MacRumors

At today's WWDC keynote event, Apple announced a release timeframe and pricing for Mountain Lion, the next version of the Mac operating system which was previewed earlier this year. Executives also gave a preview of some new features including dictation, iCloud Tabs, and Power Nap. Mountain Lion will be released in July through the Mac App Store for $19.99 and all Macs purchased starting today can receive an upgrade for free.

The new dictation feature will be integrated throughout the operating system to allow dictation anywhere to enter text. Dictation was previously rumored in May when resource files in Safari listed keyboard shortcuts that pointed to dictation functions.

iCloud Tabs, a new feature in Safari on the Mac, was also demonstrated. iCloud Tabs will show all tabs open in Safari on all other iOS devices and Macs logged in to the same iCloud account. Safari also gains a unified search and address bar to streamline its interface.

Power Nap is a new feature that will carry out functions while a Mac is charging and sleeping. New emails will be downloaded, Time Machine will automatically run, app updates will be applied and other actions will be carried out with Power Nap, which will be available on the new ultra-thin MacBook Pro that was announced today and second-generation and later MacBook Airs.

Apple first previewed Mountain Lion in February, highlighting many features already present in iOS, including Messages, Reminders, Notes, Notification Center, Game Center and more at that time.

Apple today announced minor updates to its MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines, including upgrades to flash storage, memory and processors.

The 11" and 13" MacBook Air models now include up to 512GB of flash storage, 60% faster graphics, up to 8GB of memory and a 2.0GHz i7 Ivy Bridge CPU. The machines have been upgraded with combined USB 3.0/2.0 ports as well as 720p FaceTime cameras. All MacBook Air models now include 4GB of RAM standard. Pricing remains similar to before, with only the premium 11" MacBook Air seeing a $100 price drop.

The 15" MacBook Pro model include Ivy Bridge quad-core i7 CPU's up to 2.7GHz, a 1GB GeForce GT 650M discrete graphics card, a standard 8GB of 1600 MHz memory, and USB 3.0/2.0 ports. Pricing remains the same at $1,799 and $2,199.

The 13" MacBook Pro includes Ivy Bridge dual-core i7 CPU's up to 2.9GHz. Pricing remains the same at $1,199 and $1,499.

With Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) set to kick off in San Francisco with a highly-anticipated keynote at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, it's time for us to set the stage with final details on the latest rumors and coverage information.

Coverage

MacRumors will be offering live text and photo updates from the keynote through MacRumorsLive.com (Transcription is being handled by @hodapp). The main MacRumors.com page will automatically redirect to MacRumorsLive as we get closer to the event, so stay tuned here. We will also be providing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account. Separate news stories regarding the event announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.

As is routine for major Apple product announcements, the Apple online store has already been down for several hours and will almost certainly remain down until the conclusion of the keynote.

MacRumors forum members interested in a "spoiler-free" environment to wait for the full keynote video to become available can follow the thread associated with our dedicated article. A direct link to the official keynote video will be posted there when it becomes available.

Rumors

We posted our comprehensive rumor roundup over the weekend, but details have continued to surface since that time, most notably including details on new Retina MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and standard MacBook Pro and Mac Pro models. Apple has also been said to be releasing developer builds of iOS 6 and Safari 6 today. Finally, Apple will be launching its annual Back to School promotion tomorrow, although it is unclear whether that will be included in today's announcements.

9to5Mac now reports that Apple will be introducing an "iPad Smart Case" available in six colors: dark gray, light gray, pink, green, blue, and red. These appear to the accessories that were initially thought to be new iPod shuffle models in a leaked part number list. iLounge had claimed that an enhanced Smart Cover was in the works earlier this year, but it did not appear alongside the third-generation iPad.

MacRumors has learned that Apple will be launching its annual Back to School promotion tomorrow in the United States and likely a number of other countries. As in previous years, Apple will be offering iTunes Store gift cards to educational customers purchasing qualifying products.

