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Apple announced iOS 8 at the keynote event of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference today. iOS 8 gets a multitude of new features for consumers, including revamped notification features, an upgrade to auto-correct called QuickType, support for third-party keyboards, improvements to Mail, and a new health tracking component called Health.

Notification Center
Interactive notifications let users pull down notifications and interact with them to respond to text messages or other notifications without leaving the current open app, or complete actions from notifications shown on the lock screen. In a demo, Craig Federighi was able to reply to an iMessage and like a Facebook post directly from the on-screen notification, which popped over a separate app he was using.

Keyboard Enhancements
A new feature in the iOS keyboard called QuickType, adds predictive typing suggestions that adapt to the current context. QuickType learns each users habits and language while protecting privacy. Along with QuickType enhancing the existing iOS keyboards, Apple is going to allow users to install third-party keyboards for the first time, which means keyboards like Swype can be used natively on the operating system.

Messages Improvements
Messages gets the ability to name conversation threads, add and remove people from group conversations, allow users to leave group conversations, a feature that has been much-requested by users. In addition to leaving a message thread, users also have the option to turn on "Do Not Disturb," which will mute message notifications from a noisy group message thread.

With iOS 8, Messages allows users to share their locations right within the app. It also allows audio and video messages to be recorded directly in the Messages app and sent to friends. These messages can be viewed inline or via the lock screen. Craig Federighi showed off a neat trick with an audio message -- he held the phone up to his ear to reply, with the message automatically sending when he lowered the phone.

HealthKit
HealthKit is a new developer API that will gather and consolidate users' health information from multiple sources and apps, such as those from Nike and Fitbit. A corresponding "Health" app will monitor fitness metrics, linking into third-party apps to gather data.

Apple has been testing HealthKit with the Mayo Clinic, letting patients and doctors work together using HealthKit to get personalized thresholds for readings, notifying doctors automatically when something is wrong. HealthKit aims to bridge the gap between patients, doctors, and health-tracking devices. According to the Mayo Clinic, HealthKit has the potential to "revolutionize" how the health industry works.

Siri
Siri gets several updates, with the ability to be invoked hands-free with the phrase "Hey, Siri" along with Shazam song recognition, 22 new dictation languages, streaming voice recognition to show users search results as they speak, and more.

Extensibility
There are thousands of new APIs for developers, and one of the most exciting of those was Extensibility. This feature allows apps within iOS 8 to share information with each other and with the Notification Center. Demoed on stage, Extensibility allowed filters from third-party apps to be used directly on pictures within the Photos app and it also brought Bing translation to Safari.

Extensibility also allows apps to install widgets within the Notification Center, which work similar to existing Apple widgets for the Calendar, Stocks, and more. This was demoed with an ESPN SportsCenter widget, which allowed sports scores to be displayed automatically within Notification Center.

Touch ID
Developers will also be able to access Touch ID for the first time to protect sensitive apps. Fingerprint data will be kept separate, but authentication will automatically unlock passwords stored in keychain to grant user access to apps.

Family Sharing
A Family Sharing feature will let families share photos, calendars, reminders, and more among up to six family members at once. Family Sharing also allows families (of up to 6 people) with Apple ID accounts using the same credit card to share apps and books. With Family Sharing enabled, when a child attempts to purchase an app, an adult will get a popup on their own device asking them to approve the purchase.

iOS 8 will support most recent Apple iOS devices with the notable exception of the iPhone 4. iOS 8 will be available to developers as a beta today and it will be released to the public in the fall.

MacRumors readers can discuss the upcoming iOS version in our new iOS 8 forum.

Apple today announced the latest version of its Mac operating system, OS X Yosemite. The sequel to last year's OS X Mavericks, Yosemite includes a user interface redesign, as well as major new features focusing on seamless integration between Mac and iOS devices, a new cloud storage system called iCloud Drive, as well as the ability to make phone calls and send text messages through an iPhone.

Continuity
Continuity is the biggest new feature of OS X Yosemite, improving the connection between Macs and iOS devices. With Continuity, it's possible to share files between Mac and iOS devices and it's also possible to make phone calls on a Mac via an iPhone.

