What will we see on Tuesday?
The Apple speculation never really ends it just hits high points around the announcement dates. While I cannot say for certain what Apple will roll out this Tuesday what I do know is what Apple has been telling us all along. What is that you may ask? Namely, that cool software and hardware go hand in hand and that they wish to produce TED-like [Technology, Entertainment, Design] products. Read it this way; Technology is the hardware/software component, Entertainment is the market and Design is the package. Certainly there are other segments of the market that are important and useful such as business software but the markets that Apple puts the spotlight on are, Photography, Audio, Video, Movies, Internet and Music; oh and you can also balance your checkbook. If you don't believe me go the Apple's website and look at the Menu items across the top of the page. I suppose now we should also add Telephony to the mix. Why would Apple, a computer company want to make a phone, aren't there about a bazillion cell phones on the market? Could it be that maybe they would like to incorporate some of the aforementioned entertainment packages with the fact that you can also make a call.
Will the iPhone come on Tuesday? I hope so but I have doubts; looks more like an 07 keynote thing to me. The updated iMac's are already out so it can't be that. iPod's updated sounds like a sure thing, maybe with some added movie capability. The much rumored Movie store on iTunes wouldn't be too big a surprise although it may take a while for that medium to really take off. Another entertainment product would be the MacMini home theater concept. This one I am not sure about but could be part of the overall iLife or should we say eLife system. One thing to look for is some sort of connectivity and interface between all the components as in the Front Row project. Front Row could get another module I will call it Popcorn or perhaps Matinee.
On the Photo/Video front we will have to keep our eyes on Photokina which happens on the 26th of September. If you are not familiar with Photokina, it's the biggest Photography trade show and dwarfs anything we have here in the US. It's located in Cologne Germany and happens every two years. This year is the first time Apple has attended and it would be almost a given to see a big Aperture splash as well as some other new partnering in the photo market. Absolute sleeper prediction or wild guess; Apple announces the iPhone at Photokina due to it's superior phone/cam features. Hey the worst that can happen is that I am wrong :-)
Well.... My predictions were in the ballpark anyway and of course there is Photokina that will have it's own set of surprises.. see you then.
Posted by: Harold | September 12, 2006 at 11:03 PM