iOS 7: Don’t Believe the Rumors

Apple is expected to be announcing a new version of its mobile iOS 7 operating system for the iPod Touch, iPad, iPad mini, and the iPhone today, and we’ve seen reports of what iOS 7 may look like over recent weeks through a series of leaks. However, according to Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber, don’t believe the rumors and leaks just yet.

Gruber admits that he has heard little about what iOS 7 may look like. One of his sources told him that the leaks are wrong.

One thing that keeps popping up is that iOS 7 is described to be a polarizing revision for Apple, though the update was described as being “significant” in the past. We’ve heard that the software will have a design makeover from famed Apple hardware designer Jony Ive, and that iOS 7 will eliminate Apple’s use of skeuomorphism in favor of a flatter look.

In addition to the rumored design makeover for iOS 7, Apple may also be debuting its new iRadio streaming music service as well as new device-to-device file sharing options for users to quickly share videos and photos with each other without having to rely on iCloud.

Apple’s WWDC conference will kick off today, Monday, at 10 AM Pacific Time, so we will hopefully know what Tim Cook and his team will debut with iOS 7 at that time. Bear in mind, though, that new iPad and iPhone hardware may not be announced at this time and Apple may reserve the new hardware for a future announcement that’s rumored to take place this fall. As with new hardware, there will likely be some features of iOS 7 that will be coming later as well, but would require the new hardware to function; those new features likely won’t get announced at WWDC if this will be the case.