Wrap-up of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference Keynote
Earlier in the week, Digital Journalists made a 'rumour-chart' tracking speculation on what would be announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2009 keynote. Well the results are in, and here's how much truth there was in rumours.
More than 1,000 Apple engineers were at Moscone West in San Fran to present the latest Apple technologies at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
Photo by Eli Hodapp
Apple announced a new updated version of its iPhone dubbed
iPhone 3G S, as well as a release date and the cost of its next
OS Snow Leopard. Also included in the announcements were some handy updates to its MacBook lineup as well as a release date for 3.0 of the iPhone OS.
So how did our chart rank up against what actually happened? Here are the results:
Out of a total of 25 available rumours, only 16 came to fruition -- nowhere near perfect. That is 64 per cent of rumours coming true. Here is a breakdown of what was announced versus what was rumoured:
Product | Rumour | Confirmed (Announced) |
iPhone | | |
| New model (at least one though according to reports could be as many as 4 variations) | Yes |
| Cheaper model ($99) | Yes (although is the current model) |
| New design | No |
| Cheaper model ($99) | Yes (although is the current model) |
| Matte version (no longer shiny) | No |
| Compass (Magnetometer) | Yes |
| More memory/RAM | Yes |
| More storage/larger hard drive | Yes |
| Faster processor | Yes |
| Backlit Apple logo (unlikely) | No |
| Autofocus on camera | Yes |
| Video chat camera on front of iPhone | No |
| Support of 802.11n wireless standard | No |
| Backlit Apple logo (unlikely) | No |
| Nike and iPod support | Yes |
| Built-in FM radio | No |
iPhone 3.0 operating system | | |
| Imminent release (expected this summer) | Yes (June 17) |
| One or two main and previously unannounced features | Yes (Support for voice activation, new Safari features and more) |
| Video capture and editing | Yes |
| Download movies and TV shows direct onto your iPhone | Yes |
| App store parental controls | Yes |
Snow Leopard | | |
| To be released? | Yes |
| Test build given to developers to begin working with | No |
| More information including price etc. | Yes |
Other | | |
| Steve Jobs will make an appearance | No |
| Launch of new Apple tablet | No |
| MacBook may receive small upgrades | Yes |
Total | 25 | 16 |
As you can see, the rumours were spot-on for the internal upgrade for the new iPhone, although reports of a new design and a matte version did not prove to be correct this time around. The rumours scored a perfect five out of five for the iPhone OS, reporting that parental controls were on their way as well as movie and TV show downloads on the iPhone.
But the rumour-mill fell to pieces when it came to the externals for the new iPhone 3G S, with the Matte version failing to materialize along with support for Wireless N technologies. The built-in FM radio also proved to be too good to be true, along with the supposed video chat camera on the front of the device.
Last-minute rumours on the device, including the name, proved to be correct, as well as a report which mentioned that the MacBooks were set to receive an upgrade, which they did.