The major new addition to the program this year is the iPad, with purchasers receiving a $50 iTunes Store gift card with the purchase of a new iPad. The Mac aspect of the program appears to be the same as in previous years, with qualified purchases earning a $100 gift card. We have not yet confirmed exactly which Mac systems will qualify for the program, but in past years the Mac mini has not been eligible for the promotion.

As with previous years, the cards should be valid across Apple's digital stores, including the iTunes Store, iOS App Store, Mac App Store, and iBookstore.

9to5Mac has now published specs on the Retina-display 15-inch MacBook Pro models that are apparently arriving alongside updated versions of the existing form factor. Notably, the new machines include options ranging up to 16 GB of RAM and 768 GB of solid-state storage.

MC975LL/A – MBP 15.4/2.3/8GB/256GB FLASH-USA
MC976LL/A – MBP 15.4/2.6/8GB/512GB FLASH-USA
MD831LL/A – MBP 15.4/2.7/16GB/768GB FLASH-USA

Exact pricing has not yet been confirmed, but the high-end model is said to be exceeding the equivalent of $4000 in some countries.

9to5Mac reports that it has received information on the MacBook Air upgrades to be announced today, with each of the 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch sizes arriving in two standard configurations with a third customizable high-end configuration also heading into stock at some retailers.

According to the report, the initial model descriptions include not only a boost in processor performance to Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors but also boosts to RAM (maxing out at 8 GB on both sizes) and solid-state drive capacity (maxing out at 512 GB on the 13-inch model). The descriptions include model number, short product name, screen size, processor speed in GHz, RAM in GB, and storage size in GB.

11-inch
Base Model: MD223LL/A - MBA 11.6/1.7/4/64FLASH-USA
Better: MD224LL/A - MBA 11.6/1.7/4/128FLASH-USA
High End: MD845LL/A – MBA 11.6/2.0/8/256FLASH-USA

13-inch
MD231LL/A – MBAIR 13.3/1.8/4/128FLASH-USA
MD232LL/A – MBAIR 13.3/1.8/4/256FLASH-USA
MD846LL/A – MBAIR 13.3/2.0/8/512FLASH-USA

The current MacBook Air includes 2 GB of RAM on the base 11-inch model, with all other models at both screen sizes offering 4 GB of RAM. On the storage side, it appears that the 11-inch model will not be seeing any changes given that the existing line starts at 64 GB and goes up to 256 GB at the high end, but the new 13-inch model is shown as introducing a new 512 GB option at the high end.

We also asked 9to5Mac about the implausible Mac Pro specs they published earlier today, and they assured us that those are indeed the specs that are showing up in inventory systems. Consequently, it remains unclear exactly what is going on with the Mac Pro and whether there might be errors or purposely incorrect information being provided by Apple.

While Apple is not expected to reveal its long-rumored television set product that has been the subject of increasing rumors at today's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White has published a new research note addressing some of his expectations for the device based on a recent visit to Taiwan for the Computex trade show and to visit with supply chain companies in several markets.

White believes that the Apple television set will adopt several methods of interaction, most significantly including motion detection technology, perhaps similar to that found in Microsoft's Kinect offerings. He also suggests that the television will still include a remote control, which will arrive as an iPad-like touchscreen device.

Regarding Apple TV, the data points during our trip indicate the Company will use a special type of motion detection technology on future full blown Apple TV that we expect to be unveiled within the next couple of quarters, rather than touch technology. Also, our contacts indicate a unique remote control with a touch panel form factor that looks similar to the iPad would be used to control the device. The bezel is expected to be a plastic composition, rather than the aluminum unibody exterior that surrounds the MacBook Air.

White makes no mention of Siri voice control, but many observers expect that Apple will also make use of its voice recognition and natural language processing algorithms to make it easy for users to control their television viewing experiences.

Finally, the new report from White also outlines his continued belief that Apple is preparing to launch a smaller "iPad mini", with both that product and the next-generation iPhone reportedly lining up for a simultaneous launch in September of this year.

