The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference is set to begin any moment now at the Moscone West Center and speculation about what Apple is set to unveil is at the highest levels we’ve seen in recent weeks.

Earlier we tackled some of the rumored announcements at the event, such as updated Mac lines, the announcement of the Apple TV, new iOS, and even the possible (hopeful?) announcement of the iPhone 5.

The event is just a few hours away and the web is abuzz with excitement.  Will Apple really launch the Apple TV?  Will we just get new or updated software?  Or will there be new Macs unveiled at the event?  Let’s see what the pundits are saying ahead WWDC 2012.

Updates galore

WWDC is known as a software event, with a hardware launch surprise every so often.  At 10:00a.m. PST, we’ll finally find out what Apple is hiding up their sleeves.

It’s a given that Apple will be updating their existing operating softwares for Macs and iDevices but what’s unclear is what those updates could be.  A few years back, Apple made Twitter more integrated with their devices.  This year, some are speculating that Facebook might be the next thing integrated to Apple’s devices.  Apple users may soon find it easier to update their Facebook statuses or upload photos easier.

The Mountain Lion, Apple’s next Mac OS was unveiled earlier this year and was announced to be commercially available by late summer.  The OS has been available for developers for some time now and it’s expected that there will be more features added to it.  Siri, for example; the AI was amiss when the OS was launched.  What makes Mountain Lion different from older Mac operating systems is that it aims to greatly unify Apple products, from Macs to iPhones, to iPads, to iPod Touches and even the mythical Apple TV.  Apple wants users to have a more streamlined experience across Apple devices.

Which brings us to iOS 6, the next mobile OS expected to be announced at WWDC.  Experts are suggesting that iOS 6 and Mountain Lion would work seamlessly with one another through the power of cloud technology.

Hardware invasion

It has been years since Apple’s Mac lines were updated, and pundits are seeing that 2012 is the year for a hardware update.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple will be unveiling a new Mac Pro today, which will come in three configurations:

• Normal configuration: 3.2GHz quad-core processor, 6GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, and the ATI Radeon 5770 graphics chip.
• Normal configuration: 2.4GHz 12-core processor, 12GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, and the ATI Radeon 5770 graphics chip.
• Server configuration: 3.2GHz quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, Two 1TB hard drives

The Mac Book Pro line will also be upgraded with the following specifications available:

• 13.3 inch: 2.5GHz dual core processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive
• 13.3 inch: 2.9GHz dual core processor, 8GB of RAM, 750GB hard drive
• 15.4 inch: 2.3GHz quad core processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive
• 15.4 inch: 2.6GHz quad core processor, 8GB of RAM, 750GB hard drive (BTO upgrades to 2.7GHz quad core and 1TB HD will be available)

Apple is said to also be updating the AirPort Express and USB SuperDrive, which will support the next-generation (optical-drive-less) MacBook Pro.  Additionally we can expect new connectors to be announced, like new adapters and converters between new and old MagSafes and a new Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter.

No news yet if the Retina Display will be available for the Mac Pro and Mac Book Pro lines.