Rumours: Next Mac OS with Maps and SIRI. iPhone 5S for WWDC 2013.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Rumours: Next Mac OS with Maps and SIRI. iPhone 5S for WWDC 2013.

Sources in Asia say Apple is already gearing up to make the next iPhone for mid-2013 launch, and the next Mac OS update is also pretty much a given. These Two of Apple’s biggest product launches in 2013 could share the same stage, if recent rumors are to be taken into consideration.

Around the time Apple shipped OS X 10.7 Lion, the Mac maker confirmed plans to speed up development to commence an annual upgrade cycle for Mac OS aficionados.

Delivering on its promise, the Cupertino giant shipped OS X Mountain Lion (version 10.8) one year later. If the pattern holds, OS X 10.9 – rumored as “Lynx” – should come out in June, or July the latest.

Also for WWDC 2013 analysts are now expecting a new iPhone. Although Apple has shifted this update cycle to fall, sources speaking to the company’s suppliers in Asia say we should expect an incremental iPhone 5S next summer.

The same goes for OS X 10.9, which only seems to poke its head out from time to time in webserver log entries. Nonetheless, the evidence is there that Apple is working on both.

However, according to a sketchy rumor emerging this past weekend, the next Mac OS will feature a Maps implementation and Siri.

Nokia and Oracle seals mapping deal.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Nokia and Oracle seals mapping deal.

Struggling Finnish vendor Nokia has struck a deal that will give Oracle’s customers access to its growing vault of map data and location services.

The Wall Street Journal claims the partnership could be announced later today in San Francisco at the OracleWorld conference.

The move will come as a boost to Nokia, as it looks for ways to strengthen the business. The quality of its map services are held in high regard throughout the industry and it has recently signed mapping deals with Groupon and Amazon. In 2008 Nokia acquired the world’s largest digital mapping firm Navteq.  In stark contrast with Nokia's troubled phone business, sales at Nokia's location business grew last quarter, although it still generates only 4 percent of group revenue.

The high-profile deal also comes as major rival Apple struggles with the launch of its own mapping services on the new iOS 6 platform.

Meanwhile Oracle is the world's third-biggest software firm but also sells hardware to corporate clients and in 2009 bought Sun Microsystems, the manufacturer of server computers and developer of Java and Solaris software. Oracle will tout the deal as an easy way for customers to use Nokia's maps to integrate consistent and broad mapping capabilities into Oracle applications.

Dutch TomTomm NV is Apple maps data supplier.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Dutch TomTomm NV is Apple maps data supplier.

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Shares in Dutch navigation device maker TomTom NV have surged on news that the company will supply map data to Apple Inc.

They rose 12 percent to €3.653 ($4.56) in Amsterdam on Tuesday. TomTom said it struck a deal to supply the U.S. hardware giant with "maps and related information" and it won't disclose any other information.

SNS Securities analyst Martijn den Drijver said in a note that association with Apple will boost TomTom's image and give it access to Apple's huge user base. However, it is not clear how much TomTom will profit directly.

TomTom has performed poorly in comparison to larger competitor Garmin Ltd, and in April reported a €1.5 million first quarter loss, with sales down 12 percent to €233 million.

http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/maps/