The news is that Apple is all set to launch the iPhone 6 tonight at 10.30 pm India time. It is sure that the two big screen iPhones are definitely coming and the iWatch, but, as usual, with Apple you’re never sure if they are going to spring a surprise along with what people are expecting! So what else can we expect from Apple?
iOS 8: Remember? We saw iOS 8 at Apple’s WWDC conference in June but tonight we’ll definitely get to see the final version of the product. As far as UI is concerned, don’t expect it to be very drastically different from iOS 7. We are also likely to get a better demo of how developers have used Extensions, which will help revamp the apps and widgets available. iOS 8 also comes with a new predictive keyboard called QuickType, and it is said that the third party developers can also access the keyboard now. That will be interesting!
We are expecting to see the new Health app, which will track and compile health statistics. It’s also expected to be key for the iWatch. This new app is said to be capable of pulling in data from other 3rd-party apps and this can be accessed by health and care professionals as well, depending on how much access users give to this app. The other app that everyone will be waiting to see in iOS 8 is the HomeKit app. It remains to be seen whether this will rollout globally or will Apple restrict this app to the US.
There’s the big and important question of whether the iPhone 4s will continue to be on the market and if it will get the iOS 8 update or will the update be restricted to the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5 users. This might influence the numbers and the sentiments, we all know that the 4s user base is huge and Apple cannot ignore them.
OS X Yosemite: After iOS 8, this is the second most important update for Apple users and fans alike. This should be available for download post the event on a date set by Apple, and it’s likely to bring the servers down as a huge number of users tries to upgrade at the same time. Just like Mavericks, this update will be free, although it remains to be seen which Macs, iMacs will be supported.
The biggest change in OS X Yosemite is ability to allow syncing between OS X and iOS 8. This was something that all Apple fans had been waiting for eagerly. AirDrop, will now function across iOS and OS X devices. Also users can receive calls, text messages on your iMac or Mac or even iPad itself, no matter how distant the iPhone is. There’s also Instant Hotspot, where the iPhone’s cellular connection will automatically link as a Wi-Fi hotspot without having to type in a long password.
Beats Headphones and Music streaming service: Ever since Apple took over Beats Music and Beats Electronics service, people are wondering how Apple will integrate this into their current range of devices. Are the iPhones getting Beats headphones? If they are, it could be mean that the Ear Buds headphones will come to end, although the Beats Headphones will be a lot more expensive. This may influence pricing too. We will have to wait and see how it plays out today.As far as the Beats Music streaming service goes, it is sure that the app will now come pre-loaded on the new iPhones. According to 9to5Mac , Apple has already started showing the app in the Apps by Apple section of the App Store. With Apple giving priority and attention to the app, this is likely to feature in iOS 8 as well. Beats Music has a monthly subscription and its looks extremely unlikely that the service will come to India even if it does form a part of iOS 8. However, whether Apple will close its iTunes Radio service remains unclear. We certainly hope that the Indian users get a way to get Beats Music service. India always gets a raw deal when it comes to music services!
iPods: In June this year, Apple quietly updated the iPod 5th generation with a 5 megapixel camera and re-launched it at a starting price of Rs 16,900 in India and reduced the prices on the older version as well. Where iPod Nano and Classic are concerned, it is unlikely to see new versions. Usually where the iPod touch update is concerned, the new version gets launched at the iPhone event. The only thing that could change is a faster chip, a better camera and a sleek design. We think that Apple is currently lowering the priority of the iPod range and they are going to get phased out eventually.
Apple TV:  Apple CEO Tim Cook had promised in February this year that Apple TV was no longer a hobby for the company. He was quoted by Reuters as saying, “It’s a little more difficult to call it (Apple TV) a hobby these days.†Apple has ensured complete control on the news around this and thus there’s very little anticipation around the Apple TV. We could see more of the Apple TV news once, perhaps during the iPad launch in October.
In summary, the iPhone and iWatch, iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite will be the important announcements from Apple. The fate of the iPods will probably be sealed if we don’t see them at this event. What else do you think is expected? Let us know!