Just hours before Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to take the stage to kick off the keynote at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference, AllThingsD has posted the full video of his interview at last month's D10 conference. MacRumors was on hand for the event to offer a rough transcript of the interview and AllThingsD previously posted video highlights, but today's release includes the entire 100-minute interview complete with the Q&A session.

Aside from a few short interviews and an investor conference, Cook’s session with Walt Mossberg and me was the first extended public talk as the newish leader of perhaps the most important and definitely most influential company in tech.

So, getting to see Cook in action is probably the most important part of this interview. While clearly playing it close to the vest, he ranged over a wide number of topics from secrecy at Apple (it’s now apparently been doubled!) to the iPhone to controversies in China to a possibly more social partnership with Facebook more television efforts to, of course, the legacy Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs, who died last year.

Steve Jobs was a regular participant at the annual D conference, and Cook has carried on that tradition by serving as the opening session interview at this year's event.

(Photo by Asa Mathat | All Things Digital)

9to5Mac reports that it has obtained details on the configurations of the Mac Pro and MacBook Pro to be released later today, with specifics on a number of accessories also appearing. The list is not complete, however, as it does not include details on the thinner Retina-display notebook, which is believed to be coming as a third member of the MacBook family, or the MacBook Air.

As previously noted, the Mac Pro is set to arrive in three separate stock configurations: two standard and one server. There have long been rumors of a case redesign, but so far only specs of the base models are known.

- Normal configuration: 3.2GHz quad-core processor, 6GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, and the ATI Radeon 5770 graphics chip.

- Normal configuration: 2.4GHz 12-core processor, 12GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, and the ATI Radeon 5770 graphics chip.

- Server configuration: 3.2GHz quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, Two 1TB hard drives

Oddly, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 is the stock graphics card included on the current, nearly two-year old Mac Pro. Apple would be expected to use a much newer graphics card option in its revised machines.

On the MacBook Pro side, the report points to four stock models, two each in 13.3-inch and 15.4-inch sizes. These machines are thought to be upgraded versions of the existing design, lacking a Retina display. Photos of what is claimed to be the graphics hardware on the logic board of the 15-inch MacBook Pro appeared just a short time ago, showing an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics chip with 1 GB GDDR5 graphics memory.

- 13.3 inch: 2.5GHz dual core processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive

- 13.3 inch: 2.9GHz dual core processor, 8GB of RAM, 750GB hard drive

- 15.4 inch: 2.3GHz quad core processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive

- 15.4 inch: 2.6GHz quad core processor, 8GB of RAM, 750GB hard drive (BTO upgrades to 2.7GHz quad core and 1TB HD will be available)

The report notes that the thinner "MacBook Pro" models with a Retina display are still expected to be introduced, with an analyst report from a few days ago having specifically claimed that they would be arriving alongside the existing MacBook Pro form factor for the time being. Details on the new Retina-capable notebook do, however, remain unknown. The MacBook Air is also expected to be gaining an update later today, and details on those models are not yet available either.

Apple will also be releasing a number of new accessories today, and the report indicates that these will include an updated AirPort Express, new USB SuperDrive, and a Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter. Apple may also be revising its MagSafe power connection standard, with new accessories related to that change making an appearance.

Update: As several readers have noted, not only is the inclusion of an old graphics card on the Mac Pro a strange detail, but the listed processors do not even exist at the appropriate price and performance points in the Sandy Bridge E Xeon E5 line of Intel processors Apple is expected to use. 9to5Mac's pre-launch spec sources have generally been very accurate in recent years, but they appear to be off this time on at least the Mac Pro models.

M.I.C. gadget points to a pair of posts from Chinese forum WeiPhone.com showing portions of what is claimed to be the logic board and graphic hardware from the next-generation 15-inch MacBook Pro set to be introduced tomorrow.

