Apple in 2012: Things to expect?

Posted By: Dattatreya Mandal

For many of us tech enthusiasts, the year 2011 will be marked with baleful essence of the exalted Steve Job's demise. Yet on the technological and commercial front, Apple did take quite a few progressive strides. The year was started with the launching of Mac OS X 10.6.6 Snow Leopard. They followed it up with a newer digital download marketplace and suites, ultimately culminating in the much touted Mac OS X Lion (the very first PC OS in digitally downloaded format). Regarding mobile devices, Apple also debuted their awaited iPad 2, infused with a more boisterous A5 processor.

The second half of the year will be chiefly remembered for the announcement of Apple's very own cloud computing service (iCloud) and the introduction of the next iteration of iPhone (in the form of iPhone 4S). And finally to aptly seal the fruitful year, the company released the fourth generation of iPod Touch with a slimmer design and Retina Display.

Deliverables 2012:

Now, we can all agree that 2011 had been a commercially successful year for Apple. But if the rapturous buzz is anything to go by, the company has even bigger plans for 2012. So, without further ado, let us briefly check out some of probable Apple concoctions for this year.

iPhone 5

Of course, this product should be the first on our list, just to satiate our geeky senses. Now, what we call a proper iPhone 5 should have a wealth of features over its predecessor. This includes an A6 processor (possibly with a more powerful quad core set up), an ergonomic and even sleeker design, with a larger display. Finally, the wish list should be complete with LTE support and NFC features.

iPad 3

Quite logically, Apple should also notch it up a level in the tablet segment with the robust iPad 3. According to rumors, this next version of iPad will seriously pack a punch with its A6 quad core processor, integrated Siri personal assistant and a better camera system. But the definitive element would surely be the whopping 1536 x 2048 pixels, 330-dpi Retina screen, as compared to its previously paltry 1024 x 768 pixels, 132-dpi resolution iPad 2 display.

Improvement in iCloud

While, iCloud was certainly a welcome step for many a Apple user, there is still some avenues which can be addressed for improvement. This is true, when we consider the syncing criteria between Macs and PCs. But on every major networking field, the integration of desktops for this syncing purpose remains important, especially when reaching out to greater number of users.

Apple TV

With the grapevine ripe with rumors of grandiose iPhones and fascinating iPads, shall we be witness to the next iteration of Apple TV in the form of ever elusive iTV? The chances are bright, but the scope of improvement for these 'media receivers' (along with brand new TV sets) is still a subject to conjecture. Maybe, the designers can contrive an innovative system that will include a wealth of features like a full App Store, iCloud support and even Siri related attributes.

New Mac

Now, the Mac realm has been the area where Apple has arguably given the least of its concentration in 2011. But on the brighter side, we do see a righteous trend of Apple going for more classy, subtle and slimmer models, when it comes to laptop computing. As a matter of fact, if MacBook Air Pro is anything to go by, we can come across an even more svelte design consideration for a newer Mac of 2012.

Successor to Mac OS X Lion

Lion was a much anticipated follow up to the Snow Leopard platform. In relation to this, Apple is known for capitalizing on its success, and thus we can actually look forth to a successor to Mac OS X Lion in 2012. But unfortunately we cannot make any educated guesses about this next generation OS, except for the system will more likely to be conducive to an improved iCloud service (with better PC integration).

iOS 6

Traditionally, Apple has released updates to its exalted mobile OS every year since 2007. So, as aficionados we know iOS 5.0.1 is going to get an update for 2012. The only question remains that will this update be comprehensive enough to go up to version 6 or stay within the constraints of the current fifth generation.

Improvised SIRI

From an unbiased perspective, SIRI was one among a few features that really counted (as a credible user oriented software) in iPhone 4S. Fueled by this success, Apple will obviously look forth for a technological evolution of its voice software assistant. This will include the incorporation of other languages, improved response to colloquial phrases and, most importantly, its availability in other Apple devices such as iPad and iPod.

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