Apple's WWDC Conference: iOS 7, Mac OS X Previews Expected - East Idaho News
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Apple’s WWDC Conference: iOS 7, Mac OS X Previews Expected

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abc wwdc apple logo 130610 wg?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1370862293520Joanna Stern / ABC News(SAN FRANCISCO) — Apple will hold its first event in more than six months on Monday to unveil the next versions of its iOS and Mac OS X operating systems.

At its annual Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) at the Moscone West Center in San Francisco, Apple executives, including CEO Tim Cook, will share with more than a thousand attendees the changes it plans to make to its two major software platforms.  The changes coming to iOS are expected to be the biggest ever made to the software for the iPhone and iPad.

According to reports, the software, which is now under the direction of Apple Design Chief Jony Ive, will scrap much of the textures and design elements familiar to most users  in favor of a flatter design. 

According to 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman, the yellow notepad-inspired Notes app and Leather-bound Calendar interfaces on the iPhone and iPad will be scrapped.

Apple is not expected to release the next iPhone or iPad at the event, but only talk about the software that will be coming for them later this year.  The company, might however, discuss its rumored iPhone trade-in program.

While the focus is on iOS 7, Apple will also discuss its Mac OS X operating system.  Leaked details on the Mac changes have been slim, but Apple has consistently been bringing over features from iOS to the Mac software.

Apple is also expected to release some Mac hardware at the event.  While the new rumored MacBook Air and Pro computers likely won’t run the new software, they are said to be thinner and faster, thanks to Intel’s new Haswell chips.  The new processors offer better battery life while providing faster processing power.

Following the event Monday, Apple plans to hold independent sessions for application developers who write software for its two major software platforms. 

The cut-throat competition between Google and Apple’s mobile operating system is at an all-time high.  In May, Apple announced that 50 billion apps had been downloaded from its App Store.  Google announced around the same time that 48 billion apps had been downloaded.

According to a report released by Pew last week, 28 percent of all cellphone owners are Android users, while iPhone owners now represent 25 percent of the cellphone-owning population.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

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