The images show an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics chip and 1 GB of GDDR5 graphics memory, which many have expected would make an appearance in the new MacBook Pro. Interestingly, the posters have also compared the leaked photos with the logic board of the current MacBook Pro, finding the layouts to be nearly identical all the way down to the screw holes on the board.

One of the reports also claims that the new 15-inch MacBook Pro will arrive with 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz chip options on stock models, with a 2.7 GHz chip available as a high-end custom configuration. The exact chips to be offered are not detailed by the poster, but some attempts at matching up to Intel's Ivy Bridge offerings can be made.

At the 2.3 GHz level, Apple would have its choice of the Core i7-3610QM or Core i7-3615QM. For a 2.5 GHz chip, the only appropriate Ivy Bridge processor currently available is a dual-core Core i5-3210M, which would actually be the low-end chip. And at the high end, Apple would apparently be offering the Core i7-3820QM as had been seen in benchmarks that appeared last month.

Apple has been widely rumored to be introducing a redesign MacBook Pro with a Retina display and a thinner profile. But if the leaked photos are genuine they may indicate that no redesign of the body is forthcoming, as Apple would be expected to make significant changes to the logic board to accommodate rearranged internals in a thinner enclosure.

An alternative explanation relates to claims put forth late last week by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who indicated that a thinner, Retina-capable Mac notebook would appear as a third member of the MacBook family with Apple continuing to offer the existing MacBook Pro alongside the new model for the time being. In that case, these leaked photos could represent the updated version of the current MacBook Pro with the new notebook still remaining under wraps.

A post [Google translation] from the staff of Chinese forum WeiPhone.com claims to share a host of official Apple download links for tomorrow's software releases. While the links are not currently active, they include iOS 6 beta build 10A5316k for a variety of devices, as well as a developer preview of Safari 6 for OS X Lion.

The accuracy of the claim can not be confirmed given that the links are not yet pointing to the files, but clicking on the links does take users to an error page stating "Your session has expired." Altering the URLs to reference a different build number or making other changes yields an "Access denied" error message, suggesting that there is indeed something unique about the leaked URLs.

A similar list of links addressing last year's downloads also leaked out just as Apple's WWDC 2011 keynote was getting underway.

Assuming that the list is accurate and complete as far as iOS 6 beta is concerned, it appears that Apple will not be including support for the original iPad in its next-generation operating system. In addition, Apple appears to be dropping support for the third-generation iPod touch.

The full list of links includes:

Third-generation iPad
- Consumer: Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi + Cellular (GSM), WiFi + Cellular (CDMA)
- Enterprise: Wi-Fi, WiFi + Cellular (GSM), WiFi + Cellular (CDMA)

iPad 2
- Consumer: Wi-Fi, WiFi + 3G (GSM), WiFi + 3G (CDMA), Revised Wi-Fi
- Enterprise: Wi-Fi, WiFi + 3G (GSM), WiFi + 3G (CDMA), Revised Wi-Fi

iPhone
- Consumer: 4S, 4 (GSM), 4 (CDMA), 3GS
- Enterprise: 4S, 4 (GSM), 4 (CDMA), 3GS

iPod touch
- Consumer: 4th Generation
- Enterprise: 4th Generation

Apple TV
- Consumer: 2nd Generation, 3rd Generation

Other iOS
- iOS 6 Beta Guide (PDF)
- Installing Apple TV Software (PDF)

Safari 6
- Consumer: Safari 6 Developer Preview for Lion, Uninstaller

It is unclear whether the leaked list is intended to cover all of Apple's software releases for tomorrow, but we would also expect a new build of OS X Mountain Lion to appear as Apple moves closer to a public release.

(Thanks to @xystudioo on sina weibo!)

With Apple appearing to have a full slate of announcements lined up for its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote on Monday, we're offering this roundup to summarize a number of the high-profile rumors that have been circulating ahead of the event.

