As part of its flurry of updates to Apple.com today, Apple's web team posted the new OS X Mavericks background image at 5120x2880. That resolution is identical to the one anticipated for a 27" Retina display for the iMac or a standalone Retina Thunderbolt Display. The image, which was noticed by Twitter user Marvin Scharle, is similar to Retina-sized images that were included in Lion in 2011, long before Apple had released any Retina-equipped Macs publicly. With Apple's announcement today that the new Mac Pro would include support for 4K video displays along with Thunderbolt 2, the company is clearly getting ready for larger Retina panels in the future. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Updates iTunes Connect with App Transfer Functionality • Apple Announces New Airport Base Station and Time Capsule with Faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Apple Announces 'iWork for iCloud' for Both Mac and iOS • Apple Announces iCloud Keychain, 1Password-Like Password Manager • Apple Announces New iBooks and Maps Apps for OS X Mavericks • Apple Tops $10 Billion in App Store Payouts, 1 Million Daily Retail Store Visitors • Anki Debuts 'Anki Drive' Intelligent Robotic Car Game • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream [Video Posted]    
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Apple has posted the Jony Ive introduction video for iOS 7, along with the full-length keynote, the 'Designed by Apple' television ad that Tim Cook showed at the end of the keynote, as well as the introduction video from the keynote that is part of the same campaign. The 'Designed by Apple' ad, featuring a voiceover from actor Ben Affleck, is a branding spot looking to reinforce Apple's California roots. Apple has also posted the companion spot that it used to open the WWDC Keynote that is part of the same branding campaign. This is it. This is what matters. The experience of a product. How will it make someone feel? Will it make life better? Does it deserve to exist? We spend a lot of time on a few great things. Until every idea we touch enhances each life it touches. You may rarely look at it, but you'll always feel it. This is our signature. It means everything.Apple has posted a video of the full two-hour WWDC Keynote on its website. The video should also be made available on the Apple Keynotes Podcast on the iTunes Store later today. [Podcast links: Keynotes, Keynotes in HD, Keynotes in 1080p HD] Other WWDC Keynote highlights: - Apple Unveils iOS 7 with Major Design Overhaul, Multitasking and Control Center - Apple Offers Sneak Peek of Completely Redesigned Mac Pro - Apple Announces New MacBook Airs with Haswell Processors and 'All-Day' Battery Life - Apple Announces OS X 'Mavericks' - Apple Announces iTunes Radio, Ad-Supported, Free for iTunes Match Subscribers - Apple Announces New Airport Base Station and Time Capsule with Faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi - Apple Announces 'iWork for iCloud' for both Mac and iOS - Apple Announces iCloud Keychain, 1Password-Like Password Manager - Apple Announces New iBooks and Maps Apps for OS X Mavericks - App Store Developer Payout Over $10 Billion, Apple Stores Seeing 1 Million Visitors Daily - Anki Debuts 'Anki Drive' Intelligent Robotic Car Game Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Announces New Airport Base Station and Time Capsule with Faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Apple Announces 'iWork for iCloud' for both Mac and iOS • Apple Announces iCloud Keychain, 1Password-Like Password Manager • Apple Announces New iBooks and Maps Apps for OS X Mavericks • App Store Developer Payout Over $10 Billion, Apple Stores Seeing 1 Million Visitors Daily • Anki Debuts 'Anki Drive' Intelligent Robotic Car Game • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream [Video Posted] • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford    
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At today's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, Apple unveiled the latest iteration of its mobile operating system. As expected, iOS 7 features a major design overhaul that removes many of the skeuomorphic elements found in previous versions of iOS, instead favoring a clean and gloss-less "flat" look. "It's the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone," said Tim Cook. "It has a whole new structure that is coherent and that is applied across the entire system," said Jony Ive in a video showing off the new operating system. "We've considered the tiniest details like refining the typography to much larger ones like redesigning all the icons." Design iOS 7 features an entirely new color scheme, with translucency, to "create a sense of depth and vitality." The design is significantly different from before, with all new multitasking screens and a totally redesigned interface. The icons are "flat," as expected, with bright new colors. Apps like Game Center have been entirely overhauled, with the removal of the felt and wood elements in favor of a design that relies heavily on black and white with colored accents. iOS 7 incorporates new motion tracking capabilities. As the device is moved in the hand, it actually tracks motion and the screen moves, which carries over across the system. On the stage, Federighi demoed the new dynamic weather app, which incorporates some live weather elements. For example, if it is raining outside, the app will show rain. The weather app uses an all new font. Like the Weather app, the Calendar also features a minimalistic new design. Messages has seen a major overhaul, with a blue and white interface that's removed the gloss from the chat bubbles. Swiping on the screen in messages allows users to go from individual messages to a messages overview. Mail has the same no-frills interface, focusing on text and photos. It incorporates full screen photos. Notifications Center looks entirely different as well, with new daily overviews. Notifications Center is also now available from the Lock Screen as well as at the top of the app, and it syncs. Control Center Control Center offers new preference controls. