Apple : In Depth: iOS 7 release date, news and rumours

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• In Depth: iOS 7 release date, news and rumours
• In Depth: How wireless charging will change our devices
• WWDC kicks off June 10 with Apple hinting at iOS 7 reveal
• Gary Marshall: Falling profit? Yep, Apple must be doomed

In Depth: iOS 7 release date, news and rumours Posted: The last major iOS 6 update for Apple's mobile devices, the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, was mostly hit, but there was a big Maps-shaped miss. Lots of people were rightly angry about Apple ditching Google data, but beyond that mis-step there were things to like: a more useful Siri (App launching plus the recognition that a world exists outside of the USA), shared Photo Streams, handy Phone app controls such as 'send to voicemail', and major improvements to Mail, Safari, accessibility and the Camera app. iOS 7 release date it looks like the new operating system might be running a little behind schedule. John Gruber believes that iOS 7 is "running behind", with engineers being pulled from OS X 10.9 to work on it. We're expecting a September or October release date for iOS 7 in line with previous releases. We'll almost certainly see a reveal at WWDC in early June. Apple has promised to give devs "an in-depth look at what's next in iOS and OS X". Find out what our TechRadar experts want to see from iOS 7 in the video below: FutTv : m6ZWxf4Bifq65 iOS 7 design A greater synergy between hardware and software design is something Apple is looking to achieve as it moves towards iOS 7. That's according to the Wall Street Journal in late March 2013, which also suggests that Jonathan Ive is pushing for a starker and simpler design for iOS 7 - that reminds us a little of what Microsoft has done to the desktop in Windows 8. But regardless of what Apple achieves, it's never really enough. As soon as you've sat there playing with the latest iOS, ideas pop into your head regarding what you'd like to see next. However, most changes will be "pretty conservative" according to the paper's sources. The rest of this article explores a dozen of the features we're clamouring to see in iOS 7. (And by 'clamouring', we of course mean 'asking really nicely'. C'mon, Mr Cook - pretty please?) 1. Hide Apple apps Pretty much everyone we know with an Apple device has a folder entitled 'Apple'. This isn't filled with must-have apps from the geniuses at Cupertino, but all the junk Apple installs that you can't get rid off. To be fair, what each individual considers junk is different, and these apps—Compass, Stocks, Voice Memos, Passbook, and so on—have their fans; but is it too much to ask for a switch in Settings that will hide those we don't use? 2. Better app management Change for change's sake is rarely a good thing. Recognition is key to satisfying experiences with technology. That's why we're not yelling at Apple to change how iOS home screens work. What we would like to see is improvements to app management: more screens; by default saving app data on delete; and an alphabetical list of installed apps, perhaps accessible from Spotlight. 3. Change app defaults We're pretty certain this request would be met with wide-eyes from Apple CEO Tim Cook, swiftly followed by a full twenty minutes of belly laughing, but we want the ability to use non-default apps for important things like email and calendaring. Apple's own apps would remain the defaults, but you should also be able to pick your own in Settings. 4. Provide a guest account It's extremely unlikely that Apple's ever going to enable multiple user accounts on iOS devices—they are, after all, designed as extremely personal computers. What is perhaps more realistic is some kind of guest account you could switch to when handing your device over to someone for a short while; something similar already exists on the Mac in OS X. 5. Change Siri's voice OS X is blessed with dozens of high-quality voices that witter away to you in various dulcet tones. By contrast, Siri is Siri. In the US, you get a slightly robotic woman; in the UK, Siri's that bloke who did The Weakest Link for a decade. It'd be great if you could choose the voice your device uses to speak. (Possible exception: Yoda voice.) 6. Provide App Store demos Apps and games might be cheap, but that doesn't figure cheapskates into the equation. Too often, people are unwilling to risk 69p on the latest release, forcing devs into irritating freemium models or making them clutter up the App Store with 'lite' versions of their output. Apple should just allow demos: 24 hours from first launch and then you buy or the app won't run. Boom. 7. Power up 'Do Not Disturb' Fed up of getting woken up in the middle of the night by the marketing efforts of [redacted, but quite possibly a well-known mobile network] or Game Center fanfares? Do Not Disturb is a great feature that enables you to time when your phone will quit bugging you. But you can define only a single schedule, and we want to see alternative options for weekends. 8. Make locking location-aware Locking is a great thing on iOS devices, making it at least a little harder for some scallywag to get at your data if they pinch your shiny Apple joy. But it could be more intelligent, locking on a location-aware basis, and not when you're, say, happily sitting at home on the sofa. 9. Improve the lock screen There's something to be said for Apple's minimalism regarding the iOS lock screen, and it's mostly that it's too minimal. We're not sure we want to see Android-style widgets sprayed everywhere, but a little more functionality wouldn't go amiss. For example, artwork from a currently playing song is displayed on the lock screen, but there are no controls for pausing or skipping to the next track, until you double-press Home, which isn't hugely discoverable. And beyond notifications, nothing else shows up there at all. 10 Cut all iTunes ties In recent years, Apple's made great leaps away from iTunes, and you can technically get away with never using the monstrous jukebox. However, there's still no way to easily get your existing music collection nor your photographs on to your device, and there should be. (Alas, with Apple wanting to push iTunes Match and the iTunes Store, there almost certainly never will be for the first of those.) 11. Make more icons dynamic We're hesitant at arguing Apple's home screen icons should be more like Windows 8 tiles, but there's something to be said for dynamic updates when such things work well. With iOS, you get update badges and a live calendar. It'd be nice at the least if Apple made its own Clock and Weather icons dynamic. 12. Enable cross-platform installs On a device, you now often see iOS-style banners on websites that when tapped take you right to the equivalent App Store app. But if you're browsing elsewhere, you have to email yourself a reminder and then install later. How good would it be if you were surfing on your PC, saw a great app and could install it across your devices without going near them, nor even to iTunes?

