there are now 650,000 apps available in the Cupertino company's AppStore, as well as 400,000 App Store accounts, which have helpeddevelopers earn more than $5 billion from sales of Apple products. After a video showed off some of Apple's notable mobileapplications, Cook began the heavily anticipated product updatesportion of his presentation, announcing "major changes" to thelineup of Apple laptops, as well as updates to the iOS mobileoperating system and MacOS. Cook brought out Apple marketing guru Philip Schiller to discussthe changes to Apple's core MacBook line of laptops. The MacBookAir will include third-generation Intel ( INTC ) core processors that Schiller said would speed up graphics by 60percent, and will be $100 cheaper at $1,000 to $1,100.
The MacBookPro will also receive chips from Santa Clara-based Intel's IvyBridge series, with prices ranging from $1,200 to $2,200. Schiller's biggest announcement, however, was the addition of a newMacBook, which he said was Apple's attempt at a "next-generation"MacBook Pro. The super-thin laptop is "the most beautiful computer we've ever made," Schiller said in showing itoff to the crowd, which reacted warmly to the thinness of the newlaptop. "It's thinner than my finger," Schiller proclaimed of thedevice, which measures .7 inches thick.
The new line of MacBook Pro models will include the "retinadisplay," a high-definition screen technology originally used onthe most recent generation of iPads and hailed by critics. Schillercalled it the "world's highest resolution notebook display." Thenew laptop is the first Apple notebook to have an HDMI port andwill be called the "MacBook Pro with Retina Display." Prices willstart at $2,200 and orders will begin shipping immediately,Schiller announced. Schiller then ceded the stage to Craig Federighi, Apple's seniorvice president of software engineering, for announcements about thenewest version of the Mac's operating system, Mountain Lion. The operating system will feature deeper integration with iCloud,Apple's remote storage offering, including iCloud-optimized apps,notification center and iCloud tabs on the Safari Web browser.Other updates: A new app called PowerNap will allow Macs to updatewhile they're asleep; Airplay Mirroring will more easily transferthe display from a Mac to a user's television screen through AppleTV; and the popular iOS offering GameCenter will transition to theMac line, allowing cross-platform gaming from mobile devices suchas the iPad to Apple's personal computers. Mountain Lion will be available next month for download for $20, asteep discount from earlier versions of the Mac operating system. Welding Positioner
Next on stage was another Apple senior vice president, ScottForstall, who oversees the company's mobile operating system, iOS.Forstall introduced the newest version of that software, iOS 6,which will feature more enhanced integration with Siri. Thevoice-recognition system will allow users to open apps and accessmore information, and will be integrated into some cars for whatForstall called "eyes-free" use. Siri, which was previously onlyavailable on the newest Apple smartphone, the iPhone 4S, will alsonow be available on Apple's market-dominating tablet, the iPad. IOS will also receive greater integration with Facebook , the world's most popular social network, as well as Twitter . Siri users will be able to post to Twitter or Facebook throughvoice dictation, and users' Facebook logins will be at a systemlevel, meaning users will not have to log in through the Menlo Parkcompany's website. Power Trowel
Forstall said that Apple and Facebook have beenworking closely to produce the best Facebook integration on anymobile device, and also announced Facebook integration withMountain Lion. After announcing updates to several features in iOS -- including achange to video-chat feature Facetime, which will work on cellularnetworks instead of solely wireless Internet networks -- Forstallarrived at the most anticipated announcement of his stage time: anew Apple maps application to challenge Google ( GOOG ) Maps. Apple's maps software will feature turn-by-turn navigation, usetraffic information to reroute users around heavy congestion, offerlistings for businesses that include integration with San Franciscoonline-reviews site Yelp, and three-dimensional photographicrenderings with a service called Flyover. The announcement of a new Maps feature for Apple escalates a battlewith Google, the Mountain View search giant whose mapping softwareis dominant on mobile devices. China Compaction Plate
Last week, Google announced newthree-dimensional city views and other features in an attempt toget ahead of Apple's enhancements, which are expected to end withthe native Apple app replacing Google Maps as the defaultapplication on iPhones and iPads. After Forstall's presentation, Cook returned to the stage to praisethe presenters and other Apple employees for their hard work,wrapping up the two-hour keynote presentation without the "one morething" addition Jobs made famous. Earlier Monday morning, a long line snaked around the center atHoward and 4th streets, in the shadow of a four-story-tall logo setup for the conference. The line, which began forming Sunday night,was the focus of reams of television crews backed by satellitetrucks, as well as 29-year-old San Franciscan Carlos Parrilla.