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (including the lockscreen) to find quick access to preferences. It has switches that allow users to access Do Not Disturb, brightness, and a flashlight. There's also controls for music. Multitasking Multitasking for all apps is available in iOS 7. iOS 7 takes note of which apps are used on a frequent basis and it keeps those apps updated in the background. It has intelligent scheduling and opportunistic updates, such as when a user checks their phone throughout the day. It detects coverage signal and it responds to push notifications, giving the app time to update in the background, so that it will be up to date when it is open. There's also a new app switching screen that displays large-sized app cards. Safari Safari will get a number of improvements in iOS 7, including a new full screen look and a smart search field. With this field, there's one tap access to favorites, and it also has a new tabbed interface along with parental controls and iCloud keychain integration. AirDrop AirDrop will be included with iOS 7, making it easier for users to share photos, videos, and other content with other iPhone owners. This is system wide and can be used with any app that supports the API, it's supported on Apple's newest devices, including the iPhone 5 and the fourth generation iPad, as well as the iPad mini. Camera iOS 7 introduces a redesigned camera app that includes photo filters. There's also a new photos app that brings greater photo organization to the system. iOS knows where photos were taken and when and this information is used to organize photos into "Moments." iCloud Photo Sharing has also been enhanced, allowing users to have fully shared photo streams that include both photos and videos. Siri Siri has been given a "gorgeous" new interface. Siri has also been given new voice options that include a male voice and voices for other languages like French. Siri has also gotten smarter, so it can now perform tasks like turning on Bluetooth or increasing device brightness. New services have been integrated with Siri, such as web search results from Bing, Twitter, and Wikipedia. iOS in the Car iOS 7 is designed to provide enhanced integration with in-car systems, displaying iOS on in-car monitors to make calls, get messages, and more. App Store The App Store has been entirely redesigned with the same black and white look featured in many of the apps in iOS 7. It is now easier to find apps than ever before. "Apps Near Me" allows users to find the apps that are in use nearby, and there are also new discovery tools for children. The App Store will now update apps automatically, doing away with manual updates. Music, too, has been updated. Turning the app sideways will reveal albums and the music app now incorporates iTunes Music, Apple's new streaming music service. iTunes Radio is free, ad-supported (ad-free for iTunes Match subscribers), and available on iOS, Apple TV, and the Mac. Activation Lock With Activation Lock, if a thief tries to turn off Find My iPhone or wipe a device, the thief will not be able to reactivate the phone without a user's iCloud user name. It is designed to be a theft deterrent. APIs The SDK includes more than 1500 new APIs, including AirDrop support, iBeacons, MFi Game Controllers, UI Dynamics, New Multitasking APIs, SpriteKit, Barcode Scanning, and more. iOS 7 is available for developers today on the iPhone, with iPad support coming at a later date. iOS 7 will be available for consumers this fall. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Announces iTunes Radio • Apple Announces New AirPort Base Stations and Time Capsules With All-New Designs, 802.11ac WiFi • Apple Announces 'iWork for iCloud' for both Mac and iOS • Apple Offers Sneak Peek of Next-Generation Mac Pro • Apple Announces iCloud Keychain, 1Password-Like Password Manager for Mac OS X 'Mavericks' • Apple Announces New MacBook Airs with Haswell Processors with 'All-Day' Battery Life • Apple Debuts new iBooks and Maps Apps for the Mac • Apple Announces Mac OS X 'Mavericks'    
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At today's WWDC keynote event, Apple offered a sneak peek of its next-generation Mac Pro, a line of desktop computers that has not received a significant update in several years. The preview began with a teaser video showcasing the radically redesigned tubular tower.The next generation Mac Pro is architected around an ingenious unified thermal core that allows the desktop to efficiently share its entire thermal capacity across all the processors. The result is a pro desktop with breakthrough performance packed into a design that is one-eighth the volume of the current Mac Pro. Next generation Intel Xeon E5 processors with up to 12 core configurations deliver double the floating point performance. With two AMD FirePro workstation-class GPUs, the all-new Mac Pro is up to 2.5 times faster than the current Mac Pro and delivers up to an amazing 7 teraflops of compute power. The new Mac Pro also features PCIe-based flash storage that is up to 10 times faster than conventional desktop hard drives and includes the latest four-channel ECC DDR3 memory running at 1866 MHz to deliver up to 60GBps of memory bandwidth. With all that power, the new Mac Pro lets you seamlessly edit full-resolution 4K video while simultaneously rendering effects in the background.New generation Intel Xeon processors, ECC memory, and new PCIe flash storage will debut in the new Mac Pro. External expansion will be available via six Thunderbolt 2 ports and graphics will be handled by dual workstation AMD FirePro GPUs with support for up to three 4K displays. Compared to the previous Mac Pro, the next-generation model is approximately 1/8 the size. The new Mac Pro will also be assembled in the United States. A preview of the Mac Pro given by Pixar engineers will be available for developers at WWDC tomorrow. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Announces New Airport Base Station and Time Capsule with Faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Apple Announces 'iWork for iCloud' for both Mac and iOS • Apple Announces iCloud Keychain, 1Password-Like Password Manager • Apple Announces New iBooks and Maps Apps for OS X Mavericks • App Store Developer Payout Over $10 Billion, Apple Stores Seeing 1 Million Visitors Daily • Anki Debuts 'Anki Drive' Intelligent Robotic Car Game • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream [Video Posted] • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford    
