When it comes to big announcements, Apple is nothing if not cryptic. The tech giant prefers to keep its innovations in the shadows and doubtless enjoys the free publicity that the inevitable rumor mill generates. But every once in a while, the company decides to give that rumor circuit a little nudge by making a public announcement, and recently that's exactly what they did.
Something big is going to happen between June 2 and 6
In the Apple universe, the annual Worldwide Developers Conference is something of a treat for the legion enthusiasts who linger on the periphery of the company's developments. For once, the industry titan opened its doors to the flashing of cameras and the scrutiny of the public eye. At last year's conference, according to CNN, Apple announced the debut of its new system iOS 7 and the accompanying advancements in mobile touchscreen technology.
“I think there is a profound and enduring beauty in simplicity, in clarity, in efficiency,” said iOS head Jony Ive at the time. As Ive's quote illustrates, the WWDC is a time when big ideas enter the mix and the viewing public has an opportunity to respond to them.
However, there was some criticism surrounding the fact that last year's conference did not introduce any major hardware, and instead focused its spotlight on an operating system. In the wake of Steve Jobs' death, there has been an added degree of pressure on Apple to maintain the golden standard set by its creator. While an operating system may be integral to improving the overall computing experience, its introduction didn't have the show-stopping awe of, say, Steve Jobs unveiling the iPod.
Will this year's conference be more special than past events?
Perhaps this year's conference has a bigger announcement on the docket. Apple's announcement for the upcoming WWDC would suggest as much.
“Over the past six years, a massive cultural shift has occurred,” Apple said. “It's changed how we interact with one another … All because of developers and the apps they create.” This year's conference promises to contribute to those advancements, the announcement said.
“For five days, one thousand Apple engineers and five thousand developers will gather,” the announcement added. “And life will be different as a result.”
This sounds like an important one. You may want to make sure you don't need an iPhone repair so you can track the conference from your phone.