Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference is only around a month away, and while we’re already expecting to see iOS 7 at least previewed at the event, now we have some actual data to back up that supposition. Onswipe, the mobile site conversion company that leverages HTML5 to deliver tablet-optimized websites, has seen a big spike in traffic to its partner sites from devices running iOS 7 in recent days.

Over the past week, Onswipe found a significant bump in the number of visits from iOS 7 iPhones and iPads, specifically located in both Cupertino and San Francisco. SF had the most iOS 7 visits, with 18.75 percent, and Cupertino accounted for 17.9 percent of the total. May 2 saw the highest iOS 7 traffic to date, representing 23 percent, or nearly a quarter, of all unique iOS visitors to Onswipe-enabled sites. Most were visiting from iPhones (75 percent), but iPads also represented a full quarter of visits.

Apple typically tests new versions of iOS internally, before then releasing them as a developer preview to anyone registered with the iOS developer program, and then finally releasing it to the public after another few months of testing. An increase in the number of users on iOS 7 is a likely sign that Apple is advancing the testing more aggressively ahead of a wider launch at WWDC, which is in keeping with other reports we’ve seen that say Apple is indeed redirecting resources to iOS 7 to make sure it arrives on schedule.

Onswipe didn’t just note how much use iOS 7 was getting, it also identified what people on the yet-to-be-released OS were looking at. Specifically, Onswipe found that iOS 7′s pioneer users were interested in finding out about which turntable to buy, Vine’s recent update that allows for selfie vids, Apple’s stock price drama and Kid Cudi. Maybe those Onswipe-enabled sites are particularly well-tuned for stress testing the next version of Safari, or maybe that’s just the kind of stuff Apple engineers are into.

As for what iOS 7 will bring, there’s precious little information so far, besides rumors that the design will embrace a more flat visual style, and that core apps like calendar and email will get significant functionality updates. At least we don’t have long to wait to find out what’s next for Apple’s mobile OS.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

The Gillmor Gang — Robert Scoble, John Borthwick, John Taschek, Keith Teare, and Steve Gillmor — found plenty to write home about in Microsoft’s Surface tablets and Windows 8 rewrite of the Windows platform. Coming hard on the WWDC Apple announcements, it’s clear Redmond is stepping up its game.

With Skype and the still-not-closed Yammer acquisitions, Steve Sinofsky is trying to buy his way in to social. But once the smoke clears, straddling the desktop and tablet metaphors may turn out to be the biggest threat to Office yet. The only way to save Office revenue may be to give away social and the hardware to run it.

@stevegillmor, @borthwick, @scoblizer, @jtaschek, @kteare

Produced and directed by Tina Chase Gillmor @tinagillmor

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

The WWDC keynote came and went with nary a mention of a new iPhone, but that didn’t stop people from ruminating about Apple’s newest mobile juggernaut. Apple’s brass spent much of their time on-stage pulling back the curtains on the latest version of iOS, and now some are claiming that a fairly innocuous (albeit useful) new feature for developers means that an iPhone with a larger screen is barreling down the pipeline.

That feature — Auto Layout — appeared briefly in a iOS SDK slide during the keynote, but most of us got too caught up with Siri updates and the swanky new Maps app to pay it much attention. Is it the sort of dead giveaway that iPhone fanatics have been breathlessly waiting for?

First though, a bit of background. Auto Layout allows developers to create a set of constraints that define how UI elements are displayed on-screen. Instead of using the standard “springs and struts” positioning method, Auto Layout allows those elements to shift and move depending on a prioritized list of rules — think “the left side of one button should always be 30 away from the right side of another button.”

It’s also worth noting that Auto Layout isn’t exactly new to the Apple development workflow — it was introduced into OS X with the release of Lion, and became the default positioning method for new Cocoa projects in Xcode earlier this year.

That’s great and all, but what does it mean for the new iPhone?

Developers will be able to streamline their UI design process, but Auto Layout’s uses may extend far beyond that. One developer I spoke with went on to say that in order for Apple to release mobile devices with multiple resolutions, Auto Layout is “certainly something [they] need to have in place before that’s feasible.”

Nelson Gauthier, lead iOS developer for LocalMind, seems to be of a similar mind — he told GigaOm in the weeks leading up to WWDC that the Auto Layout system as seen in OS X could work for iOS developers to more easily “transition between form factors.”

If they’re to be believed, Auto Layout could be a tremendous tool for helping developers prepare their apps for the coming of an iPhone with a different screen resolution. It would seem that with the right constraints in place, updating an app that used Auto Layout to display properly on a larger screen wouldn’t take too much additional time and effort. What’s more, the inclusion of the feature also means that developers who have taken shortcuts and made certain assumptions about the device’s screen size when crafting their apps’ UIs will more easily be able to get their products up to par ahead of an impending iPhone launch.

