It's that time again. Apple developers will descend on San Francisco's Moscone Center Monday for the company's annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). This is largely an event for those who create apps and services for Cupertino's lineup, so don't expect any new iPhones or iPads. But we will get a glimpse at the software that will be powering our current and upcoming devices in the year to come. Here's a rundown of what you can expect when things kick off at 10 a.m. PT on Monday.
iOS
Apple will likely show off iOS 9 on Monday and release it to developers. A full, stable version likely won't arrive until the fall alongside new iPhones, though average users might get to try things out via a public beta. Reports indicate that iOS 9 will focus largely on stability rather than big-ticket features, but Apple fans won't walk away completely empty-handed. 9to5Mac tips transit directions for Apple Maps, split-screen view for iPad apps (finally!), a Google Now-type update known as Proactive, and an OS that will play nice with older devices, among other things.
Mac OS X
Expect a look at the next version of Mac OS X, too. 9to5Mac tips some big security upgrades, including something called Rootless, which would protect data even at the administrator level. This will reportedly be optional on Mac, but not on iOS, which could be a blow to jailbreakers. The blog also suggested that Control Center might be coming to Mac, which moves controls to a slide-out menu on the left side of the screen.
Music Streaming
Reports of an Apple music streaming service have been making the rounds for years. We thought it might happen in 2009 with the purchase of Lala, but to no avail. Hopes were high again in 2013, but all we got was iTunes Radio. With last year's purchase of Beats, however, it seemed that a Spotify-type competitor might finally be on the horizon for Cupertino. Whether or not Apple can iron out deals with record labels in time for Monday's keynote remains to be seen, and there's also the question of whether there will be a free, ad-supported version. Whatever Apple reveals, it's about time.
HomeKit
Last year, Apple embraced the Internet of Things with HomeKit, which enabled developers to create apps and services that connected the digital home to iOS devices. With iOS 9, Apple will reportedly add a "Home" app, which will provide access to connected gadgets, much like the Health app syncs to apps created with HealthKit. The Apple TV will serve as a hub, though you'll have to make do with the aging model for now. The New York Times reports that a new Apple TV is not on the agenda since Cupertino needs more time to perfect the next-gen model and remote (which apparently has a touch pad).
Apple Watch Apps
Expect to hear a lot of (non-specific) Apple Watch talk (drink when someone on stage says magical, perfect, or revolutionary). With Cupertino clearing up its Apple Watch backlog and expanding to new countries later this month, more and more people will be logging on and trying out its apps. To that end, the Times reports that after WWDC, developers will get new Watch-related tools for deeper integration with Apple's wearable.