Apple has already announced that it will be previewing iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion at the event, and with Apple also expected to introduce a number of new Macs and perhaps make some additional announcements, the schedule appears to be packed.

iOS 6

Apple is not keeping it secret that iOS 6 will be a major component of WWDC 2012, with banners featuring the unannounced version of iOS having already been hung at the site of the conference. While we expect Apple will detail the many new features of iOS, the biggest new feature will be Apple's own mapping solution, which has been reported by multiple sources. Apple has been dependent on Google for mapping and navigation since the iPhone's original launch, but over the past several years Apple has made moves and acquisitions in an attempt to build its own solution. Here is a list of rumored features for the latest version of iOS:

- Apple's own Mapping Solution
- Facebook Integration
- Siri for iPad
- Developer usage tracking tools
- iCloud Safari Tabs/VIP Mail Highlighting/Do Not Disturb mode
- Baidu search option in China

OS X Mountain Lion

OS X Mountain Lion is another known product that Apple will be discussing at the conference. Apple previously announced the new version of OS X back in February. The features included Notification Center, Messages, Reminders, Game Center, and Airplay. We've since seen hints at several other new features that Apple may also be including in OS X:

- Automatic App Downloads
- Password Generation in Safari
- Offline reading list / Voice Dictation

iCloud

The third banner that is being prominently displayed in the Moscone lobby is one for iCloud. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that iCloud is a strategy for the next decade. Due to a slip-up by Apple, we've already seen some of the new features that Apple is planning to bring to iCloud in iOS 6:

- New web apps (Notes, Reminders)
- Enhanced photo sharing / Photo Stream for videos

MacBook Airs, MacBook Pros, Mac Pros, iMacs and Retina

Due to a leaked inventory list, we know that Apple is shipping a dozen new Mac models to their retail stores, although the exact breakdown is somewhat open to how you interpret the part numbers and prices. At the least, it seems we'll see new MacBook Airs, Mac Pros and MacBook Pros. Depending on your interpretation, we may also see iMacs.

Meanwhile, Retina-class displays on Apple's new Macs has been an ongoing rumor that's even been corroborated by Bloomberg. Apple has already built in Retina-display support in OS X, and many expect them to release the corresponding hardware this week.

- Dozen New Mac Models Coming
- Apple to Release Thinner Retina MacBook Pros at WWDC
- New MacBook line with Retina Display
- Retina coming to iMac too?
- Anti-reflective glass for iMac?

Apple TV

Apple has been rumored to be bringing a television set to market late this year or early next year, and there have been rumblings that the company may take its first steps toward that goal at WWDC with an unveiling of the operating system that will power the TV. Additional claims have suggested that Apple will be introducing an SDK to open up the current Apple TV set-top box to third-party developers. Those apps would naturally also be compatible with the television set should it come to fruition. We should note that all these Apple TV claims come from a single uncorroborated source, and may not happen next week.

iPhone

A number of parts claimed to be for the next-generation iPhone have already begun leaking from Apple's supply chain, with the highest-profile leak so far being a hands-on video showing the back cover of the device. Apple is unlikely to introduce new iPhone hardware at WWDC, however, with most observers believing that the company will stick to the September/October timeframe seen last year with the iPhone 4S.

Live Keynote Coverage

The WWDC 2012 Keynote kicks off at 10am Pacific on Monday, June 11th. We will be providing live text and photo coverage here. We will also be issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account. Separate news stories regarding the event announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.

Apple's kicking off their 2012 Worldwide Developer's Conference at 10am Pacific on Monday, June 11th. MacRumors will be at the keynote and we will be providing live text/photo coverage of the event here. We will also be issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account. Separate news stories regarding the event announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.

Apple will not be streaming a live video feed, but does offer the video for download several hours after the event. MacRumors readers interested in a "spoiler-free" environment to wait for the full keynote video to become available can follow the spoiler free story. A direct link to the official keynote video will be posted there when it becomes available.