Still, we’re left without a smoking gun. The benefits of using Auto Layout are plentiful, especially for developers looking to localize their apps for other markets. Apple pointed to China as a prime target during the WWDC keynote, and I’m told that many of the sessions at WWDC the company positioned Auto Layout as a way to simplify app localization. With Auto Layout for instance, developers can more easily tweak the UI for alternate-language versions of their apps by tying those elements to constraints that allow for larger characters and smaller navigation icons as needed.

That’s not all — Auto Layout can also help developers with handling how their apps transition from portrait to landscape mode, or how even they handle having a call indicator bar sitting at the top of the screen. Though it aims to simplify certain parts of UI design, using Auto Layout is also far from an automagic process; to quote one of the developers I spoke to, “I wouldn’t expect to take an iPhone app, add auto layout to its xib file and get it to look fantastically custom on iPad.”

The jury, it seems, is still out on whether or not Auto Layout is a clear indicator of an iPhone with a larger display being prepared for launch. That said, its inclusion into the mix definitely doesn’t hurt — as one last developer put it, Auto Layout “is neither a sufficient or necessary condition for a different device… but if Apple is bringing out a 4-inch iPhone they would be crazy not to provide [it].”

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Yesterday, Apple revealed the latest version of its iOS operating system, iOS 6, which promises over 200 new features. On stage, Apple presented a subset of these, touting new additions like an improved version of Siri, Facebook integration, a new phone app, FaceTime over 3G/4G, an updated version of Safari with iCloud Tabs, a new version Photo Stream, the introduction of PassBook, Apple Maps, and more.

But now folks are uncovering a few more gems, as screenshots and videos from developer builds of iOS 6 leak into the wild. Below are some of the more minor (but still notable) features we’ve found.

Privacy Settings

iOS 6 has introduced a whole new “Privacy” section under the Settings app, where users can control which apps have access to location services, contacts, calendars, reminders and photos. It’s a surprisingly simple fix to the whole “address book-gate” issue from earlier, but also comes at a time when Apple and other mobile players are under increasing scrutiny from government regulators about how mobile apps are accessing personal data. The solution, for now at least, is to put the burden of privacy management on the user. Don’t want apps digging into your data? Just head into the privacy section and switch access off. (via/image via Cult of Mac, iDownloadBlog)

Privacy Dialog

Related to the above, apps also ask the user’s permission before allowing third-party apps to access contacts, calendar, reminders, or the photo library. (Sounds like there will be a lot more first-launch pop-ups, unless developers will be permitted to combine the dialogs.)

A New Share Widget

There’s now a new widget in the Notification Center (the pull-down menu) that lets you Tap to Tweet or Tap to Post (to Facebook) without having to launch the respective app. The interface for Twitter posting looks familiar – it’s the same dialog box you saw when tweeting from apps in iOS 5, but now it and Facebook are available in the Notification Center for easier access. (via/image via Applenapps)

Status Bar Changes Color

A subtle, but cool little feature here – the status bar in iOS 6 now changes color to match the theme of the app you’re using. Not all apps are supported yet, so this appears to be a feature a developer has to enable on their end. Looks good, though. (via/image via Cult of Mac)

iPad Gets World Clock, Weather

The iPad now has access to the World Clock and Weather apps and widgets, which had previously been iPhone-only. (via/image via iPadJailbreak)

Stream Music From iTunes Match

Previously, music stored in iCloud via the iTunes Match service would play, but it wasn’t technically “streaming” because the song downloaded to your device. In the iOS 6 beta, the song immediately begins playing, but downloading is a separate option. This essentially means that iTunes Match is now a cloud streaming service, not a download service. (via/image via Applenapps)

App Store, iBooks Store and iTunes Store Apps Revamped

All three of Apple’s on-device stores have gotten a makeover, and include a sliding top banner with sliding sections for their featured apps or media. The theme is now black, and for apps, the reviews, app details and related apps now appear at the top of the listing. You can also see in-app purchases, share apps via email, Facebook or Twitter, copy the store URL and Facebook “like” items. Another nice addition – you can finally purchase an app without leaving the store. The download just begins and shows its progress, while you continue to browse. Apps also have a tiny “new” banner until their first launch.  (via Applenapps)

VIP Mailbox

This was briefly mentioned by Apple, but here’s a little more. The new VIP mailbox which lets you whitelist certain contacts as “VIPs” (the boss, e.g.) also lets you customize your notification settings to only alert you when a particular person sends you mail. You can configure this by email account too, or allow certain mail alerts through the Do Not Disturb feature. (via/image via Cult of Mac)

Maps & Routing Apps

Here’s something interesting directly from the developer documentation:

“Apps that do not incorporate their own map support now have an easier way to launch the Maps app and display points of interest or directions. Apps that offer routing information, such as turn-by-turn navigation services, can now register as a routing app and make those services available to the entire system. Registering as a routing app gives you more opportunities to get your app in front of users. Routing apps are not limited to just driving or walking directions. Routing apps can also include apps that provide directions for the user’s favorite bicycle or hiking trail, for air routes, and for subway or other public transportation lines. And your app does not even have to be installed on the user’s device. Maps knows about routing apps in the App Store and can provide the user with the option to purchase those apps and use them for directions.”

