Apple's WWDC keynote: What we didn't get
We heard a lot of big news at this year's WWDC, but as always there were tons of rumored announcements that stayed on the cutting-room floor.
- Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
It seems like every Apple event comes with an increasingly large dose of sparkling hype, and plenty of supposedly imminent announcements end up not happening.
This year's Tim Cook keynote speech at WWDC had its share of big news, and plenty of excitement -- iOS 6, Retina Display MacBook Pros -- but here's what wasn't there.
Consolidation of the MacBook line
Yes, that Retina Display MacBook Pro is stunning and covers a lot of what I was looking for in a MacBook, but Airs and Pros still exist, and with lots of different screen sizes. Is choice confusing or welcome? I personally would have preferred the fancy Pro to be a bit more affordable.
4G on a MacBook
Well, there still aren't any MacBooks with built-in mobile broadband. The Retina Display MacBook Pro seemed like a shoo-in for 4G LTE, but it didn't come to pass.
No new iMacs or Mac Minis
The Mac Pro got stealthily updated on Apple's Web site without a mention in the keynote speech, but the iMacs and Mac Minis are still last year's models. Best guess: news will come on those soon.
Apple TV SDK/App Store
The biggest pre-WWDC rumor fell flat on its face: Apple didn't speak a word about the Apple TV or any apps.
Apple HDTV hardware
As mentioned above, no Apple TV, and that included hardware as well as software. We knew the odds on Apple TV hardware were slim to none, and the keynote didn't pull any surprises.
The next iPhone
No one expected a new iPhone, but still: while iOS 6 was a star of the keynote, the next iPhone remained a mystery. However, iOS 6 practically offers enough new features to make an existing iPhone (3GS or later) feel new.
iPad Mini
Was anyone expecting this? For the sake of being a completist, this is on the list. The newest iPad remains the third-gen version that debuted in March.
Update/overhaul of iTunes
Do you find discovery of apps difficult? Feel frustrated by the design of iTunes? There are redesigned mobile versions of iOS content apps like the App Store in iOS 6 along with integrated Facebook recommendations, but iTunes hasn't made many changes.
Anything you were expecting that didn't appear?
