Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) – Looking Forward

With Apple’s annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) rapidly approaching (less than 15 minutes!), rumors abound as to exactly what Mr. Jobs has in store this year. The usual rabid anticipation to see the newest iPhone and mobile OS release has been somewhat diminished by the recent mess surrounding the leaked prototype. While not necessarily proof of an impending release on its own, it certainly has created a higher expectation level for this years presentation. The iPhone and OS release is almost expected based on Job’s following the leak, so now the question has become “What else do they have in store for us?” We are used to being blown away by the newest Apple releases, but with the recent iPad success and the expectation of the the new iPhone, what else could be left?

Speculation on what else Apple has in store is everywhere with tech bloggers across the web throwing in their two cents. PC Worlds Jeff Bertolucci anticipates as much focus on PR as new releases. He expects at least some attention paid to the new AT&T data-pricing plan, legal action surrounding the iPhone prototype leak, and the recent string of suicides among employees of Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn. Other rumors point to the increased OS 10.7 usage amongst Apple employees as an indication of the upcoming release of the new operating system. Even more recently we’ve received pictures of what looks like an Apple “Magic Slate” (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/07/apples-magic-trackpad-or-magic-slate-revealed/) that appears to mix an iPad type interface with an Apple keyboard to create a whole new desktop interface.

Our thirst will be quenched with answers to these questions in only a few hours as the conference kicks off, which leads to an even more interesting question, “What’s next?”. Apple patents over the last year have ranged from solar cell technology to provisions for an invisible button, but which, if any, of these technologies will find their ways into consumer hands over the next year is hard to tell. Apple has taken strong steps towards protecting their intellectual property in the past, going so far as submitting patents well before they have tangible application. This possessive tendency has come to a very public head over the Apple Inc. vs. HTC Corp. law suit in which Apple is suing HTC to allegedly protect 20 patents, including many involved in the iPhone development. The public response to this action has been lukewarm at best, with many seeing this as blatant bullying. This case will be one worth keeping an eye on. If it falls in Apple’s favor we may soon see a very strong focus put on current intellectual property and patent laws in the commercial development sector.  For good reason too, using IP laws as a road-block to prevent small fish from creating and producing new products/ideas is exactly counter to the idea behind their inception.