Apple's WWDC Unveils iPhone 3.0, OpenCL, Laptop Updates, and More 770
Lots of big news from WWDC today including updates to almost all of Apple's laptops. They added a 13-inch version to the MacBook Pro line, updated the MacBook Air, and added a few new ports to some of the machines including an SD slot and firewire 800 port. Software updates saw Safari 4 launched, OS X updates including threading changes, Exchange support to mail, calendar, and address book, and OpenCL a new open graphics standard. The iPhone got quite a bit of love in 3.0, much of it just confirming older news. Cut, copy, and paste, shake to undo, developer APIs, Cocoa Touch support for text, landscape mode updates, spotlight, and MMS all made the bullet list. You will now also be able to rent and purchase movies directly from your iPhone. Other new features in 3.0 include the much debated tethering ability, allowing you to use your iPhone as a cellular modem (unfortunately there was no mention of AT&T actually supporting this feature, a wonder there wasn't a riot), integrated TomTom GPS navigation, and game features galore. New functionality also allows you to locate your iPhone via MobileMe, play a sound to help you locate it (regardless if it is set to silent), and even wipe your data remotely. The New iPhone hardware updates, "3GS", adds a 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, voice interfaces, twice the processing power, and hardware encryption. The 3GS comes in 16GB ($199) and 32GB ($299), pushing the 3G (which they are keeping on the market) to $99. Lots of other small updates amidst the bustle, looks like another successful WWDC.
Front Camera (Score:4, Insightful)
Bashing Competitors (Score:5, Insightful)
yeh, too bad... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Bashing Competitors (Score:3, Insightful)
Apple lives on cockiness and fanboy hive-mind reality isolation. Did you expect any different?
Re:Is this the new style? (Score:3, Insightful)
It's all the rage now.
Gotta get that "OMG I HEARD THIS ON TWITTER 2 SECONDS AGO" reader to see it without scrolling.
Security on auto-locate feature? (Score:4, Insightful)
I hope there's good security on the auto-locate feature. Aside from the obvious "prank" of remotely wiping someone's iphone, I can also see this being abused for such things as spying on people's locations, or perhaps less invasive but more annoying... a "loved one" forcing your phone to ring when you already set it to silent for a meeting or movie.
Shake it (Score:5, Insightful)
Am I the only one who hates the shake interface for any action at all? Half the time I don't shake it hard enough, so I have to do it again. And for something like undo, it takes your eyes off what you're trying to do... or undo. I realize there are limited inputs on a device with few hard buttons, but hope there's an alternate way.
And of course, no non-glossy displays (Score:5, Insightful)
Can't Apple produce 15" or 13" laptops without that damn glossy display? These mirrors mounted on laptops get really annoying, and I'm not the only one who thinks that non-glossy displays are superior to their allegedly cheaper glossy displays.
One more guy who's looking for a used MBP on ebay.
Hardware Encryption (Score:5, Insightful)
Umm, encryption of...what, exactly?
Are we talking about the flash drive being encrypted? Are we talking about the iPhone finally supporting PGP?
Re:yeh, too bad... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Tethering lawsuit? (Score:4, Insightful)
What would be their allegations in such a suit? What agreement has Apple broken? What law has apple violated?
The Fraud of Tethering (Score:5, Insightful)
Considering that the iPhone itself is really a small form-factor computer with communication abilities built in, the line has already been so blurred between phone and computer that I can't see how that fact that another computer can also access the Internet through the connection is all that different. Especially since you, the customer are paying to have the ability to transfer a given number of bits per month. Why should it even matter -- except to anal companies like AT&T who what to sell you capacity and then prevent you from actually using it -- the eventual destination of those bits? How it tethering even different from storing the downloaded data in an iPhone and transferring it later to another device?
Answer: It isn't!
The same for VoIP. It's all just bits being sent and received. Now create a business model that acknowledges this axiom.
Re:Lots of brain candy for the geeks, but... (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, it IS a developer's conference.
Just sayin'.
Re:Macbook pro (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah that sucks, what the hell is wrong with Apple, why not keep the two of them as options. Now the only expansion comes from a single FW800 port. This is where Windows laptops do it better, they give you the card reading slots, and the Express slot. Apple did the right thing with the 13" but went backwards with the 15", not even bothering to update the 17" with them both, where its size would have allowed it! A CF reader would have been better for the Pro shooters. I'd rather have this than the inclusive price drop.
But at least we know its an Apple SD card reader so it must be better! I wonder if it can read the other 3 card formats that are the same size like windows laptops, seriously sucks hard if it is just SD. Why bother.
Re:Lots of brain candy for the geeks, but... (Score:4, Insightful)
If your biggest problem is that your latest product upgrade isn't as exciting as the initial launch of said product, well that's not such a bad place to be.
