This year, it will also offer a keynote address by Apple CEO Steve Jobs in which he'll outline the company's next operating system, Mac OS X 10.5, code-named Leopard.

Although WWDC is primarily aimed at helping developers and technology professionals learn new skills, it is no stranger to media attention. Many major Apple announcements have come out of past WWDC keynote addresses. Apple's strategy for Mac OS X, the transition to Intel Corp. processors (announced at last year's event) and the original iMac were all originally unveiled at past WWDCs. Likewise, previews of upcoming technologies and the initial seeding of developer kits and beta software have taken place at WWDC. In fact, Apple stressed that this year's conference is the best place to get a solid look at the company's future endeavors.

There have been years when media attention at WWDC has been minimal because there was no expectation of any big announcements. This is not such a year. Apple has already announced that Jobs' Monday keynote address will feature the first preview of Leopard. Speculation about what the new operating system, due out by early next year, will look like or contain is already running rampant on the Web, with fake screenshots making the rounds of many Mac sites. Beyond the Leopard preview are any number of rumored announcements, with the speculation about them running at fever pitch -- no doubt due in part to Apple's secretive nature.

Though Apple doesn't talk about upcoming products, whether hardware or software, that doesn't stop people from making various predictions, including the following:

New Intel-based desktop Macs