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At today's WWDC keynote in San Francisco, California, Apple announced new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Airs, which have been designed with battery life in mind. As expected, the new Airs use Haswell processors that offer enhanced performance and significantly improved battery life, but feature no cosmetic changes. With the new Haswell processors, The 11" MacBook Air will now have nine hours of battery life while the 13" MacBook Air will have a stunning 12 hours of battery life. In addition to Haswell processors, the new MacBooks feature 802.11ac compatibility, with support for the "Gigabit WiFi" 802.11ac specification. Gigabit WiFi offers speeds up to three times as fast as existing 802.11n wireless networks. The 11" MacBook Air starts at $999 with a 128GB hard drive and the 13" MacBook Air with a 128GB hard drive starts at $1099. Apple's MacBook Airs are available today from Apple's Online Store and at retail locations. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Announces New Airport Base Station and Time Capsule with Faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Apple Announces 'iWork for iCloud' for both Mac and iOS • Apple Announces iCloud Keychain, 1Password-Like Password Manager • Apple Announces New iBooks and Maps Apps for OS X Mavericks • App Store Developer Payout Over $10 Billion, Apple Stores Seeing 1 Million Visitors Daily • Anki Debuts 'Anki Drive' Intelligent Robotic Car Game • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream [Video Posted] • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford    
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Apple announced iTunes Radio today, a new internet radio service that is built into the Music app in iOS 7. The new feature offers music discovery through featured and genre stations provided by Apple or through the creation of new stations based on a specific artist or song. iTunes Radio is an incredible way to listen to personalized radio stations which have been created just for you,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “It’s the music you love most and the music you’re going to love, and you can easily buy it from the iTunes Store with just one click.iTunes Radio keeps track of all of the songs listened to for easy access later for purchasing or repeat listening. iTunes Radio will also be available on Mac and PC through iTunes and Apple TV. iTunes Radio will be available in the fall for free with ads while iTunes Match subscribers get an ad-free experience. The service will be available starting in the US only at first. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Announces New Airport Base Station and Time Capsule with Faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Apple Announces 'iWork for iCloud' for both Mac and iOS • Apple Announces iCloud Keychain, 1Password-Like Password Manager • Apple Announces New iBooks and Maps Apps for OS X Mavericks • App Store Developer Payout Over $10 Billion, Apple Stores Seeing 1 Million Visitors Daily • Anki Debuts 'Anki Drive' Intelligent Robotic Car Game • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream [Video Posted] • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford    
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Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicks off today at the Moscone West convention center in San Francisco, headlined by the traditional keynote address beginning at 10:00 AM Pacific Time / 1:00 PM Eastern Time. At the keynote, Apple is expected to provide an overview of its upcoming iOS 7 and OS X 10.9, as well as other announcements such as possible new hardware and a streaming music service. Apple will be providing a live video stream on its website for Mac and iOS users and via Apple TV. Live Video Stream of Apple's WWDC 2013 Keynote In addition to Apple's video stream, we will be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the keynote unfolds. Separate news stories regarding the event announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account. Apple's online stores around the world are currently down in advance of the event. Live Blog - Continuously Updating Loading... Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford • Apple Updates WWDC App with Bug Fixes Ahead of Next Week's Conference • Apple Continues to Prep for iRadio Launch Next Week, Signs Sony Publishing • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience    
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A short time ago, Apple brought back its "Apple Events" channel for Apple TV, confirming that it will be offering live video streaming of today's media event. Apple has now updated its site to promote a live stream available online, making the broadcast available to a much broader audience. The teaser text on Apple's main page reads: "View streaming video from today's big event starting at 10 a.m. PDT." The video stream requires Safari 4 or later on a minimum of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, or iOS 4.2 or later for those accessing the stream from a mobile device. Streaming via Apple TV requires second- or third-generation Apple TV with a minimum of software version 5.0.2. Apple's event kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, and MacRumors will have full coverage of the event's announcements. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford • Apple Updates WWDC App with Bug Fixes Ahead of Next Week's Conference • Apple Continues to Prep for iRadio Launch Next Week, Signs Sony Publishing • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience    
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With just hours to go before today's keynote at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off, the company has brought back its "Apple Events" channel on the Apple TV, indicating that it will be streaming live video of the event. A similar channel appeared before Apple's iPad mini media event last October, and the company later revealed that it would also be streaming the event through its website. Apple has, however, yet to confirm that it will be streaming the WWDC 2013 keynote through its website. As with the previous incarnation of the Apple Events channel, users can also watch videos of previous Apple events and keynotes. Apple has on occasion offered live video streams of its events, but before last October's iPad mini event the previous time had been the company's "Back to the Mac" event in October 2010. Apple's keynote kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, and MacRumors will have full coverage of the event. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford • Apple Updates WWDC App with Bug Fixes Ahead of Next Week's Conference • Apple Continues to Prep for iRadio Launch Next Week, Signs Sony Publishing • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience    
