Now that Apple's iOS 6 is out, all the focus goes to the next-generation iOS 7.
The next version of the iOS refresh – iOS 7 – is believed to be in development, and nothing really substantial is known as of now. However, rumors suggest there will be a delay in its release.
According to Daring Fireball's John Gruber, Apple has begun shifting engineers from the development of OS X 10.9 in order to make sure iOS 7 ships in time. Gruber states his belief in the comments of a Branch conversation with a number of other Apple experts.
Interestingly, the conversation also included comments from iMore's Rene Ritchie on Jony Ive's new involvement in iOS and other details about what could be in store from Apple in the coming days.
“What I've heard: iOS 7 is running behind, and engineers have been pulled from OS X 10.9 to work on it,” Gruber writes. “Let me know if you've heard this song before" he added while linking to a 2007 TUAW article about Leopard being delayed due to the iPhone.
Ritchie didn’t want to be left behind. He states: “iOS is a continuum, not a set of static things. There's a roadmap. What didn't make it into iOS 6 goes into 7, what doesn't make it into 7 goes into 8. If iPhone 5S is summer instead of fall, that'll tighten the schedule a lot. They usually get 12 months for iOS (16 for iOS 5).”
As far as Ive’s involvement is concerned, Ritchie says that while Ive’s work on iOS 7 is making many people really happy, “it will make rich-texture-loving designers sad."
Gruber claims that current iOS engineers with carry privileges (the privilege of taking unreleased devices off campus) are being required to use a certain polarizing screen filter that will make it difficult for outsiders to see iOS' somewhat significant system-wide UI overhaul.