With the countdown for the WWDC 2014 developers' conference drawing near, the web is rife with rumors suggesting that Apple implementing Touch ID fingerprint sensor technology on its entire lineup of flagship mobile devices that include the iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, and iPad Mini 3.
Contrary to what a number of fans were wishing, Apple is not likely to bring the iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, and iPad Mini 3 to WWDC 2014. More likely, the tech giant will focus on presenting the iOS 8 and OSX 10.10 software, even though there have been persistent rumors that several handheld devices will show up.
At last year's WWDC 2013 conference, Apple unveiled the iTunes Radio, iWork for Cloud, the new MacBook Air, and the new Mac Pro. Hence, there is no definitive word on what Apple will bring to WWDC 2014. In other words, conference participants may be in for a few surprises in the coming week.
In ways, this latest speculation makes sense considering that Apple had actively promoted the improved security offered by their new fingerprint sensor, which allows users to lock and unlock their mobile devices. Apple has already brought the Touch ID sensor to their current-generation iPhone 5 smartphone, and is planning to bring this technology to the upcoming iPhone 6.
Apple however has yet to introduce the technology to their tablet lineups. It has been speculated that this will change with the upcoming iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 tablets that are still under development. Indeed, recent events have also bolstered this rumor. Earlier this month, one of the manufacturers responsible for producing Touch ID sensors had reportedly finished production on the first batch. News of this development first broke out over Cecb2b.com.
The so-called iPad Air 2 is believed to be the successor to the original iPad Air, which debuted last year. Keep in mind, Apple rarely assigns numbers to its naming conventions. Whenever there is a newer version of an existing device, Apple continues using the products original name.
For instance, Apple never officially called their second generation iPad Mini the 'iPad Mini 2'. It was in fact the fan-base that coined the term in order to avoid confusion. Why Apple does this remains a greater mystery. So, it is unlikely that Apple will officially announce an 'iPad Mini 3', even though the name will be widely associated with any third-generation iPad Mini. This same rule applies to the upcoming iPad Air 2 as well.
The iPad Mini 3 and iPad Air 2 may be getting faster processors, though this has not always been the rule for every device made by Apple in the past. Even so, fans can still hold out hope in knowing that both tablets will need beefier hardware in order to run newer software, namely the same iOS 8 rumored to be featured at WWDC 2014. This in theory may translate into significant improved performance. Even so, there is still so little information to go on in order to reach such conclusions. In other words, confirmation largely depends on what Apple plans to reveal at the upcoming WWDC 2014 gathering.
WWDC 2014 will take place June 2-6 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. The event will be streamed live over Apple's website starting today.
