John Gruber, MG Sielger and Others discussed iOS 7, New iPhone and More on Branch
- Staff
- April 3, 2013
John Gruber, MG Sielger and Others discussed iOS 7, New iPhone and More on Branch
This Branch, started by MG Sielger, is a must read for all Apple fans. It involve a list of reputable list of tech writers such as John Gruber, Tim Stevens, Federico Viticci, Clayton Morris,
Rene Ritchie, Matthew Panzarino and Mark Gurman discussed the latest Apple rumors they have heard on the grapevine.
Here are some of the highlights of the conversation:
I’ve heard from several sources that there was/is an event planned for April, new 9.7 inch iPad if it’s ready.
Also still hearing iPhone 5S for August (though a lot of other people are saying July, so maybe it’s more of a window than a date for now).
iOS is a continuum, not a set of static things. There’s a roadmap.What didn’t make it into iOS 6 goes into 7, what doesn’t make it into 7 goes into 8. If iPhone 5S is summer instead of fall, that’ll tighten the schedule a lot. They usually get 12 months for iOS (16 for iOS 5).
Forstall leaving, Ive getting his hands on the UI might alter the consumer-facing bullet points, but probably not the API’s that were planned.
Gruber:
What I’ve heard: iOS 7 is running behind, and engineers have been pulled from OS X 10.9 to work on it.
Regarding Ive: Word on the street is that iOS engineers with carry privileges all have some sort of polarizing filter on their iPhone displays, such that it greatly decreases viewing angles, thus making it difficult for observers to see the apparently rather significant system-wide UI overhaul.
As for events, I’ve heard nothing, but I’d think Apple would like to introduce the new Mini-style full-size iPad in April. If we don’t see it in April, I’d guess that it’s late. And if it’s late, I think they’d do a standalone event in May rather than hold it until WWDC in (I presume) June.
I don’t think they would want to unveil the new iPad at WWDC alongside iOS 7, because the new iPad won’t ship with iOS 7. It’d be weird to introduce the iPad and do demos of crufty old iOS 6 and then moments later show off the new hotness of iOS 7.
MG Sielger:
Since we’re talking whispers, the one thing I’ve heard multiple times now is about some sort of biometric scanner on the new iPhone.Perhaps not surprising given the AuthenTec buy — but surprised it would be this soon. Still, have heard it could be a big part of not only authentication, but payments of some sort (maybe even through Passbook) down the road. The most intriguing whisper: that Apple could charge a fee for devs to use it.
@MG I’ve heard about the biometrics being used for payments (as well as identification) from sources outside of the ‘AuthenTec got bought’ story. We also got the picture that the buy was a time-sensitive deal because Apple wanted those sensors quickly. A year since the acquisition (and a year and a half since Apple first started talking with Authentec in late 2011) sounds possible for inclusion.