AirDrop finally allows users to share files, photos, and more between iOS devices and Macs. Previously, this feature only allowed files to be shared from Mac to Mac or from iPhone to iPhone, which means sharing files from an iOS device to a Mac will now be far easier. Apple also debuted Handoff, which is a feature that allows iOS devices and Macs to recognize one another, letting users seamlessly transition from one device to another. For example, if a webpage is opened on Safari on a Mac, a user can pick up an iPhone and continue browsing that same site on his iOS device. In a demo on stage, the function was used to show an email started on the Mac continued on an iPhone.

Through Continuity, iPhone communications integration allows users to make and answer phone calls sent to their iPhones right on their Macs. "Green bubble" SMS messages from Android also now show up on Macs, and it's easier than ever for a Mac to connect to an iPhone hotspot.

Design and Notification Center
The new UI is very similar to the flat look of iOS 7 with translucent windows, a new dock and app icons and an all-new notification center with a Today pane and both first- and third-party widgets like Weather and SportsCenter. There's also a new dark mode, which lets users turn the overall interface into the more darkened tone of Notification Center.

Spotlight
Spotlight has a brand new interface which looks somewhat like third-party Mac apps like Alfred and Quicksilver and pops up in the center of the desktop. The new Spotlight allows users to not only search through their computer, but online through sources like Wikipedia, Yelp and for live movie times. In addition, Spotlight can do unit conversions, like converting miles to kilometers.

iCloud Drive
Another significant new feature is iCloud Drive, a Dropbox-like service that syncs documents across Macs, iOS devices and Windows. It offers an iCloud storage folder directly within Finder so users can see exactly which files they have in iCloud and it is accessible from both Macs and iOS devices. Apple has introduced new pricing for iCloud with the debut of iCloud Drive. The first 5GB of iCloud storage is free, while 20GB costs $0.99 per month and 200GB costs $3.99 per month. Tiers of up to 1TB are also available.

Mail
Improvements to the Mail app in Yosemite include Mail Drop and Markup. Mail Drop's intention is to solve the problem of sending attachments that are far too large and result in failed sendings. iCloud now encrypts the attachments and sends the recipient a link to the attachment if it's too large. Attachments are limited to 5 GB. Markup allows users to sketch and doodle on emails, much like Evernote's Skitch.

Safari
Safari has also seen improvements with a new "bird's eye" tab view, improved Privacy windows, and support for advanced HTML5 video, allowing for a 2 hour increase in battery life when streaming Netflix. The new tab view, essentially designed to replace the existing bookmarks bar, allows users to see a bird's eye view of all open tabs and lets users to bunch tabs together. Smart suggestions, which display favorite sites directly under the search bar, also help to replace the bookmarks bar.

As far as Privacy goes, users are now able to open a separate private window that does not affect existing windows or tabs, whereas previously, turning on privacy affected all open content. Safari includes 6.5x faster Javascript, with WebGL, SPDY, IndexedDB, Javascript Promises, CSS Shapes and more.

OS X Yosemite is available today to registered developers and will be launched to the public this fall. There will also be an public open beta program launched later this summer. OS X Yosemite will be a free upgrade for all users.

MacRumors readers can discuss the upcoming OS X version in our new OS X Yosemite forum.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicks off today at the Moscone West convention center in San Francisco, with the event headlined by the traditional keynote address beginning at 10:00 AM Pacific Time / 1:00 PM Eastern Time. At the keynote, Apple is expected to provide the first official look at OS X 10.10 and iOS 8, discuss initiatives in home automation, health, and iBeacon technology, and perhaps make additional announcements.

Apple is providing a live video stream on its website and via Apple TV.

In addition to Apple's video stream, we will be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the keynote unfolds. Separate news stories regarding the event announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.

Full Keynote Transcript Below in Reverse Chronological Order

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Fortune has just released its annual "Fortune 500" list, which is a high-profile ranking of the largest companies in the United States ranked by revenue. This year, Apple has taken the #5 spot, up from #6 in last year's rankings and from #17 in 2012.

Apple’s net sales keep climbing, as the tech giant continues to sell more iPhones and digital content. But the company faces pressure in the smartphone business, as Android phones grow increasingly dominant. Meanwhile, Apple reported an annual drop in net income in fiscal year 2013, a first in more than a decade. Activist investor Carl Icahn last year disclosed a stake in Apple and subsequently pushed for the company to spend billions on share buybacks. In April, the company increased the amount of shares it is authorized to repurchase and raised its quarterly dividend by 8%, and in late May it announced it was acquiring Beats Music and Beats Electronics for $3 billion.