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9to5Mac reports that it has "been given a quick peek" at an early beta version of iOS 7, and while the report's source would not allow screenshots to be posted, 9to5Mac is able to share a description of the new design and has created a mockup (at right) highlighting some of the main features. Among the details: - Skinny font as seen on the iOS 7 banner at WWDC. - Carrier signal in status bar changed to five white/gray dots instead of bars. - Flatter icons, in many cases also redesigned. - Separate black and white themes for each app, although it is unclear how they will be implemented.We’re not sure if they are A/B decoys, if white iPhones and Black iPhones will have their own color schemes or as someone else suggested, the different color schemes might be invoked by the amount of ambient light or the time of day. [...] When in “Black mode”, the keyboard is black with gray letters. In “white mode”, gray keys with white letters – a little like Android.- Walking directions in Maps. - "Share" menu now scrolls sideways with one row dedicated to AirDrop sharing to other devices and a second row dedicated to services such as Facebook, Twitter, and the rumored Flickr and Vimeo integration. A third row supports system functions like print, copy, and "use as wallpaper". Apple will be showing off iOS 7, as well as OS X 10.9, at its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote scheduled for later today. While the company should begin seeding versions of iOS 7 to developers today, a public launch is not expected until later this year alongside new iPhone hardware. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford • Apple Updates WWDC App with Bug Fixes Ahead of Next Week's Conference • Apple Continues to Prep for iRadio Launch Next Week, Signs Sony Publishing • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience    
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KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a brief research note today highlighting the status of the iMac, which he says will see shipments fall to roughly 650,000 units this quarter from 1.75 million units in the first calendar quarter. The drop is due in part to seasonality and in part to a natural decline from the pent-up launch demand during the first quarter. Most importantly for potential iMac customers, Kuo believes an iMac update that will bring Intel's new Haswell processors to the line is coming in June or July.We attribute the shipments decline to the fact that new product shipments have peaked and due to the arrival of the consumer slow season. But we believe iMac shipments troughed in 2Q13. Apple is expected to upgrade iMac processor to Intel’s (US) latest Haswell processor in June or July. Meanwhile, the consumer peak season has arrived. Thus we expect shipments to reach 1.1mn units in 3Q13, up 69% QoQ. Full-year shipments are forecast to be 4.7mn units, up 31% YoY.Kuo has been relatively accurate with his predictions over the past several years, and thus his information is closely watched. Today's prediction does, however, mark a shift from a roadmap published by Kuo in January in which he estimated that updated iMacs would arrive around the beginning of the fourth quarter. Despite the arrival of Kuo's note coming just before the keynote of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, there has been no evidence that the company is planning to launch the updated iMacs at the event. Given that Apple just redesigned the iMac late last year, it will very likely maintain that same design for the next generation, making it a relatively standard update that Apple could simply launch without holding a keynote or dedicated media event to announce it. Just last month, a Wi-Fi card essentially identical in shape and connectivity to the card currently used in the iMac surfaced, with the new card supporting the faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. Apple has been rumored to be bringing the standard to its Mac lineup this year, perhaps as soon as today with any hardware announcements it may make. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford • Apple Updates WWDC App with Bug Fixes Ahead of Next Week's Conference • Apple Continues to Prep for iRadio Launch Next Week, Signs Sony Publishing • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience    
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Following the release of a public beta nearly two months ago, Adobe today announced immediate availability of the official release of Photoshop Lightroom 5, the company's professional photo management and manipulation software. Lightroom 5 Advanced Healing Brush (Click for larger) Adobe highlights six major new and improved features found in Lightroom 5, as well as a number of other smaller features designed to make the software more powerful and efficient than ever.- Advanced Healing Brush: Remove distracting elements with a single brush stroke. Adjust the size of the brush and move it in precise paths. Unwanted objects and flaws—even those with irregular shapes like threads—just disappear. - Upright tool: Straighten tilted images with a single click. The new Upright tool analyzes images and detects skewed horizontal and vertical lines, even straightening shots where the horizon is hidden. - Radial Gradient tool: Emphasize important parts of your image with more flexibility and control. The Radial Gradient tool lets you create off-center vignette effects, or multiple vignetted areas within a single image.  - Smart Previews: Easily work with images without bringing your entire catalog of original images with you. Just generate smaller stand-in files called Smart Previews. Make adjustments or metadata additions to the Smart Previews and apply your changes to the full-size originals later. - Improved photo book creation: Create beautiful photo books from your images. Lightroom includes a variety of easy-to-use book templates, and now you can edit them to create a customized look. Upload your book for printing with just a few clicks. - Video slideshows: Easily share your work in elegant video slideshows. Combine still images, video clips, and music in creative HD videos that can be viewed on almost any computer or device.Lightroom 5 is priced at $149 as a standalone purchase, with upgrading pricing of $79 available to current Lightroom users. Subscribers to Adobe's Creative Cloud service will also receive access to Lightroom 5 with their memberships. Lightroom competes with Apple's Aperture software, which is available on the Mac App Store for $79.99. Each successive version of Aperture has seen Apple reduce pricing, moves that drove Adobe to slash the price of Lightroom in half to $149 with the release of Lightroom 4 last year. But with no sign of a new version of Aperture and Apple continuing to price Aperture 3 at $79.99, Adobe apparently remains comfortable with its $149 standard pricing on Lightroom while it also seeks to transition users to its Creative Cloud subscription services. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford • Apple Updates WWDC App with Bug Fixes Ahead of Next Week's Conference • Apple Continues to Prep for iRadio Launch Next Week, Signs Sony Publishing • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience    