Apple has consistently released new iPods for years, but not every one was a giant step over the last. And people complained that the change wasn't that exciting. But they kept selling truckloads of the little things, and they'll probably keep selling iPhones as well.
I don't know what sort of huge innovations you were expecting. Apple has spent a lot of effort in creating the iPhone as a platform, served by the app store. They're not going to release something so incredibly different that it fractures that platform "eco-system". They're going to be very careful about releasing hardware that will result in apps that aren't backwards compatible with the phones already out there.
Re:OpenCL != OpenGL (Score:2, Insightful)
FTA: and OpenCL a new open graphics standard
Not quite. [wikipedia.org] ...a framework for writing programs that execute across heterogeneous platforms consisting of CPUs, GPUs, and other processors.
OpenCL is like CUDA, but supposed to be more open along the lines of OpenGL, hence the name. The same guys who manage OpenGL (Khronos) manage OpenCL as well. You could probably use it to do graphics, but that would be stupid.
Why would it be so stupid? OpenGL sucks for doing specialized graphics work; it's designed to be a noisy, triangle-pushing machine, not for Photoshop quality images in non-realtime. OpenCL fits the bill as the ultimate photo studio accelerator more so than any other API does at the moment.
OpenCL might have been designed to be a generalized compute API, but 9/10 of the apps that immediately use it in the first few months will be graphical applications (Photoshop & imitators, maybe Adobe's Flash), with the 10th being someone's Big Budget sound studio app (Reason/Live/etc). It will be months before anyone has general utility of the API.
Re:Macbook pro (Score:3, Insightful)
MagSafe power port
Gigabit Ethernet port
One FireWire 800 port (up to 800 Mbps)
Three USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
Mini DisplayPort
Audio line in
Audio line out
ExpressCard/34 slot
Kensington lock slot
Buy a third party product for your card reading needs.My Sony Cybershot 10.3 MP Carl Zeiss model has video out and USB. I'm not complaining.
$100 for 16GB?! (Score:5, Insightful)
Ouch, that's a costly upgrade, when the same thing in an SD card is roughly $20.
Re:Today's news = sad days for new iphone3g owners (Score:5, Insightful)
There is always something better just over the horizon. If you are a big Jobs devotee then you should have known better than to buy something just before WWDC. That is a MASSIVE NERD FAIL.
HTML 5 is the big deal (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:yeh, too bad... (Score:5, Insightful)
I can't really believe that Apple is any happier about that situation than its customers are. I'm wondering if we're seeing the beginning of the end of that exclusivity.
Re:The Fraud of Tethering (Score:5, Insightful)
How it tethering even different from storing the downloaded data in an iPhone and transferring it later to another device?
Right or wrong, the answer that AT&T would give is that you're not going to use nearly as much data on an iPhone as you would on a laptop. Yes, they're converging, but we're still quite a ways from the point where people are going to be downloading torrents to watch on their phones, or even using a great deal of bandwidth on everyday internet applications, because phones are short-use devices. I'm not saying I agree with it, but the decision to disallow tethering is a pragmatic one based on the fact that it would almost certainly increase AT&T's network load by a huge margin, considering the number of people who already own iPhones, and people are already complaining about the crappy speeds of their network as it is. You can't have it both ways.
Re:First post (Score:1, Insightful)
two fails do not make a win
Re:Today's news = sad days for new iphone3g owners (Score:3, Insightful)
it would be different if they said, "in 1 year, there will be this blah blah blah phone for $199" because that would have given the consumers a chance to decide if they want to go ahead with the massive $199 purchase or wait to get something that is better for the same price.
Yeah, so people like you would hold off on buying a phone for 5 months? Why would Apple do that to themselves? They much rather have you buy a phone in Feb and then the newer one a year later.
Re:yeh, too bad... (Score:5, Insightful)
I liked how AT&T got booed twice. Once for no tethering, once for no MMS until July (or whatever).
I love my iPhone, but it's amazing that after basically saving AT&T from irrelevance, they still don't get it. How hard could it POSSIBLY BE to have MMS support available on day 1? Only every other phone on their network supports it.
Re:The whole event was crap. (Score:5, Insightful)
Just do not fully understand Apple's poo-pooing the netbook space. I see a Netbook as a supplement to my bigger system, that I prefer not to carry.
Netbooks don't have the profit margins that Apple desires. Simple as that.
Re:yeh, too bad... (Score:4, Insightful)
Before the original iPhone launched, the other carriers wouldn't make the investment for things like Visual Voicemail; only AT&T and only with exclusivity.
Now, of course, it's an entirely different story- I'm willing to be that Sprint and Verizon would jump through hoops to get at the iPhone, and I can only imagine the AT&T stock drop the moment the end of exclusivity is announced.
