Points and Counterpoints
The focus will be on software at WWDC this year, Apple said. Upcoming features in iOS 5 were widely discussed in rumors this weekend, such as cloud music storage and social features. But WWDC was also expected to stage the unveiling of the new iPhone 5, sticking to Apple’s traditional summer release schedule for the iPhone. But it’s not happening, says Jim Dalrymple of The Loop (who was a strong track record regarding Apple sources). No new iPhone, no new Macs.
Instead, Darlrymple’s sources say the conference will see announcements regarding advancements with Mac OSX Lion (expected to arrive this summer, too), and TechCrunch reports iOS 5 will only be previewed at the event, with a delay until it’s actually available, giving developers time to modify their apps.
But if Apple does not release or announce a new iPhone at WWDC (or shortly after), does that mean the iPhone 5 is delayed until fall, to arrive with iOS 5 preinstalled? That’s something separate rumors suggest as well. One site claims Apple has not even ordered components for the iPhone 5, pointing toward a 2012 release. However, chances are Apple will not miss the holiday season, where it makes significant sales.
We have yet to purchase a crystal globe at PCWorld, so we will have to wait until June to find out if the iPhone 5 is delayed or not. Until then, one thing is for sure: Apple hasn’t said a word about the timing of iOS 5, or whether the next version of its mobile OS will be called that; same goes for the next iPhone.
After all, Apple could just introduce a new iPhone, similar in design to the iPhone 4, but with improved internals, including the A5 dual-core chip from the iPad 2 and sprinkled with some NFC. Apple did a similar move with the upgrade from the iPhone 3G to 3GS. Then, later on in the year, iOS 5 would arrive and bring some new features to the table, both for a new iPhone and the iPad 2.
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