Parrilla, who works at the downtown Apple store in San Francisco,stood across the street, watching the line and waiting for it todwindle before he entered. While he is an Apple employee, he stillhad to pay his own way to get into the conference, which heconsidered essential. "Even though I work for Apple, we have no idea what to expect. Butit's a really important conference.
It's the place to see all thelatest advancements in technology," Parrilla said. In contrast to years past, when Apple would participate in fan anddeveloper powwows, the June get-together now serves as the majoropportunity for the Cupertino-based software brain trust to buildon its partnership with the far-flung developer community. "This event is special because you get the best Apple engineers anddevelopers together in one place,'' Global Equities Researchanalyst Trip Chowdhry said. "Apple can then completely lay out theroad map for the next 12 months so that the developer communityknows what's coming and how to improve on it.'' Besides the Monday morning keynote, the developer-focused eventfeatures more than 100 sessions on iOS and OS X platforms, as wellas demonstrations of app services, developer tools, andbreakthrough technologies in graphics, media and games. Expectations for the keynote speech were high from analysts andspectators.
"We are expecting some significant developments around the AppleEcosystem -- the 'glue' that sustains its momentum," wrote BenReitzes, an analyst with Barclays Capital, in a note. He said new software innovation "and more attractive pricing couldcatalyze sales -- with the potential to double the run-rate salesof portables at Apple within a few quarters." Chowdry, however, was unimpressed with Apple's announcements Mondaymorning, saying in an email that the company offered a "nicerefresh, but no breakthroughs." "Is this the best we can get from Apple, post-Steve Jobs," heasked. Contact Patrick May at 408-920-5689 or follow him atTwitter.com/patmaymerc.
The MacBookPro will also receive chips from Santa Clara-based Intel's IvyBridge series, with prices ranging from $1,200 to $2,200. Schiller's biggest announcement, however, was the addition of a newMacBook, which he said was Apple's attempt at a "next-generation"MacBook Pro. The super-thin laptop is "the most beautiful computer we've ever made," Schiller said in showing itoff to the crowd, which reacted warmly to the thinness of the newlaptop. "It's thinner than my finger," Schiller proclaimed of thedevice, which measures .7 inches thick.
