role in Apple’s sales pitch to customers.