10 Biggest Blockbusters Partners Expect To See At Apple's WWDC

The Stage Is Set

With the World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco just a week away, partners and consumers are at the edge of their seats in anticipation for what Apple CEO Tim Cook has in store.

Typically at the June 2 event, Apple only makes announcements regarding software, but in recent years some hardware also has made its way on to the main stage. That is why besides new apps and the likely software upgrades, partners says they would not be surprised if some new hardware products also are introduced.

Here are the top 10 announcements partners expect from Apple at WWDC.

iOS 8 And OS X

iOS 8 seems to be unanimously expected from all solution providers both in and out of the Apple circle. Channel chiefs are forecasting a wide range of new applications, app enhancements, improvements to the user interface security enhancements and improved application programing interface for app developers. We'll get to some specific apps later in the slideshow.

As for OS X, less is known about what to expect for Apple's laptop and desktop operating system. Will Apple continue to release updates or will we see an introduction of OS 11? Expect one or the other.

'iWatch'

Partners are anticipating back-end software for wearables, but some say they would not be surprised if Apple announces the much-rumored Apple smartwatch, which is suspected to be called the "iWatch."

Some partners believe a line of wearables is ready to be released, and Apple will announce them next week before releasing them later this year, giving software developers a chance to create some great and unique apps for the new products.

Apple made a similar move in January 2007, when it first announced the iPhone almost six full months before its release in June of the same year. Samsung released its own wearable device, the Samsung Galaxy Gear (pictured), last year.

HD Audio

Partners across the board are excited over this extremely likely addition to Apple's iOS 8. This feature, which is believed to have been in the works for over a year, has partners fantasizing over the possibilities and improvements that will come to conference calls and app developers building around this feature.

Your regular Joe-consumers also will want to take advantage of HD audio as they will hear their favorite songs as they've never heard them before. Perhaps they might enjoy them over Apple's version of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones? That brings us to our next slide…

Beats Electronics

The worst-kept secret in the tech industry is that Apple is close to acquiring Beats Electronics, makers of the popular Beats by Dr. Dre headphones.

Partners believe Apple will officially announce the acquisition of Beats at WWDC, along with what it plans to do with it.

After the $3.2 billion deal closes, Apple will own the rights to all Beats hardware, but partners believe that's not what it's after. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company intends to use Beats' distribution channel to sell a new line of wearables. It'll also incorporate the streaming service, Beats Music, into iTunes.

Apple Maps

The release of Apple's Maps app as part of iOS 6 in 2012 was notoriously unsuccessful due to bugs and inaccuracies. Apple CEO Tim Cook was eventually forced to release a letter to consumers advising them to use Google Maps, the product of one of their major competitors.

At WWDC, partners fully expect Apple to turn things around with its Maps app by releasing a new version of Apple Maps that is more accurate and user-friendly.

Partners say the Maps app will obviously correlate well with all Apple devices, but especially the rumored wearables.

Multitasking With App Screen Sharing

Partners see this feature as being a major advancement for Apple tablets. Users will be able to view two apps on the screen side by side, which is a feature that already exists on Android and Windows Phone.

What partners see Apple doing differently, however, is that apps on iOS 8 will be able to mesh together similar to a desktop OS. For example, users will be able to drag and drop items such as pictures, videos and documents from one app to another.

This advancement has partners seeing tablets being a more useful tool in the business world.

Thumbprint Recognition Software

Thumbprint recognition already exists on some devices, including the iPhone 5s and Samsung Galaxy S 5. Partners see Apple going a step further with thumbprints in iOS 8 by expanding the digital wallet in a secure way.

On the iPhone 5s, users can make confirmations with their thumbprint when buying items on iTunes, but partners see an API being available for other vendors to use this feature. This feature will gain traction if major vendors sign on after it is announced by Apple at WWDC. Thumbprint recognition may be coming standard on all high-end iPads and iPhones.

iBeacon

This is a software that already exists in iOS 7, where devices send push notifications to each other when they are near using Bluetooth Low Energy. Some partners believe Apple will make enhancements to this feature so it is more secure and user-friendly, and could be another way to expand the digital wallet, eventually leading to people paying for everything in stores through their phones in a quick, convenient fashion.

Much like thumbprint recognition software, Apple would need some major vendors to sign on to the technology in order for it to get traction after it is announced at WWDC.

Healthbook

This app is exactly what it sounds like, an app that tracks health and fitness by charting heart rate, calories burned, activity, etc.

The reports of Apple developing a health and fitness app lend credence to the belief that Apple is prepared to announce wearable devices, whether it is a new fitness band or smartwatch.

It is believed that Apple is not just playing catch-up with health and fitness apps that already exist, as its software is expected to be even more advanced, accurate and user-friendly.

Hardware Updates

With the recent update to MacBook Air, it would seem unlikely that another one is coming down the pike. Updates to Apple TV, the Mac mini, MacBook Pro and iMacs are all on the table, but announcements regarding hardware are not usually made at WWDC despite some exceptions. The only hardware news partners have said they think we might see are wearables, whether it's a band or smartwatch.

But despite what they think, partners acknowledge that Apple is known for a few surprise announcements.