In Depth: How wireless charging will change our devices Posted: If you're anything like us, every time you leave the house you take an armful of cables, chargers and just-in-case batteries to fuel a camera, smartphone, tablet and laptop to amuse you between a constant hunt for the next recharge, the next top-up. What a terrible way to travel. Anyone who's 'upgraded' from an e-Ink e-reader like an original Kindle to the Kindle Fire HD or Kobo Arc only to miss the once-a-month quick charge of old will know exactly what we mean. And with wearable gadgets like smart watches and smart glass imminent, it's only going to get worse. The batteries that charge 1,000 times quicker and last 10 times longer Luckily, some clever innovations are afoot including wireless charging and power-efficient displays that could help us at last enter an era of ubiquitous computing. What is ubiquitous computing? The concept of ubiquitous computing was popularised by Mark Weiser in 1988, and describes a world where people interact with computers that 'weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it'. "It's just another term for mobile or portable computing," says Kevin Curran, senior member at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). "The biggest barrier to ubiquitous computing has simply been the poor battery life on mobile devices." What about solar power? If you're going off-grid to hike or camp for a few days but still want to use your tablet-smartphone-Kindle-GPS there are options. If staying at home in a darkened room isn't one of them, you could invest in something like the Goal Zero Yeti 1250 for £914 (around $1,400 USD/£1363 AUD), a battery with a solar generator that stores an incredible 150W of power within. That's enough for about 20 laptop charges, though it does take 20 hours to recharge from light alone. It also weighs a hefty 54kg. Other options include the foldout, pocket-sized Freeloader Classic for £35 (around $54 USD/$53 AUD) that's good for a few hours charge of a phone, though does take eight hours doing it. The OffGrid Solar Backpack for £150 (around $229 USD/$223 AUD) is another option, its 2W solar panels on the outside good for a five hour charge for a 17-inch laptop stored within. Such blue-sky thinking, however, has its limits - and who wants to carry around extra gadgets? Could we not just have a phone that uses less power? Nail on head - especially with some smartphones now using power-hungry six-inch screens. Options here include the single AA battery-powered SpareOne for £65 (around $100), a GSM phone that can last for 15 years if unused, or for 10 hours talk time, but it's certainly not a smartphone. A more innovative attempt at efficiency is the YotaPhone, a dual-screen phone with a colour LCD on one side and an electronic paper display (EPD) on the other. "I think many of us in the industry can remember where we were when we first heard of the concept and immediately went 'why did I not think of that!'," says Curran, who calls the use of e-Ink - which only uses power when it's refreshing the screen - a 'no brainer'. "I expect many smartphones, tablets and laptops to integrate similar displays." Smart watches, too, could use e-nk; the Pebble already does. So is e-ink making a comeback? E-Ink is just one manufacturer in the wider Electronic Paper Display (EPD) industry that's currently awash with power-saving innovations. Ubiquitous Energy uses a unique molecular power film across a screen that will ultimately charge a device while it's being used. "The film is transparent in the visible part of the light spectrum, and absorbs in the near-infrared to generate energy," says Curran, who expects to see the first batch of prototypes used on e-nk readers like the Kindle. Such a display could have a colour screen, too, if Liquavista changes ownership from Samsung to Amazon. Don't forget Apple, either; as we reported back in 2011, Apple patented a method for displaying static content in e-ink while other sections of the screen appear using standard LCD technology. Meanwhile, Cambridge, UK-based 'organic electronics' components manufacturer Plastic Logic has come up with a way of printing – even spraying – electronics on flexible plastic sheets. Such electro-plastic displays (EPD) can show simple Flash-based video animations at 12 frames per second, and in full colour, but they're really intended to complement an LCD screen, not replace it. The paper-thin screen technology could soon find its way into both high-end and entry-level devices such as bendable phones and wraparound smart watches, or as an extra, though largely weightless, second screen on a smartphone like YotaPhone. Industrial designers have clearly got a lot of work to do; the 'death of e-ink' predicted a few years ago was a false dusk indeed. What about wireless charging? "When they come to write the history of computing, 2013 will be the year that they select for the arrival of wireless power," says Curran, who expects to see wireless chargers outselling standard ones very quickly. Wireless charging is achieved through a process of electromagnetic induction whereby a current is sent from a coil in a charging pad to a coil embedded in a gadget placed a few centimeters away. As the device has to be either laid down on, or a very short distance (about four centimeters) from its charging pad, it's also not that easy to use a