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Apple will announce a significant redesign of its iOS software and a streaming-music service tomorrow at WWDC according to a pair of reports from The Wall Street Journal posted this evening. The newspaper confirms longstanding rumors that iOS will see a substantial redesign overseen by Jony Ive, Apple's chief designer. It sources "people involved in its development" as saying the iOS redesign will drop the skeumorphic design favored by the ousted Scott Forstall in favor of "plain solid backgrounds and more white space." Ive's substantial "flat" redesign of the iOS interface has been rumored for several weeks. Several alleged leaks have appeared, though it's unclear if any of these have been legitimate. Prior to the publication of these two articles, prominent Apple journalist John Gruber claimed on a podcast that "all the leaks are wrong" with regards to iOS 7. It's unclear if he was referring to leaked images of the user interface or more broad-based rumors of a significant UI overhaul. In addition to details regarding the iOS redesign, the WSJ also shared some other possible tidbits about tomorrow's presentation. The new iOS will also include new ways to share photos and videos with other iPhone users and other enhancements, these people said. The company is also expected to announce a long-expected streaming-music service, new laptops and an update to its Mac operating system.The new ways to share photos and videos may be a reference to AirDrop, a feature that was rumored to be included in iOS 7. Unlike the UI redesign and the streaming-music service, the paper did not cite any sources with regards to new laptop models and an update to OS X. In a separate article, the WSJ all-but confirmed that Apple will launch a streaming-music service at WWDC tomorrow. The tech press has nicknamed the initiative 'iRadio', and the ad-supported service is expected to significantly compete against Pandora, one of the most popular applications on the iPhone. The highly anticipated new service—expected to be available only in the U.S.—will allow users to stream a radio-like channel of music based on their interests. It will be supported by text and audio ads from Apple’s iAd service, people familiar with the matter said. It will feature “Buy” buttons to drive downloads, they added.The paper said talks between Apple and record labels and publishers have been in the works for more than a year, with Apple delaying the planned launch of the service in order to reach satisfactory agreements. Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president for Internet Software and Services, is said to be the main negotiator behind the deals. Contract negotiations related to how much Apple will need to pay in royalties for songs, as well as how much Apple would need to pay for songs that listeners choose to skip. Pandora's contract agreements require that it pay for skipped songs as if they were listened to in full, while the WSJ reports that Apple will not be required to pay for skipped tracks under some of its deals. The keynote for tomorrow's Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off tomorrow at 10:00 AM Pacific Time. MacRumors will have live coverage of the proceedings. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford • Apple Updates WWDC App with Bug Fixes Ahead of Next Week's Conference • Apple Continues to Prep for iRadio Launch Next Week, Signs Sony Publishing • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience    
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On this week's episode of his The Talk Show podcast, Daring Fireball's John Gruber shares a few tidbits he's heard about Apple's plans for its new software being unveiled at WWDC tomorrow. Gruber, who has a number of times in the past been able to share bits of information due to his connections within Apple, notes that he has heard very little about Apple's plans this time around but that one source has indicated "all the leaks are wrong" with respect to iOS 7. Even Gruber is not entirely sure what that statement means, but iOS 7 has been widely rumored to be adopting a flatter look now that Jony Ive has replaced Scott Forstall in heading up the Human Interface aspects of Apple's software.I know almost absolutely nothing. I don't think I've been this ignorant of what's coming, software-wise, for a keynote since the iPhone 1 back in 2007. Which is great...I'm super excited. [...] The one thing I keep hearing over and over again from friends who would know is...the one word I keep hearing is that some of the stuff they're going to show is "polarizing". And I also heard from somebody that just "all the leaks are wrong". Which is interesting. I have no idea what to make of it.The keynote for tomorrow's Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off tomorrow at 10:00 AM Pacific Time. As noted in our rumor roundup, Apple will almost certainly be focusing the event on software with its upcoming iOS 7 and OS X 10.9, although the company may also introduce new services such as "iRadio" and new hardware such as updated notebooks and perhaps even redesigned Mac Pro models. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • WWDC 2013 Spoiler Free Video Stream • New Photos Offer First Look at New Glass-Enclosed Apple Store for Stanford • Apple Updates WWDC App with Bug Fixes Ahead of Next Week's Conference • Apple Continues to Prep for iRadio Launch Next Week, Signs Sony Publishing • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience    
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9to5Mac has posted a new photograph showing a wave-themed banner with an X in the middle, similar to the iOS 7 banner that was revealed earlier today. The spartan and minimalistic banners are significant change from the style used in previous years, particularly the OS X banner below. Click image for full size The X appears to use the Helvetica Neue Ultra Light font, an extremely thin variant of Helvetica and the same font as the iOS 7 banner. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More    
