Yesterday Apple announced that its annual developers conference will take place in San Francisco from June 8th – June 12th. I think it is going to be a HUGE day for the company, here’s why.

Snow Leopard

At last year’s WWDC, Apple announced that its new operating system codenamed “Snow Leopard” would be released in “about a year.” While developers have been privy to pre-releases of Apple’s Snow Leopard operating system for quite some time, those distributions have been stripped of several features that many are expecting.

Snow Leopard is alledgedly a performance OS with little UI changes. Essentially it is trying to be the world’s most advnaced OS by tweaking under-the-hood performance to streamline efficiency and allow for the most powerful applications a personal computer could use. But now there are rumors of sweeping change with Macs.

Among the changes under consideration for the new build is a striking overhaul to the Mac OS X user interface, which is expected to surrender its platinum theme. Apple has reportedly been working on this new interface since day one, despite public claims that Snow Leopard would forgo forward-facing improvements for a focus strictly on performance issues.

Previous reports state Apple would eventually wrap Snow Leopard in a new interface rumored to go by the code-name “marble” as opposed to the current “aqua” look. Details were sparse, but speculation pointed to the adoption of the smoother iTunes-style scrollbars and a move towards a darker chrome motif for application windows alongside an inverted menubar with light text on a dark background.

Apple will definitely push its new Quicktime X and offer specific sessions will target how to get the most from Apple’s developer tools in terms of performance and efficiency, how to debug and analyze applications as they run with Dtrace, how to build solid user interfaces, and how to port existing code from other platforms to the Mac.

Expect Apple to show off the final build of Snow Leopard and make it available for shipment before back-to-school starts in August.

Snow Leopard is a long work in process that is going to trump the Windows 7 OS due for release later this year.

New iPhone Software

We learned about the new iPhone software a couple weeks ago. Among the new features:

Copy & Paste text - When you double-tap over text, you will get a “cut, copy, and paste” bubble dialog. Double-tap again and a “paste” bubble will appear if there’s anything stored in your clipboard.

Copy & Paste photos - You can also copy and paste photos. Now you will be able to select multiple photos by tapping the action button, copy some of them, and paste them in an email, ready to send.

New Spotlight -  iPhone OS 3.0 will allow you to search across the entire information contained in your device, no matter where, as soon as the information is supported it. If an application is written to support the new Spotlight, its data will also be available in the search.

3G Tethering - This feature will allow you to connect your iPhone 3G to a laptop, to use it as a modem to access the internet. Carriers still have to sign-off on it, and probably charge more for it. None have announced it yet.

Landscape keyboard - Apple has added the landscape keyboard mode to other applications, like Mail, SMS, and Notes.

Multimedia messaging - A big one to send rich content to people without mail-enabled telephones: The new MMS function will allow you to include everything, from images to sound to vcards (no word on video, however.) Personally, I find these usesless having email, but some people seem to want it.

Improved stocks application - The stocks application now allows you to read related news, so you can enjoy yourself learning about the latest market scandals, stock crashes, and executives getting bonus packages from government aid while their companies sink into hell. Thank you, Apple.

Voice memo application - Obviously, allows you to record voice or any other sound, so you don’t forget any idea or want to play James Bond.

Use your iPhone/touch to control peripherals - A new API will let you use your iPhone or iPod touch as a control to your accessories. For example, the iPhone can be used to control a speaker or your DVR. Pretty neat.

Turn-by-turn directions - Developers will also be able to create turn-by-turn applications using the GPS information from the iPhone and combining it with their own maps, without depending on 3G connectivity or Google. You hear that? That is Garmin slamming shit around headquarters.

Push notification finally coming – Applications will finally be able to receive messages from the intarwebs automagically, so you can have an Instant Message application and have your iPhone vibrate or make a sound when a new message comes in, even if the application is not running.

iPhone OS 3.0 will be a free upgrade to all iPhone users, including the first generation (not all features will be supported in the first generation, like Stereo Bluetooth support). iPod touch users will be able to but it for $9.95. I expect it to be available immediately.

A New iPhone

Palm investor Roger McNamee is confident that the Palm Pre will be so good that even Apple iPhone totting fans will jump ship. In an interview, McNamee said, “You know the beautiful thing: June 29, 2009, is the two-year anniversary of the first shipment of the iPhone.” He then went on to make the bold assertion that, “Not one of those people will still be using an iPhone a month later.”

I guarantee it Apple took note, and exception. Apple doesn’t have a problem releasing new iPhone hardware almost every year and despite the ton of features the 3G has, there can always be more. And it looks like a new iPhone every year is becoming more of a tradition than anything.

And the original two-year AT&T contracts will begin to expire starting this summer. Gonna want those people to stay around AT&T.

Some possible features:

Much faster than 3G speeds. Let’s be bold and say 7.2 M/s.

Video Capture

Better camera (5MP)

Video-Conferencing Capabilities

New Design?

There isn’t much news available but right now everyone else is trying to play catch up, trying to make that phone that kills the iPhone. Some have come close, but not one has done it yet. This summer will be prime hunting season for manufacturers. You will see some top model phones come out. If Apple and AT&T still want to dominate the market, they need to release a brand-new iPhone. It is that simple.

An 10″ Apple Tablet or a rumored ‘Apple Reader’

There has been many rumors of a tablet touch screen Apple product to compete with Amazon’s Kindle and to help the dying print industry of newspapers and magazines. There is obviously a huge market for such a product if it is any good, so I’ll at least throw this one out there, but Apple has never been open about its desire to create this sort of device. So don’t hold your breath.

Steve Jobs

There are many who believe that Steve Jobs will simply never return to Apple. Be it poor health or just a deserving quiet retirement away from the company he cofounded with Woz. Media reports on his health treatment have been sparse but his initial leave of absence called for a return “at the end of June.” 

If there is indeed new iPhone hardware, new iPhone software, and a brand new OS – I can’t imagine Steve won’t want to be there laying the foundation for the future of his company. This is shaping up to be such a landmark day for the broader appeal of the company, it is only fitting that Steve bridges the past and future at Apple by delivering this keynote. Maybe that is the optimism talking, but it would be really nice to see the man healthy enough to do what he loves to do one more time.