I'm also betting that Verizon has been kicking itself for the past few years...
iPhone 3.0 software release date (Score:5, Insightful)
The iPhone 3.0 software release date has been given as June 17th although apparently paid developers can get the GM copy now.
You'd think a detail like that could have found its way into the summary somewhere...
Re:Hardware Encryption (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Today's news = sad days for new iphone3g owners (Score:5, Insightful)
He purchased the phone in February! That's 4-5 months ago. He didn't get "screwed" out of a better phone, he's just bitching that his phone is now last years model. But hey, unreasonable bitching never stopped slashdotters, so while we're wishing for an upgrade discount, why stop at 4-5 months, why not more? Shit, I bought my mac desktop 5 years ago and they've upgraded it since then 3-4 times including changing processors AND operating systems on me, why shouldn't I get an upgrade discount on that? By the GP's logic, Apple should never update their products because people keep buying their existing products. Sorry dude, welcome to the world of electronics, they get upgraded on a yearly or bi-yearly basis and the very minute you buy your product, there is a finite probability you will wake up tomorrow and it will be out of date.
Re:OS X updates (Score:5, Insightful)
$29 isn't a bad price.
2007 : Vista and Mac OS X Leopard launch. Vista users talk about the high ongoing cost of Mac OS X upgrades because they occur every 18 months. Mac users say the trend is for longer gaps between OS launches, and that XP->Vista was uncharacteristically long.
30 months later: Windows 7 and Snow Leopard launch at roughly the same time. Snow Leopard costs $29 to upgrade ($129 new). Windows 7 Home Premium: $260 (rumoured). Linux: Still free.
Re:No OpenGL ES 2.0 (Score:4, Insightful)
I have also read the official press release from Apple (not sure if it is already released yet, but it should be soon) and it also mentions OpenGL ES 2.0, so I think you got your upgrade after all :)
Re:Macbook pro (Score:3, Insightful)
You're telling me that an SD slot can fit on my cell phone, but not on my MacBook? That the MacBook is just so chock-full of goodness that adding an SD slot would just be "too much"?
Who are you shitting?
It looks to me like someone at Apple thought they could coast for another few quarters, and then there was a little bit of excitement over the Pre and suddenly Apple is trying to make it look like they're really doing something.
If Apple wants to do something exciting, let them come out with a full-size, expandable computer that doesn't start at $5k. Better yet, let them finally catch up with the other OS manufacturers and release an OS that can be used on a machine besides the ones that Apple sells.
Now that would be exciting.
Depends on how you define "success" (Score:3, Insightful)
looks like another successful WWDC.
Well, that really depends on how you define success. If you think that they succeeded because they made it through mostly unscathed and that it ended and everyone went home, then you're probably right. Their share price even managed to recover to nearly the same value by closing.
However, most people expect more from Apple than a few minor tweaks and "refreshes", especially regarding the iPhone. Their presentation basically restated, bullet by bullet, everything that had been leaked to date. Nothing new or inspiring, and some things that weren't so inspiring (thanks, AT&T, for nothing). There wasn't even a "One More Thing".
No visions for the future. Nothing innovative, inspiring, or even interesting. In all, it was an ordinary, if not downright boring, conference that promised nothing but More of the Same.
Re:Good update. (Score:5, Insightful)
Because saving a hundred bucks off the ~$1700 total is such a bargain?
Re:yeh, too bad... (Score:4, Insightful)
Probably because AT&T offered the most money! It's all about money. Apple and AT&T are in business to MAKE MONEY. Private companies want to MAKE MONEY. Every decision they consider and every project they undertake is designed to MAKE MONEY.
Sorry, I'm not picking on you. Just irritated -- people stamp their feet when companies do things they don't like, forgetting of course that these companies are in business to MAKE BLOODY MONEY.
Why do you think Apple is so against replaceable batteries in their phones? Why don't they allow storage cards? It's about MONEY.
Re:Front Camera (Score:5, Insightful)
I personally think that such a feature sounds great at first, but people will quickly become disenchanted with it. First and foremost, because where you hold a phone to view the screen will give you a particularly unflattering angle of yourself: up your nose. Even relatively fit people are going to look like they have a double-chin when they're looking down at their phone. Ever notice all the myspace kiddies that take pics of themselves from a high angle? People say they want video chat on a phone, but I say "be careful what you ask for; you might get it".
Re:Today's news = sad days for new iphone3g owners (Score:4, Insightful)
An iPhone is a poor investment. Here's a tip; they'll release a better phone next year, and the 3GS will be worth less.
Think "development and setup costs" (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Today's news = sad days for new iphone3g owners (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:How does the GS look to game devs? (Score:1, Insightful)
This is something that worried me before the keynote.