In-App Content Purchases

Apps can now offer purchases of iTunes content directly within their own interface (no more redirects). This includes apps, music, books or other iTunes content. Developers will identify which items they want to make available for purchase in their apps, but the transaction will be handled by the Store Kit framework.

iAd Banner for iPads

iAd, Apple’s advertising platform, allow developers to earn revenue by displaying advertisements within their apps. The ad will take over a part of the app’s user interface and will help generate income when users view or click. Now in iOS 6, there’s a new medium-sized rectangle banner size designed for iPad.

Geofenced Reminders

Reminders can now included both proximity or time-based alarms. A geofence is a virtual border around a geographic region that, when crossed, can now trigger an alarm for an event. For example, you can now set reminders to go off when you leave your office to remind you to pick up milk from the grocery store.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Still have an appetite for some more talk about the latest Apple WWDC keynote that happened today? Ha, just kidding, of course you do! It’s like Jello. There’s always room for more.

We at TechCrunch couldn’t get enough either, so I rounded up a couple of my colleagues in the TechCrunch TV studio to shoot the breeze about all the latest things Apple. Watch the video above to hear takeaways on the day’s news from our own Peter Ha, who covered the WWDC keynote in person from San Francisco’s Moscone Center, and Ryan Lawler, who also had some sharp coverage about the product launches today.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Apple isn’t always so forthcoming with certain product announcements. I guess it’s their version of an Easter Egg? Like the Mac Pro update and death of the 17-inch MacBook Pro, they also updated the Airport Express Base Station.

It looks a lot like the Apple TV but it’s white and no longer requires you to plug it directly into the wall. The new Express Base Station supports simultaneous dual-band 802.11n and AirPlay all for $99. Maybe I’m missing something but it appears that this is just a cosmetic change with the addition of another ethernet port.

Apple’s AirPort Utility iOS app (iPhone, iPad) was also updated today to support the new Express base station and IPv6.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Why read about someone else when you could write about yourself? Soon the “Tap to post” to Facebook and Twitter buttons announced at WWDC today will appear in iOS and OS X Mountain Lion’s Notifications centers so you’ll always be just a swipe away from sharing. But that means you won’t have to visit Facebook or Twitter where you collide with what others create, diminishing the ambient intimacy they offer and turning them into ego-driven broadcast channels.

By divorcing the composer from the content, sharing starts to feel like shouting into a black hole. So thanks a lot, Apple. You’re so bad at social you might actually be making us more anti-social.

We’ve entered an unprecedented new age where a handful of companies possess vast control over the way we communicate. Seemingly small interfaces changes pushed to billions of people can produce drastic and unforseen changes in how we connect. Some argue a Facebook integration into iOS is meaningless compared to putting a man on the moon. I think quite the opposite. Only one of them has a real influence on the every day lives of hundreds of millions of people.

Facebook and Twitter have always hosted their sharing composers right next to the content others have already shared. That means when you go to post a status update, you inevitably end up reading about the lives of your friends. Rather than making dedicated sharing tabs, both Facebook and Twitter’s mobile apps cleverly use sharing buttons that dump you back on their content feeds when you’re finished talking about yourself.

But with time, OS X and iOS Notifications sharing could make us more likely to post “This is what I’m doing” rather than “What do you think about this?” “Look at me, I’m in Las Vegas” rather than “What’s something fun you’ve done in Las Vegas”. That’s a subtle difference, but the former can seem like you’re bragging while the latter feels like your starting an authentic conversation.

Beyond being bad for our souls, one-way streets from Apple products into Facebook and Twitter could reduce the average Likes, comments, replies, and retweets our posts get. That means fewer re-engagement notifications, and fewer reasons to make return visits to the sites and apps where our social networks show us ads to pay their bills.

In Apple’s unending quest to bring us convenience, it might have sucked some of the soul out of social networking. 900 million people yelling and no one listening doesn’t sound like a very friendly place to hang out.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Outside of search, the closest tie between Apple and Google so far was the deep integration of Google Maps in Apple’s products. That radically changed today, though it’s worth noting that the announcement was one of Apple’s worst kept secrets. Now, Apple will now offer its own mapping service on iOS, opening up a new front in its competition with Google. The new maps will offer virtually all of the features iOS users have come to expect from the Google Maps-based default app (with one exception) and a slew of new features like spoken turn-by-turn directions and 3D maps for virtual flyovers.