Wal-Mart once again beat out ExxonMobil for this year's #1 ranking, with Chevron and Berkshire Hathaway ranking ahead of Apple's $170.9 billion in revenue. Apple's profit of $37 billion dollars also ranked first among Fortune 500 companies despite falling 11.3% from last year.

Apple announced last week that it would be buying Beats Electronics and the Beats Music streaming service for a total of $3 billion, making it the largest acquisition in company history. Apple is also expected to launch a number of new products this year, including a larger iPhone, new Macs, new versions of OS X and iOS, and an "iWatch" smartwatch.

Ahead of today's keynote at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the company has once again made its "Apple Events" channel available on the Apple TV, signaling that it will streaming live video of the event on the device.

Apple's keynote kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Tine, and MacRumors will also be providing a live blog, live tweets via the MacRumorsLive Twitter account, and a spoiler free page for those who want to watch the full keynote at a later time.

Earlier today, a thread appeared on the Reddit Mac community claiming to share a set of four blurry photos of OS X 10.10. The poster, using a throwaway account, claimed to have taken the photos himself at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, but did not offer any further details on how he was able to gain access to a system running the next-generation operating system.

In researching the potential legitimacy of the images, we have been provided with some additional pieces of information that begin to paint a rather interesting picture pointing to an individual who may indeed have had such access. While we can't say for sure that these images are genuine, the evidence we have seen privately is enough for us to consider it a distinct possibility.

Assuming the photos are legitimate, they reveal a number of changes in both the look and feel of the operating system, as has been rumored for OS X 10.10. Among the biggest additions is a Control Center very similar to that seen on iOS. In this case, the translucent pane slides out from the left side of the screen and offers quick access to a number of features, including "About This Mac" and System Preferences at the very top, followed by what appear to be buttons for an Airplane Mode and the existing Do Not Disturb feature currently accessible through Notification Center.

[Photos removed at the request of the original poster]

Below those are buttons with drop down menu functionality for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth along with a screen brightness slider, followed by audio controls that include the ability to display album art. The next section includes a volume slider, as well as AirDrop and AirPlay buttons. At the very bottom of the pane is a set of four buttons that appear to be for system sleep, log out, restart, and shutdown.

A second photo shows Notification Center sliding in from the right side of the screen, appearing very similar to the "Today" view on Notification Center for iOS. The screenshot shows a large date at the top, a timeline Calendar view, a section for Weather information, and a Stocks section.

[Photos removed at the request of the original poster]

Two other photos show a bit of Safari, with a blank page resembling the iPad version of Apple's browser with large buttons for bookmarks and frequently visited sites. Toolbar buttons in Safari are somewhat flatter than on OS X Mavericks, while one of the photos shows what appears to be a floating systemwide search box with integrated Quick Look functionality.

[Photos removed at the request of the original poster]

Visible in all four photos is the Dock, which does away with the current "shelf" motif in favor of a translucent strip as on iOS. The vast majority of the app icons appear unchanged, with the most obvious exception being the Finder icon, which does away with the current background but keeps the iconic double face line drawing.

[Photos removed at the request of the original poster]

Based on dates shown in the images, the photos were taken on March 24. As a result, there may have been substantial changes since that time, perhaps including new icons for the various Mac apps as they have moved through the redesign process.

OS X 10.10 will be officially unveiled at the keynote for Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off in less than twelve hours. A banner for the next-generation OS X is hanging in the lobby of the Moscone Center, and appears to show a Yosemite-themed image, perhaps revealing the name for the new operating system.

Apple is offering a live video stream of the keynote, and we'll have live text and photo updates here on MacRumors, as well as live Twitter updates on @MacRumorsLive.

Apple will unveil more plans for its iBeacon technology at the start of this week's WWDC 2014, reports The Wall Street Journal. In addition to new details about the technology, the company will promote iBeacon by placing transmitters throughout the Moscone Center while offering sessions for developers on how to better implement the technology into their apps and services.