The new line of MacBook Pro models will include the "retinadisplay," a high-definition screen technology originally used onthe most recent generation of iPads and hailed by critics. Schillercalled it the "world's highest resolution notebook display." Thenew laptop is the first Apple notebook to have an HDMI port andwill be called the "MacBook Pro with Retina Display." Prices willstart at $2,200 and orders will begin shipping immediately,Schiller announced. Schiller then ceded the stage to Craig Federighi, Apple's seniorvice president of software engineering, for announcements about thenewest version of the Mac's operating system, Mountain Lion. The operating system will feature deeper integration with iCloud,Apple's remote storage offering, including iCloud-optimized apps,notification center and iCloud tabs on the Safari Web browser.Other updates: A new app called PowerNap will allow Macs to updatewhile they're asleep; Airplay Mirroring will more easily transferthe display from a Mac to a user's television screen through AppleTV; and the popular iOS offering GameCenter will transition to theMac line, allowing cross-platform gaming from mobile devices suchas the iPad to Apple's personal computers. Mountain Lion will be available next month for download for $20, asteep discount from earlier versions of the Mac operating system. Welding Positioner
Next on stage was another Apple senior vice president, ScottForstall, who oversees the company's mobile operating system, iOS.Forstall introduced the newest version of that software, iOS 6,which will feature more enhanced integration with Siri. Thevoice-recognition system will allow users to open apps and accessmore information, and will be integrated into some cars for whatForstall called "eyes-free" use. Siri, which was previously onlyavailable on the newest Apple smartphone, the iPhone 4S, will alsonow be available on Apple's market-dominating tablet, the iPad. IOS will also receive greater integration with Facebook , the world's most popular social network, as well as Twitter . Siri users will be able to post to Twitter or Facebook throughvoice dictation, and users' Facebook logins will be at a systemlevel, meaning users will not have to log in through the Menlo Parkcompany's website. Power Trowel
Forstall said that Apple and Facebook have beenworking closely to produce the best Facebook integration on anymobile device, and also announced Facebook integration withMountain Lion. After announcing updates to several features in iOS -- including achange to video-chat feature Facetime, which will work on cellularnetworks instead of solely wireless Internet networks -- Forstallarrived at the most anticipated announcement of his stage time: anew Apple maps application to challenge Google ( GOOG ) Maps. Apple's maps software will feature turn-by-turn navigation, usetraffic information to reroute users around heavy congestion, offerlistings for businesses that include integration with San Franciscoonline-reviews site Yelp, and three-dimensional photographicrenderings with a service called Flyover. The announcement of a new Maps feature for Apple escalates a battlewith Google, the Mountain View search giant whose mapping softwareis dominant on mobile devices. China Compaction Plate
Last week, Google announced newthree-dimensional city views and other features in an attempt toget ahead of Apple's enhancements, which are expected to end withthe native Apple app replacing Google Maps as the defaultapplication on iPhones and iPads. After Forstall's presentation, Cook returned to the stage to praisethe presenters and other Apple employees for their hard work,wrapping up the two-hour keynote presentation without the "one morething" addition Jobs made famous. Earlier Monday morning, a long line snaked around the center atHoward and 4th streets, in the shadow of a four-story-tall logo setup for the conference. The line, which began forming Sunday night,was the focus of reams of television crews backed by satellitetrucks, as well as 29-year-old San Franciscan Carlos Parrilla.
Parrilla, who works at the downtown Apple store in San Francisco,stood across the street, watching the line and waiting for it todwindle before he entered. While he is an Apple employee, he stillhad to pay his own way to get into the conference, which heconsidered essential. "Even though I work for Apple, we have no idea what to expect. Butit's a really important conference.
It's the place to see all thelatest advancements in technology," Parrilla said. In contrast to years past, when Apple would participate in fan anddeveloper powwows, the June get-together now serves as the majoropportunity for the Cupertino-based software brain trust to buildon its partnership with the far-flung developer community. "This event is special because you get the best Apple engineers anddevelopers together in one place,'' Global Equities Researchanalyst Trip Chowdhry said. "Apple can then completely lay out theroad map for the next 12 months so that the developer communityknows what's coming and how to improve on it.'' Besides the Monday morning keynote, the developer-focused eventfeatures more than 100 sessions on iOS and OS X platforms, as wellas demonstrations of app services, developer tools, andbreakthrough technologies in graphics, media and games. Expectations for the keynote speech were high from analysts andspectators.
"We are expecting some significant developments around the AppleEcosystem -- the 'glue' that sustains its momentum," wrote BenReitzes, an analyst with Barclays Capital, in a note. He said new software innovation "and more attractive pricing couldcatalyze sales -- with the potential to double the run-rate salesof portables at Apple within a few quarters." Chowdry, however, was unimpressed with Apple's announcements Mondaymorning, saying in an email that the company offered a "nicerefresh, but no breakthroughs." "Is this the best we can get from Apple, post-Steve Jobs," heasked. Contact Patrick May at 408-920-5689 or follow him atTwitter.com/patmaymerc.