Google did its best to preempt Apple’s announcement today by scheduling a Google Maps-focused press conference last week. There, the company announced its stunning new 3D maps for Android, but failed to announce when it would actually launch this new feature. It’s now more obvious than ever that this was simply a defensive move on Google’s part, as the company was surely aware that it was going to soon lose its premier position on Apple’s mobile operating system.

Apple’s 3D maps look just as gorgeous as Google’s (and Scott Forestall even used the same kind of San Francisco flyover to demonstrate it). Chances are, Apple is using the same kind of technology to create these 3D maps with airplanes that capture aerial imagery and smart algorithms that then turn these images into 3D maps. As usual, though, Apple is keeping this information to itself.

Goodbye Street View

For the most part, Apple is replicating and expanding on existing features from the currently Google Maps version. There are now built-in Yelp reviews, turn-by-turn directions (I’ll get back to that in a bit) and the same kind of instant traffic updates we’ve become accustomed to from Google.

Transit directions – another useful Google Maps feature – is thankfully coming back in the form of Apple’s own version of this service. (Update: Apple will actually “integrate” transit apps from third-party developers. It doesn’t look like the app itself will feature transit directions.)

Goodbye Stand-Alone Turn-By-Turn Navigation Apps

It’s not just Google Maps facing some fresh competition now, though. Stand-alone turn-by-turn navigation apps from incumbents like TomTom and startups like Waze will likely become a niche product on iOS soon as well (though, it turns out, TomTom is providing maps data to Apple).

Until now, Google was a step ahead of Apple here, thanks to its built-in navigation app, but Apple is now pulling even (and maybe even a bit ahead). The new iOS 6 Maps app will feature spoken turn-by-turn directions, your ETA will be based on real-time traffic information and when there is an accident or a traffic jam along your route, you will get the option to switch to a faster route instead.

Another new feature on iOS – and one that Android users have also had in similar form for a while already – is the ability to use voice commands. Thanks to integration with Siri, though, chances are that Apple’s voice recognition system will be more flexible, but until we get our hands on this thing, that still remains to be seen.

There is no indication that Apple plans to bring any of these features to the web, so Google doesn’t have much to fear here (and neither has Bing). On the mobile side, though, this new competition is clearly driving everybody involved in mapping to push things forward and innovate quickly.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

It was a big day for Apple at the WWDC, as Apple announced iOS 6, a new MacBook Pro, cross-platform iMessage, its Google Maps competitor, oh, and a whole host of Siri updates that are seeing the iPhone’s virtual assistant slip into a little more functionality. She now speaks 60 languages, lives on the iPad, in your car, and probably soon in your will.

You may not have noticed it, because it’s always going down, but this morning Apple’s Store was again down and out in preparation for WWDC. But the store has just gone back up, and it has most of the new products in tow. The new $2,200 MackBook Pro with retina display has arrived on the store, while the 17-inch Pro of yore, has quietly been given the axe.

As to the new MacBook Pro, as Matt outlined earlier today, the new laptop comes with quad-core Intel Core i7, and even so, Apple promises “fantastic battery life.” The screen is 15.4-inches with a 220 ppi at 2800 x 1800, making it the first retina displaying notebook. And, hey, it apparently reduces glare and reflection by 75 percent. Which is great, because I have to look at my face while I type this on the previous generation. And no one wants that.

“Everything inside has been reinvented,” Shiller said at WWDC. Surprised he didn’t add “again” after that bit.

The Apple Store going back up also brings the new MacBook Air that now have 3.2-GHz Intel Core i5 processors with 512GB of SSD storage and 500MBps read speeds. The new Airs also use Intel’s Ivy Bridge architecture, and come in 11- and 13-inch sizes, starting at $999 for the 11-inch. Air here.

And, last but not least, there’s a new Mac Pro and a rear-covering iPad smart case.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Talk of the 17-inch MacBook Pro was strangely missing during Apple’s WWDC keynote today. But apparently there’s a good reason for it. Apple just axed the 17-inch MacBook Pro. Good night, sweet giant.

Introduced in 2006 the 17-inch MacBook pro was always a true mobile workstation. It generally shipped with the best standard specs and also the highest price. The fact that the 17-inch MacBook Pro was the least popular likely lead to its demise. During Apple’s last earnings call, it was announced that the 17-inch model only captured 1.7% of all Apple notebook sales in the preceding financial quarter.

For the immediate future Apple is going small with their notebook lineup. Starting with the MacBook Air, users will be able to pick up models ranging from 11- to 15-inches with the new Retina display likely targeting those that would have otherwise bought a 17-inch.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch