WWDC 2017: Apple enters smart speaker space with HomePod

Text and photos by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

San Jose, CA - Apple gave delegates to its yearly WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) a sneak peek at their new HomePod smart home speaker. At just under 7 inches tall, HomePod represents years of hardware and software innovation at Apple, including spatial awareness that allows HomePod to sense its location in a room and automatically adjust the audio to deliver a great music experience, a large, Apple-designed woofer and a custom array of seven beam-forming tweeters.

“Apple reinvented portable music with iPod and now HomePod will reinvent how we enjoy music wirelessly throughout our homes,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “HomePod packs powerful speaker technology, Siri intelligence and wireless access to the entire Apple Music library into a beautiful speaker"

Coming to the US and UK in December, HomePod is powered by an Apple A8 processor, it integrates Siri, has access to Apple Music's 40 million song library and can also control IoT and connected home devices by serving ans a HomeKit hub.

Apple Store is down pointing to certain hardware announcements at WWDC 2017

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

San Jose, CA - Good news for anyone hoping for new Apple hardware announcements coming today from Apple's WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) here in San Jose. The online Apple Store is down, this is usually a sign that we can expect some product refreshes (at the very least) or, more likely, some new product announcements and possibly a new category or two. 

WWDC is primarily an ecosystem and developer conference, Apple announes various new technologies and tools and shows examples of what is coming next to iOS, macOS and various peripheral ecosystems. We've seen minor hardware announcements in the past like the new MacBook Pros or the Mac Pro, however this year will likely be different. Apple hasn't had a hardware event since Septemeber's iPhone 7 and Apple Watch event which also brought new MacBook Pros with Touchbars. While the iPad received a rather quiet update (and drop in price) early this year, the iPad Pro hasn't seen a notable refresh in a while. That might change today as Apple showcases iOS 11 and more pro-focused functionality from its tablet line. Stay tuned!

Drag and Drop, new Files app raise speculation of new iOS 11 features

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

San Jose- Apple sees iOS on the iPad as a bona-fide operating system that can accomplish most of, if not more than, notebooks and desktop PCs.

One of the biggest limitations of Apple's iOS is that it lacks a user-accessible file system. macOS' Finder never made it to mobile but that looks like it is about to change. A leak showing a new Files app and hints towards Drag and Drop functionality will give iOS users more latitude and flexibility on using their iPad and iPad Pro devices more like traditional PCs. We'll know more in a few hours as the WWDC 2017 kicks off in San Jose.

Source: 9to5Mac

How to watch today's Apple WWDC 2017 Keynote

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

San Jose, CA - Apple has taken over the city of San Jose for this year's WWDC. The company will cover various updates to its tentpole technologies like iOS, macOS, watchOS, HomeKit, CarPlay and others and new hardware is heavily tipped as the Apple Store is currently down. 

Apple is streaming their Keynote. Below are the requirements for playback.

• A Mac on OS X 10.8.5 or later, running Safari 6.0.5 or later
• An iPad, iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 7.0 or later
• A 4th generation Apple TV, or a 2nd or 3rd generation one running 6.2 or later
• A Windows PC running Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge browser

Stay tuned for our live coverage of the event and any announcements here later today.