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Apple is putting up new banners promoting iOS 7 at the Moscone Center where its Worldwide Development Conference is taking place next week, as noticed by MacStories. The company had previously confirmed that the next version of the iOS operating system would be unveiled at WWDC. The extremely simple banner features a svelte number 7 against a minimalist background. Click image for full size The banner is very different stylistically from the more traditional iOS 6 banners that Apple used last year. Some of the banners already up at the Moscone Center include the tagline 'Where a whole new world's developing'. WWDC begins Monday with the conference opening with Apple's annual keynote presentation. The company is expected to unveil iOS 7, OS X 10.9, the iRadio streaming music service and new Mac notebook models. Update: The 7 appears to be from Helvetica Neue Ultra Light, an extremely thin variant of Helvetica. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More    
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AllThingsD briefly reports that Sony Music has agreed to a deal to bring its content to Apple's rumored streaming radio service, informally dubbed "iRadio". The development comes following word that Apple was pushing hard to complete deals in time for an announcement at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote next Monday.Sony Music has signed on to Apple’s forthcoming iRadio service, according to a person familiar with negotiations between the two companies. The deal means Apple now has agreements with all three major music labels.Apple signed Universal Music back in April and Warner followed just this past weekend, but Sony and Apple were reported to be having difficulty reaching an agreement over compensation for songs skipped by users. Apple's iRadio service will reportedly be free to users, with revenue generated through advertising managed through Apple's iAd program. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More    
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While we've covered work by BlueStacks to bring Android apps to Macs and PCs, the company has an even more interesting announcement to make today, revealing that its upcoming GamePop set-top box designed to offer subscription mobile gaming on TVs will also include support for iOS games. 9to5Mac has more on the developments, which include word that Fieldrunners developer Subatomic Studios will be the first major partner on the service.As for what developers will have to do before submitting their apps, John tells us it’s as simple as changing in-app payments to use Google or Amazon like the rest of the content on GamePop. The rest of the magic is handled by BlueStacks’ API-level virtualization technology dubbed Looking Glass. It’s what will allow just about any iOS game with next to no tweaks to run on the TV through GamePop. John notes it’s similar to how BlueStacks’ “Layercake tech does a ton of heavy lifting to make Android apps work on PC and Mac.” It will also take care of mapping controls for each app to the various controllers planned for the device including iPhone and Android apps and a physical controller that will sell with the GamePop console. GamePop's subscription service is priced at $6.99 per month, with the company offering a free set-top box and controller to customers signing up for a one-year contract before the end of the month. After that, the box and controller will cost $129. Apple has been rumored to be looking at opening up its Apple TV platform to third-party applications, perhaps alongside a new television set product. When Apple launched the redesigned Apple TV in late 2010, Steve Jobs noted that the company could launch an Apple TV App Store when the time is right, but the company has yet to announce any efforts in that direction. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Siri 'Eyes Free' Coming to 2014 BMW Models • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More    
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Just days after the U.S. Department of Justice presented its opening arguments against Apple in the antitrust e-book price fixing suit filed filed against Apple last April, the DoJ called Google's director of strategic partnerships Thomas Turvey to add credibility to its allegation, reports The Verge. According to The Verge's Greg Sandoval, Apple's lead attorney Orin Snyder began "attacking" Turvey's story, eventually getting him to admit, under oath, that his lawyer helped him draft the statement he filed with the court. He also admitted that he couldn't remember whether he or his lawyer had written the important passages in his statement. Sandoval says that Snyder was able to further weaken Turvey's testimony shortly after that, questioning the details of his statement:Under Snyder's questioning, Turvey acknowledged that he couldn't remember a single name of any of the publishing executives who had told him Apple was the reason the publishers were switching their business model. He conceded that the publisher's move to the agency system was important to Google's own business, yet Turvey couldn't remember any details about the conversations with publishers. By the end of the interview Turvey had gone from saying the publishers had told him directly, to saying they had merely told people on his team, to finally saying the publishers had "likely" told someone on his team.Sandoval notes that before today's witness testimony, much of the trial had been going the government's way and that the DoJ appeared to want Apple rival Google, which is not as significant a player in the e-book market as Amazon or Apple, to "pile on" Apple. Turvey will return to the witness stand on Monday, with the trial set to last two more weeks. Apple's Eddy Cue is expected to testify on June 13.  Apple has consistently defended itself and has said the allegations are "simply not true." Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • YouTube's Mobile Ad Sales Triple Soon After Debuting Ad-Enabled iOS App • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More • Las Vegas' Fashion Show Apple Store Getting Major Expansion    
