14 DAY TRIAL // 30 hours or so from now, Tim Cook and Co. will be taking the stage at Cupertino’s Town Hall to discuss the remainder of 2014’s releases and upgrades. The showcase promises a lot, despite being characterized as something smaller than the September 9 iPhone 6 launch.
Going by the clues sprinkled around via leaks from the Far East, we have to say the event doesn’t look like it’s going to take a seat behind the iPhone 6 unveiling. Not unless these rumors don’t materialize. Here’s what we expect in order of probability.
OS X Yosemite available to the masses
This one’s pretty much a given. Apple has been testing the bits out of its eleventh OS X iteration since last year. Going by the latest GM builds handed to developers, the OS is good to go. With the promised fall release of Yosemite, we don’t see Apple delaying the public launch any longer. After all, they want to do it ceremoniously. It’s a major pillar of their business, as important as the Macintosh line itself. Speaking of which...
New Macs in the house
We’ve been hearing a lot of chatter about some Retina-equipped Macs making their way into the ecosystem. Initially, there were two separate models on the radar, but with the 12-inch MacBook Air reportedly getting delayed (because of manufacturing issues), that leaves only one: the 27-inch Retina iMac.
The large-screen all-in-one Mac will be the first in its category to get the Retina treatment, and we’re sure there are many creatives out there waiting on the edge of their seat for this rumor to materialize on Thursday. If that’s you, don’t fret just yet. It might cost a fortune, and the specs are reportedly not that high compared to existing models. At least not enough to justify the price.
Other Macs that might be in line for an upgrade this year include the Mac mini (which should get a faster processor and maybe more RAM and storage) and the MacBook Pro lineup, but we’re not holding our collective breath for these announcements to take place.
New iPads
Also fairly certain is the emergence of at least one new tablet computer from the Cupertino technology giant. The iPad Air 2 is said to boast a slimmer enclosure, recessed buttons, redesigned speaker grills, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor originally introduced in the iPhone 5s, and a higher pixel count.
Inside the chassis there will be an A8X processor with extra GPU oomph and 2 gigs of RAM to assist with a new multitasking feature that puts running apps side by side in split-screen mode. We hope Apple’s engineers nailed it this time around, because we heard that iOS 8 was supposed to debut the multitasking thing in September.
A new iPad mini is also expected to launch alongside the Air 2. Dubbed by the media “iPad mini 2 with Retina display,” this device will offer a lower storage option for customers with an eye on their budget, the A8 processor, the same minor design changes as the Air 2, and new color options for the Smart Cover and Smart Case accessories, according to the latest rumors.
Apple TV with HomeKit integration
One of the least likely announcements to be made by Tim Cook & Friends on Thursday is a new Apple TV box, or at least a new OS for the thing that comes with the HomeKit API inside. In addition to all the TV-centric announcements that you can guess (new channels, new remote functions, etc.), the Apple TV is expected to fully integrate with HomeKit-enabled home appliances. For example, users will be able to employ the TV’s remote to dim the lights, turn on the heat, or open the garage door.
One last iPod touch?
We wouldn’t be too surprised to see Apple give the iPod one last nudge before the sales completely come to a halt. Despite selling fewer and fewer units every year, the iPod business continues to rake in a fair amount of profits for the Cupertino behemoth. Depending on how much the players contribute to its quarterly bottom lines, we can expect at least the iPod touch to get a faster processor, but not necessarily a new design. It looks awesome just the way it is, and it’s very much in line with the existing range of iDevices.
Join us Thursday for a full coverage of Apple’s announcements at 10:00 a.m. PDT.