Apple is expected to make a number of announcements at the keynote. We already know that both iOS 6 and Mountain Lion will be major focuses of the event. We will be posting a full roundup of all rumors shortly. As always, stay tuned for last-minute leaks and rumors as there is usually activity leading right up to the event.

Photo: Thanks Andrea

Last year, Apple announced that it was phasing out developer access to UDIDs, the unique iOS device identifiers that allowed developers and advertisers to not only track usage of their own content, but also in some cases track users' movements across apps and browsing sessions. The company earlier this year began rejecting apps that continued to use the UDID rather than implementing unique identifiers that would enhance privacy by remaining unique to the developer's app.

The Wall Street Journal now reports that Apple is preparing to release new tools to assist developers with tracking usage of their apps without using the UDID, maintaining user privacy while still making it easy for developers to gather usage data on their apps.

Apple Inc. is planning to release a new way for mobile app developers to track who uses their software, according to people briefed on Apple's plans, the company's latest attempt to balance developers' appetite for targeting data with consumers' unease over how it is used.

The new tool, which could be detailed in the coming weeks, aims to better protect user privacy than existing approaches, these people said.

The report notes that Apple has been inconsistent about blocking apps that use the UDID for tracking purposes and that the new tools will provide developers with ways to collect important data anonymously without being linked to the UDID that when combined with data from other apps could be used to identify the specific user of a given device.

No other details on the tools have yet been revealed, but the company could share more information at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference.

Instagram user Zac Altman has posted a photo showing a new banner going up at the Moscone West convention center confirming that Apple will be unveiling iOS 6 at next Monday's keynote address.

iOS 6 has been assumed to be a major topic of discussion for the event, but Apple has so far mentioned only that it will discuss the "future of iOS" at the event. The banner also displays a silver-colored theme that has been rumored to making its way to the iPhone to replace the blue theme present in many of Apple's apps. The silver theme has already been showing up on the iPad, but rumors of an Apple mapping app have suggested that the silver theme will moving to the smaller screen as well.

With Apple having dropped numbering and other descriptors from its latest model of the iPad earlier this year, there has been speculation that the company may follow suit with other products such as the iPhone. Today's banner indicates that the company will at least continue marketing iOS using its version number.

Update: A clear shot from CNet:

iOS 6 icon cropped from CNet's image shows the background is water ripples:

Yesterday, 9to5Mac reported that an iPhone user running on T-Mobile's network had observed the curious phenomenon of 3G connectivity showing up on his device when in the immediate vicinity of the Moscone West convention center where Apple is holding its Worldwide Developers Conference next week. The user, who frequently passes by the convention center, had never seen 3G network support there before.

iPhone users on T-Mobile USA have historically been limited to the carrier's slower EDGE network due to frequency incompatibility, but late last year the carrier began refarming its spectrum in select areas to move 3G service over to the 1900 MHz frequency band compatible with the iPhone. Just one month ago, T-Mobile announced that it would be taking the initiative nationwide, making the carrier ready for the iPhone by the end of 2012.

In response to the observation of 1900 MHz 3G service showing up specifically at Moscone West to beef up service for its users and speculation that Apple could make some sort of announcement about a T-Mobile iPhone at the event, the carrier issued a statement acknowledging the testing but calling its alignment with Apple's WWDC keynote "coincidental".

While upgrading coverage inside the West side of the Moscone Center, T-Mobile has also deployed 4G HSPA+ service in the 1900 MHz band to test the live network on a small scale. As part of the company’s previously announced $4 billion network modernization effort, T-Mobile plans to launch 4G HSPA+ service in the 1900 MHz band in a large number of markets by the end of the year, which will make our 4G network compatible with a broader range of devices, including the iPhone.

NOTE: The time and location of this test is just coincidental.

T-Mobile is the only one of the four major U.S. carriers to not offer the iPhone, due to its current frequency incompatibility, and the carrier has been increasingly disadvantaged as even small regional carriers and prepaid networks have begun rolling out the device to an increasing number of customers.