Some news has surfaced concerning iOS 5 and Apple’s roadmap for the coming year. According to M.G. Siegler of TechCrunch, Apple is going to push back the release of iOS 5.0 to this fall, and the iPhone 5 will launch with a version of iOS 4.x.
Speculation has been that Apple would hold a media event next month for an iOS 5 preview and MobileMe revamp, but TechCrunch’s sources claim otherwise…
“If our sources are right, this would break the pattern of Apple unveiling the latest iOS iteration in the early spring, leading up to a summer launch alongside new iPhone hardware. The spring timetable usually reserved for an iOS roadmap event is why some were hoping Apple may just rope the details into the iPad 2 event. When that didn’t happen, rumors quickly spread that there may be another event in April to talk iOS 5 (and MobileMe). But it’s looking like that will not be the case this year.”
MobileMe is no longer available for purchase, and all signs have been pointing to a revamp of Apple’s cloud-based service in April. Perhaps Apple will address MobileMe before the next event, but a media announcement in April is now looking unlikely.
Major releases of iOS are usually previewed at the beginning of the year (February, March, April), addressed again at WWDC in June, and then launched alongside the newest generation iPhone. This report claims this year’s release roadmap will look a little different, and that iOS 5 will not launch until the fall.
Here’s what TechCrunch has found out from its sources:
- iOS 5 will launch in the fall and will be a major revamp of the OS.
- It could well be previewed at WWDC, it just won’t be released then.
- The iOS 5 launch is also likely to coincide with the release of a new type of iPad, which we previously reported on.
- The new iOS will be heavily built around the cloud, and we could see several new services launch from Apple that take advantage of this.
- Yes, one of those is very likely a “music locker” service. There is also a fall launch aim for this, during Apple’s annual music-themed event.
- But much of the cloud stuff will first be talked about at WWDC, Apple’s developer event which will take place in June.
- One of the new cloud service elements is likely a location service that focuses on finding friends and family members.
- As we said yesterday, OS X Lion is still on pace for a summer release — some of the new cloud components are likely to be baked into it as well.
It makes sense for Apple to release the iOS 5 SDK to develepors at the Worldwide Develepors Conference, but it will be different for Apple to launch the next gen iPhone without the new software.
We’ve heard plenty of corroborating stories on the cloud integration with iOS 5, and the music “locker” service is something we thought Apple would release with MobileMe next month. It isn’t a stretch to think that Apple would end up releasing such a service at their music-themed event later this year, but the looming fact that MobileMe is in a state of limbo questions that claim.
The biggest news from this report is that the iPhone 5 will most likely not have iOS 5 at ship date. Apple will definitely push some type of update to iOS with the new device’s release, but the mysterious features of 5.0 will not be present with the iPhone 5 at launch.
Whatever happens, Apple is definitely planning something huge for iOS 5. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as this news develops!
What do you think about this news concerning iOS 5 and MobileMe? Did you see it coming? Share your thoughts with us below!