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The Guardian and The Washington Post newspapers are reporting on a top secret intelligence program that gives the U.S. National Security Agency direct access to user data on corporate servers across a wide spectrum of Internet companies including Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube, and Apple. Apple reportedly joined the program in 2012, though Microsoft has been involved since 2007. It is unknown how or why Apple resisted joining the program for five years, nor why it decided to join in 2012. Twitter is noticeably absent from the list of companies, while Dropbox is said to be "coming soon". Data from the program, code-named PRISM, is frequently used in the President's Daily Brief -- a daily intelligence report for the U.S. President -- with PDB briefings citing PRISM data 1,477 times last year. The Post reports that data from PRISM accounts for nearly 1 in 7 intelligence reports. From The Washington Post: PRISM is an heir, in one sense, to a history of intelligence alliances with as many as 100 trusted U.S. companies since the 1970s. The NSA calls these Special Source Operations, and PRISM falls under that rubric. The Silicon Valley operation works alongside a parallel program, code-named BLARNEY, that gathers up “metadata” — address packets, device signatures and the like — as it streams past choke points along the backbone of the Internet. BLARNEY’s top-secret program summary, set down alongside a cartoon insignia of a shamrock and a leprechaun hat, describes it as “an ongoing collection program that leverages IC [intelligence community] and commercial partnerships to gain access and exploit foreign intelligence obtained from global networks.” Theoretically, the program is used to obtain data on foreign operatives, but it is possible for the NSA to scoop up untold amounts of data related to American citizens as well. The Washington Post and Guardian stories contain much more about PRISM, including slides from a PowerPoint presentation outlining the program that is classified TOP SECRET. The Guardian reported earlier today that the National Security Agency is collecting call logs from Verizon Business Network Services "on an ongoing daily basis" on all calls "between the United States and abroad" or "wholly within the United States, including local telephone calls." The data includes "the numbers of both parties on a call […], as is location data, call duration, unique identifiers, and the time and duration of all calls". Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the comment thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All MacRumors forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • SimCity for Mac Delayed Until August • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More • Las Vegas' Fashion Show Apple Store Getting Major Expansion • Apple Retail's New Machines for Calibrating Replacement iPhone 5 Displays    
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Following yesterday's claim that three out of four major carriers in the U.S. throttle iPhone and iPad data speeds, AnandTech has investigated the issue and determined that the original assertion, which has since been deleted, is untrue.Apple doesn't limit cellular data throughput on its devices — there's both no incentive for them to do so, and any traffic management is better off done in the packet core of the respective network operator rather than on devices. Sideloading tweaked carrier bundles isn't going to magically increase throughput, either.According to the site, which offers a thorough technical examination and debunking of developer Joseph Brown's original claim, neither Apple nor the accused carriers arbitrarily cap the User Equipment speed category or throttle device data speeds. For example, AnandTech points out that the AT&T file that was used as evidence that the iPhone 5 was being capped at HSDPA Category 10 (14.4Mbps) was actually only applicable to the iPhone 4S, which, unlike the iPhone 5 (Category 14), is only capable of a Category 10 downlink, and then goes on to refute additional claims as well. The post ends with another reiteration that Apple is not, in any way, limiting its devices.Again, there's no reason for Apple to want to arbitrarily limit their devices, and the reality is that they don't, at all, on any version of iPad or iPhone or in any of the carrier bundles they've distributed for network operators. If anything, Apple has long been one of the few handset vendors who initially understood the importance of limiting annoying operator customizations. The Carrier Bundles are quite literally the only place in the entire OS they have indirect access (through Apple) to toggles they can play with.For the technically inclined, AnandTech's full explanation is well worth reading. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More • Las Vegas' Fashion Show Apple Store Getting Major Expansion • Apple Retail's New Machines for Calibrating Replacement iPhone 5 Displays • iTunes Festival London 2013 App Updated with Passbook Support    
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In a roundup of what to expect at next week's World Wide Developers Conference, 9to5Mac has released some new rumors concerning both iOS 7 and Apple's upcoming streaming music service, "iRadio." Alongside the standard iOS 7 rumors, the site suggests that Apple has been experimenting with camera filters for its built-in camera app, like those used in many third party camera apps such as Instagram.We understand that while many iOS engineers are excited about the potential of filters being built-in to the iPhone's camera app, some Apple executives are not as fond of the feature. With that in mind, we are not sure if filters will make this year's release.In addition to experimenting with camera features, Apple is also said to be testing new motion technology, which could be used to shift objects on the screen based on device orientation.We have heard whispers that Apple is testing new technologies could move on-screen objects based on the iOS device hardware being moved in-air. For example, app icons could slightly shift depending on the angle that the iPhone is being in held. The technology is similar to what allows the iOS 6 volume controls to rotate based on the iPhone being moved. We are not sure if this feature will make the cut for iOS 7, but the development of this technology is nonetheless intriguing.As far as Apple's upcoming streaming music service is concerned, 9to5Mac suggests that it could potentially be offered as a pre-installed standalone app alongside iOS 7, but other options include a separate app users would have to download from the App Store or incorporating the service into the existing Music app. There are also rumors that the music service could also be brought to both the Mac and the Apple TV in the future.We have also heard that Apple has expressed interest to record labels about expanding the streaming music service beyond iOS devices. Without sharing specifics, Apple mentioned that it would like to integrate the service into a tweaked version of iTunes and the Apple TV's software.iOS 7, which is said to feature a total redesign, will be unveiled next monday during Apple's WWDC keynote. Apple is also pushing for a WWDC release of its streaming music service, though it is unclear if the company will be able to achieve that goal. MacRumors has a detailed roundup that includes more information on what to expect at next week's presentation, including OS X 10.9 and new MacBooks. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More • Las Vegas' Fashion Show Apple Store Getting Major Expansion • Apple Retail's New Machines for Calibrating Replacement iPhone 5 Displays • iTunes Festival London 2013 App Updated with Passbook Support    