smartphone or tablet while it's charging. The designers clearly have some work to do for those who like to use their smartphone or tablet while it charges. So far we've seen various devices under the umbrella of Duracell's Powermat, and Palm's magnetic Touchstone dock for its Palm Pre, which uses a proprietary wireless charging system, but more are coming. Many, many more. Proprietary? That spells 'format war'! Well spotted. Just like the Blu-ray Vs HD-DVD bore-fest, and lately the shenanigans between Panasonic's active shutter and LG's polarised systems that helped ruined the whole 3D TV idea, battery boffins at Duracell and Energizer have each come up with their own systems that they each believe is superior. Duracell's is based upon the Powermat idea it's been long developing, with supporters shielding behind the Power Matters Alliance (PMA). It's same the yearning for worldwide licensing royalties that causes every format war (isn't unrestricted capitalism awesome?). On the other side of the fence is the Qi standard created by Energizer, which is supported by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). There are others, including PowerByProxi, a technology that can charge several devices simultaneously on the same charging pad, unlike Qi or Powermat. It also uses a 'loose coupling' array to enable a device to receive an equal charge anywhere on a charging mat. "Many systems like Qi only report peak efficiency, which occurs at such precise alignment and positioning on the pad that most users will never experience it," a spokesperson told TechRadar. PowerByProxi's 'killer app' could be the freedom and ease of placement offered by its unique charging box idea. "Household devices can simply be put in the box when the batteries get low." Who's in the PMA camp? BlackBerry, LG, Google, NEC, Texas Instruments, AT&T, Starbucks, Otterbox, IDT, ZTE (the world's fourth-largest handset manufacturer) and wireless charging spot provider PowerKiss are on Duracell's side, among 57 members in total. The latter joined the PMA in February 2013, stating that it would deploy wireless power in select McDonald's restaurants in Europe. It already operates conventional charging points train stations including in London Paddington and the Gare de Lyon in Paris, 16 European airports (including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle). Expect wireless upgrades soon. "Our decision to become a PMA member was based on several factors," said Maija Itkonen, CMO and Founder of PowerKiss. "The PMA system has a unique layer of telco-grade intelligence that allows venues to monitor the health, usage and policies of all their charging spots. Secondly, we believe the PMA now enjoys the momentum and the necessary investment from major industry players to bring wireless power to life for consumers." Who's in the Qi camp? HTC, Huawei, Hitachi, LG, Motorola Mobility, Nokia, Pentax, Philips, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba ... and 120 in total. About 15 million devices already have Qi technology inside, according to the WPC, most notably the new Samsung Galaxy S4. However, Qi isn't a native feature in the Galaxy S4, but rather an add-on accessory that comprises both charging pad and battery cover. Though LG is hedging its bets by belonging to both bodies (not an unusual stance in this kind of scenario), its Nexus 4 is fitted with Qi despite Google-love for Powermat. Which format will win? From a device perspective Qi stands a good chance if Samsung actively popularises it, though no doubt Apple has its own in-house plans for the iPhone 5S and next iPad/iPad Mini that could scupper any kind of universal cross-brand charging system. A third format? Yes, that's what we need. Don't rule out the PMA standard; as well as PowerKiss, it also finds favour with Starbucks. Could its tables and chairs be embedded with charging pads? Yes, they could, which suggests that the 'winning' format could be the one that creates the biggest and best charging infrastructure, and fast. After all, device makers don't operate on loyalty and will very quickly swap to whichever emerges as the industry standard. We'll drink to that. What kind of wireless charging products can we look forward to? Intel-powered ultrabooks that can 'beam' charge to a smartphone placed next to it, in-car charging cradles, and furniture with integral charging pads. Meanwhile, Apple has filed a patent application for wirelessly powering keyboards and mice without the need for batteries. Among a slew of new innovations at the Mobile World Congress 2013 was a demo of a smart wireless charging mat from NXP that used NFC to trigger wake-up, thereby allowing the charging pad to remain completely switched off when not in use. As well as a 'true-zero standby mode' the use of NFC could also mean a handshake to kick-start Bluetooth audio streaming without the need for pairing. Best of all, NXP's prototype supports multiple wireless charging standards, automatically detecting which standard the device is using. We're in for some big changes in terms of product design, but there's bound to be a long interim period where gadgets come with optional wireless charging packs and cables, too. They might be a pain to travel with, but USB cables are on the cusp of becoming universal ... achieving the same with wireless induction charging mats could take a very long time.