First introduced during last year's WWDC, iBeacons enable iOS devices to wirelessly communicate with physical beacons through Bluetooth, as the transmitters are able to deliver relevant information to apps and services when a user is physically nearby. Apple implemented a new iBeacon "Made for iPhone" specification in February, signaling a more significant role for the technology in its devices.

iBeacon technology has also been used by a number of companies in a variety of ways since the end of last year. Shopping app Shopkick and Macy's partnered to integrate the technology into stores to assist consumers, while Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association have used the technology to provide enhanced live experiences.

Apple has also implemented iBeacons into its own retail locations to deliver messages about picking up online orders and store events, although early experiences with the technology were mixed. The technology has also been featured in the UK, where a cafe and London's Heathrow Airport have integration iBeacons to notify users of promotional deals.

In addition to new details about iBeacon at WWDC 2014, Apple is also expect to unveil iOS 8, OS X 10.10, a new home automation platform, and perhaps some new hardware.

Apple will be live streaming the event both on its website and on the Apple TV. MacRumors will also be providing a live blog, live tweets via the MacRumorsLive Twitter account, and a spoiler free page for those who want to watch the full keynote at a later time.

The New York Times reports that Apple will be delving into two new areas on Monday -- connected health and the smart home.

At WWDC 2014, Apple is expected to introduce a new health tracking app that will track statistics for health and fitness. Author Brian Chen cites an anonymous source "briefed on the product"

The health app will initially pull data from third-party fitness and health-monitoring hardware, the person said, but it will most likely be able to connect with a smart watch that Apple is widely expected to release this year.

Apple has also been rumored to be announcing their efforts in the connected smart home. On this front, Chen reports that Apple may introduce "tool kits for developers" to make smart home integration easier for developers and consumers. This initiative was previously described as a "Made for iPhone"-like certification.

Both of these products have been rumored in the lead up to WWDC, but last minute rumors and reports frequently leak out in the hours and days before the keynote. Apple's WWDC Keynote kicks off tomorrow at 10am Pacific. We'll provide live coverage here at MacRumors.com.

Apple's WWDC Keynote kicks off tomorrow, and while we've posted about iOS 8 banners and OS X 10.10 banners, there are also covered banners on the upper floors of Moscone that we neglected to point out.

Appleinsider points out the existence of the covered banners, but only were able to get poor quality shots from afar.

In the two levels above, Apple has additional banners, but they're still covered up. While the floors aren't accessible to outsiders (or even registered attendees yet), is has been possible to catch a sneak peak in previous years by trespassing on the top floor of the Fifth and Mission parking garage, which is technically closed.

TheVerge, however, was able to get a peek of one in their WWDC photo gallery.

Covered banners aren't unusual at WWDC, and will show technologies and features that are introduced in the Monday keynote address. We already know Apple will be featuring iOS 8 and Mac OS X 10.10 at the show.

Apple is offering a live video stream of the Keynote on Monday. We'll have live text and photo updates here on MacRumors, as well as live Twitter updates at MacRumorsLive.

Apple's 2014 WWDC kicks off tomorrow with a Keynote at 10am Pacific. Today, attendees are registering for the conference and receiving their usual WWDC badges and WWDC jackets, but Apple also included a $25 App Store gift card.

The gift card is in celebration of "25 years and coding", as noted by @HarrisonW1998:

Apple is continuing to decorate the Moscone Center ahead of its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, and following the addition of outside banners and the first iOS 8 banner, the inaugural OS X 10.10 banner has just appeared, with a photo courtesy of The Verge.

Some trademarked land-themed names include Yosemite, Redwood, Mammoth, California, Diablo, Miramar, El Cap, Redtail, Condor, Grizzly, Tiburon, Skyline, Shasta, and Sierra. Newly discovered trademarked names also include Mojave, Sonoma, Ventura, and Sequoia.

Because OS X Mavericks only introduced minor visual changes, OS X 10.10 is expected to feature a more drastic redesign, adopting a "flatter" look and taking on some iOS 7-style design elements. While little is known about the operating system at this point, we will get our first glimpse of the operating system on Monday June 2 at 10 AM Pacific Time, when Apple kicks off the Worldwide Developers Conference with its keynote presentation.

Apple will be live streaming the event both on the web and on the Apple TV. MacRumors will also provide a live blog, live tweets via the MacRumorsLive Twitter account, and a spoiler free page for those who want to watch the full keynote at a later time.