The change from Open GL ES 1.1 (original Iphone & 3G) to ES 2.0 (3GS) is significant. The key thing to note is that 2.0 (shader-based) is NOT 100% backward-compatible with 1.1, meaning a code update will be forced. I expect the majority of 3d engines to remain in the ES1.1 API for a long time (6 months+) or as long as the majority of devices in consumers hands only support it. ...then again I only do freelance work - I'm sure the larger dev studios can throw a person or two at the problem and have it worked out in a week.
sigh.
Re:$79 Touch (Score:3, Insightful)
Very, very far behind. It's not really $99--that's probably no more than a third the total price. You pay the rest off on time as part of your AT&T subscription.
Re:-1 Troll (Score:3, Insightful)
AMD's hypertransport was revolutionary, microwave ovens were revolutionary and not all revolutionary ideas have to be popular (see Office 2007's menu system). Taking a 32bit/64bit hybrid OS and making it purely 64bit is evolutionary.
3G cheap as chips! (Score:5, Insightful)
Wow, I can get a 3G for $99? I'll take one! Oh wait, I have to pay how much on the contract?
I do wish the media would stop parroting these utterly irrelevant "costs" for mobile devices straight from the press release, as if it was true or something.
Re:OpenCL != OpenGL (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Security on auto-locate feature? (Score:2, Insightful)
As long as the partner isn't too vengeful and doesn't delete your iTunes library, you'll be fine.
Re:Think "development and setup costs" (Score:1, Insightful)
The 16gb and 32 gb most likely use the same pcb, the only difference being the actual memory chips. Either the 16gb model has some empty spaces on the board or it has the same number of chips as the 32gb model, but each half the size.
The latter could be an explanation for the steep price increase from 16gb to 32gb. You pay a hefty premium for the latest and greatest.
otoh. it is also possible that Apple just likes the extra profit on the 32gb model.
NO FLASH (Score:1, Insightful)
And I'm not talking about a camera flash either! Its been two years and there still is no flash support? I know it must be ATT holding things back, but come on, at least let us have flash enabled over Wi-Fi.
Re:Macbook pro (Score:3, Insightful)
Better yet, let them finally catch up with the other OS manufacturers and release an OS that can be used on a machine besides the ones that Apple sells.
That's not catching up, that's stepping down. Once you support generic hardware, there's nothing you can do about Cheap Chinese Chop selling the crappiest crap ever and your customers blaming you for the resulting crashes. MS knows that, and I'm pretty sure if they had a chance to dig themselves out of that hole, they would.
Apple intends to simply stay out of the hole in the first place.
Plus, they're still mostly a hardware company.
Re:And of course, no non-glossy displays (Score:4, Insightful)
The point isn't the glossy display, it is the 'cheap' glossy displays that reflect like mirrors.
There are lots of LCDs on various other brands of laptops with 'glossy' displays that actually filter the light so they don't blind you or act like a mirror.
The filtered glossy displays cost a few bucks more, but this is Apple, and apparently they don't care about the 'best' hardware anymore.
This is something we became aware of when our techs bought several glossy laptops back in 2005. The higher end displays, like the 1920x1200 units didn't reflect like the cheaper displays, and the difference of using them in bright light is a massive difference.
I feel sorry when sitting next to a Mac user at an airport, even when I'm using a Netbook with a filtered glossy screen with no problems and they are having trouble even seeing their screen.
Sometimes they ask what the trick is, and I have to explain the LCD Gloss finish/cover and Apple uses the cheap crap.
Re:$100 for 16GB?! (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't think SD card comparisons are unfair when you consider just about every phone on the planet besides the iPhone offers SD card expansion.
The pokes at AT&T in the WWDC 2009 keynote (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:3G cheap as chips! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Depends on how you define "success" (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Why an SD slot, I wonder? (Score:5, Insightful)
I, too, don't understand why Apple decided to replace the ExpressCard slot with an SD slot on a supposedly pro-level notebook.
They explained it clearly in the keynote. Less then 1% of users used ExpressCard. Over 90% of users owned cameras that use SD cards. Most users don't like using USB to hook up their cameras. ExpressCard is still available on the 17" MacBook Pro, because they acknowledge there are professional uses for it.
Re:Holes (Score:3, Insightful)
If what you say about MS and holes is true, why don't they just eliminate software sales to the general public and just limit it to a few official blessed vendors, so they can maintain strict integrated quality control?
Because they are just as locked-in to their own trap as everyone else. The moment they do something big and obvious like that, millions of consumers will start looking for alternatives.
Yes, you're right that they are very obviously not stopping to sell to everyone. That is exactly the trap I mean. MS survives because it is everywhere. Monopoly, lock-in, whatever you call it. They can't stop doing that or the whole house of cards comes crashing down.