WWDC kicks off June 10 with Apple hinting at iOS 7 reveal Posted: Get your diaries out: Apple has confirmed that WWDC 2013 will take place June 10-14 in San Francisco. The annual Worldwide Developers Conference is aimed at developers but is often used to showcase new tech and, particularly, software. This year's no exception, with Apple promising to give devs "an in-depth look at what's next in iOS and OS X" - we're hoping this means our first official glimpse at iOS 7. A hard day's night Whether we'll see any hardware at the conference keynote is another story; with the iPad 4 and iPad mini unveiled last October alongside the iPhone 5, we're not really expecting any mobile devices until later this year. Mac refreshes are a possibility though, and we're hoping to see the successor to Mountain Lion shown off too. Hopes are high for iOS 7 as Apple's mobile software has long started to feel a little dated. Can we glean anything from the company's small but perfectly formed new WWCD logo? Formed of wavy app-esque tabs in an array of eight bright colours, we can't tell much beyond the fact that it will take place in MMXIII (that's Roman for 2013, fact fans). But wasn't there a rumour about the so-called budget iPhone coming in up to five colours? Okay, it's a stretch - but with Apple you just never know… Tickets for the show go on sale to iOS and Mac developer programme members on April 25 at 10am PDT at $1599 (around £1050 or AU$1550) a pop.

Gary Marshall: Falling profit? Yep, Apple must be doomed Posted: When I got up this morning, one of my dogs had crapped on the kitchen floor, my mobile was showing No Service and the coffee machine spat out hot water instead of coffee. "This can only mean one thing," I said to myself. "Apple is DOOOOOOMED!" Well, it's about as scientific as any other "Apple is DOOOOOOMED!" analysis. Instead of facts and figures, Apple could have released nothing but a picture of a small dog during yesterday's earnings call and we'd have endless reports explaining that the dog was smaller than Wall Street expected, and that the diminutive dog doodle proves that Apple is DOOOOOMED! Is it? Here's the short version: No. Here's the long version: Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnno. Paging Doctor DOOOOOOOOOM! Revenues are up. iPhone sales are up. iPad sales are up. iTunes sales are up. Yes, Mac sales are down very slightly, but they're still doing pretty well compared to the wider PC industry: Horace Dediu estimates that Apple's raking in 45% of the profit in the PC market. What's causing the doom-mongers to break out their widows' weeds isn't that Apple is losing money, or that people aren't buying its products. It's that Apple's profit margins have fallen. Previously Apple's profit margins were WTF*. Now, they're just OMG**. The profit margins are down because Apple's doing exactly what analysts clamoured for: it's making more affordable products such as iPad minis, and it's keeping older iPhones on sale at lower prices. Apple said it was doing that, and it told analysts earlier this year to expect profit margins of between 37.5% and 38.5%. So of course when Apple announced profit margins of 37.5%, analysts went crazy. "Apple is rubbish, and also DOOOOOMED!" they cried. Like stopped clocks the analysts will be right eventually - all empires fall - but predicting Apple's demise based on a single set of financial results is ridiculous, and claiming that Apple doesn't have anything in the pipeline is even more ridiculous. There were six years between the iPod and iPhone. We're supposed to write off Apple because it's been a whole six months since the iPad mini? Then again, we're talking about the same kind of level-headed long-term thinkers who, er, freak out over a single fake tweet. What we're seeing here is the tail end of a wave. The last few years have largely been about the iPhone, its astonishing sales and its incredible profit margins, and now that growth is slowing - just as the iPod's growth slowed before it, and just like the iPad's growth will also slow. When you're the only game in town you only get so long before the competition catches up and the market matures. What's surprising isn't that the iPhone is being squeezed. It's that Apple has been able to maintain such extraordinary profit margins for so long. * 47.4% ** 37.5%

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