iOS 7 is on track for a summer unveiling at Apple’s WWDC 2013 event in June, according to reports.
Bloomberg revealed that Apple has pulled software engineers from the OS X team to work on the iOS 7 project in order to hit its deadline for a WWDC reveal, but having done so it’s believed it’ll hit its target date.
The new version has been spearheaded by Apple design chief Jony Ive and Bloomberg’s report reiterates previous rumours that it will be ‘flatter’ and more streamlined, apparently with some similarities to Windows Phone but still very much with an Apple aesthetic.
Things are set to change visually, but not too much so as to cause a problem – it’s said the interface will be very familiar to existing iOS users and you won’t have to learn any new interactions. The Home screen and Lock screens will be similar to the way they are now, but tool bars, icons and other interface features will be getting a facelift.
The email and calendar apps are said to be getting a significant overhaul, however.
The report says that iOS 7 will be released for existing iPhones and iPads in September, which could imply that it’ll debut on a new device at that time – possibly the iPhone 5S, iPad 5 or iPad Mini 2.
Previously it was thought that Apple would launch a new device in June or July, but during the company’s quarterly earnings call chief executive Tim Cook let slip that no new hardware would be arriving until the Autumn.
That would sit well with the idea of an iOS 7 launch in September aboard a new device, but quite which one it will be is anybody’s guess.
There are plenty of predictions that the iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 will arrive side-by-side as their predecessors did in 2012, but could this be the first Apple launch to see two tablets and a phone released at once?
by pbriden via Featured Articles
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