WWDC 2014 Dates, Rumors & Predictions: 5 Things to Expect from Annual Conference

The excitement is brewing as iPhone, iPod and MacBook fans eagerly await the unveling of Apple's next generation of products and feature updates at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), happening on June 2 through June 6 at San Francisco, California's Moscone Center.

Speculations are rife about what's in store for the tech giant's annual gathering. Mashable has recently predicted that Apple CEO Tim Cook may take center stage to give his keynote address. The product announcements that are expected to create much buzz in the weeks ahead are as follows:

Mac OS X 10.10

"According to people familiar with the matter, Ive has been working on a makeover for OS X, using some of the same design concepts introduced in iOS 7," The Wall Street Journal speculated. "This suggests that OS X 10.10, which will replace the current OS X Mavericks, will also adopt a more minimalist look with flatter, sharper-edged icons for applications. With Mavericks, Apple started making its newest computer software a free update after years of charging users for the latest version."

iOS 8

Since the company has just recently done a major overhaul with the last iOS update, the modifications in the next version are "widely expected to be far more subtle than in years past," CNN noted.

"After last year's complete makeover, iOS 8 is expected to include oft-requested fixes, such as an improved Maps app with transit directions, simplified notifications and a separate iTunes Radio app," the news source added. The most significant addition to iOS 8 would probably be a new Healthbook application, which can monitor user heart rate, breathing, sleep, and other health-related activities or information.

Smart Home

The Financial Times revealed last week that Apple will be unveiling "its own plans for the smart home." This would include "a way for developers to easily integrate their apps in a centralized hub, letting users control multiple home appliances from an iPhone, all with a consistent user experience," Mashable explained.

Beats

"Chief Executive Tim Cook will likely address the purchase and may bring his two newest recruits-Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine-on stage," Time predicted.