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Apple is nearly finished decorating the Moscone Center for WWDC 2013. Work began two days ago with giant Apple logos on the outside of the building, as well as large horizontal and street pole banners. Spotted on some of the banners inside the Moscone Center is the tagline 'Where A Whole New World's Developing'. Thanks to MacStories for the imagery. Workers are also preparing the banners that have sometimes been covered with black sheets pre-Keynote in past years. New this year are banners on the newly renovated Metreon shopping center across the street from Moscone West. The building houses a popular movie theater complex, a newly-added Target store, and a number of restaurants. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Hulu Plus App Updated with Redesigned iPad Experience • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More • Las Vegas' Fashion Show Apple Store Getting Major Expansion • Apple Retail's New Machines for Calibrating Replacement iPhone 5 Displays • iTunes Festival London 2013 App Updated with Passbook Support    
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While many had expected Apple to follow last year's pattern and release a developer preview of OS X 10.9 early this year ahead of a summer public launch, the company has so far remained essentially silent about its plans for its next-generation Mac operating system. That silence does not, however, mean that Apple has not been working hard on the project since it first started showing up in web logs last fall. As spotted by an AppleInsider reader, circumstantial evidence of Apple's work showed up in a WebKit bug report early last month revealing that version of OS X 10.9 in testing was Build 13A451. According to Apple's build number scheme, "13" refers to OS X 10.9, "A" refers to the 10.9.0 version, and "451" is part of a sequential numbering of compiled builds. Apple Senior Vice President Craig Federighi introducing OS X Mountain Lion at WWDC 2012 AppleInsider speculates that the relatively advanced "451" build number as of early May could indicate that Apple would be able to deliver a fairly mature version of OS X 10.9 to developers at its Worldwide Developers Conference next week, although there is no formal evidence for such a claim. OS X Mountain Lion's initial developer preview arrived as Build 12A128p in February 2012, with Apple releasing several additional builds to developers before releasing it to the public as Build 12A269 in July of that year. OS X Lion apparently spent a longer time in overall development but a similar amount of time in developer testing, beginning developer seeding with Build 11A390 in February 2011 before being launched to the public as Build 11A511 roughly five months later. Apple had indicated when it launched its first developer preview of OS X Mountain Lion last year that it was shifting to a more rapid yearly development cycle for OS X in order to bring more features to consumers more quickly. But with Apple yet to have begun seeding developers with versions of OS X 10.9 and the company reportedly having pulled engineers from OS X to work on iOS 7, there have been some questions about how closely Apple will be able to stick to its yearly release plan. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Development Team Led by John Gruber Releases New Note-Taking App Vesper • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More • Las Vegas' Fashion Show Apple Store Getting Major Expansion • Apple Retail's New Machines for Calibrating Replacement iPhone 5 Displays • iTunes Festival London 2013 App Updated with Passbook Support • Apple Releases Aperture 3.4.5 with Import and Memory Card Bug Fixes    
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Bloomberg reports that Apple will for the first time begin accepting trade-ins on iPhones in its retail stores, encouraging users to upgrade to the latest models and seeking to boost sales. Apple will be partnering with recycling firm Brightstar to offer the program.Used iPhones collected in the U.S. will only be resold in emerging markets, where Apple’s share is lower and demand for cheap devices is greater, said one of the people. That way, the resale of Apple’s older models won’t cannibalize iPhone 5 sales in the U.S., the person said.Since 2011, Apple has partnered with third-party firm PowerON in the United States to offer Apple gift cards to users seeking to recycle their used iOS devices through the company's website, moving last year to expand the program to other countries where it has offered cash back. With the new program, the trade-in program will expand to Apple's popular retail stores.The new trade-in program with BrightStar will only be available at Apple’s retail outlets, letting consumers receive payments instantly and avoiding the hassle of shipping their older gadgets, the people said.Apple's web-based recycling and trade-in programs have so far been relatively hidden away on the company's site, resulting in low consumer awareness. The new retail store effort is, however, likely to make a significant difference in trade-in usage, appealing to consumers looking for hassle-free credit toward new devices. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Airbus Unveils Prototype iPhone-Enabled Smart Luggage • Intel Shows Off Prototype 128GB Thunderbolt Thumb Drive • Dropbox Beta for Mac Adds Automatic Screenshot Sharing and More • Las Vegas' Fashion Show Apple Store Getting Major Expansion • Apple Retail's New Machines for Calibrating Replacement iPhone 5 Displays • iTunes Festival London 2013 App Updated with Passbook Support • Apple Releases Aperture 3.4.5 with Import and Memory Card Bug Fixes • Kindle for iOS Updated with Line Spacing Options, Multipage Highlights     
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