On the eve of Macworld Expo (we won’t be able to sleep and constantly reloading Time Canada the night before a keynote is a sickness, that much is sure) we’ve culled past reports from all over (with emphasis on reliable sites with strong track records) to create a list of rumors in the order (strongest to weakest) that we feel they are most-likely to occur. This order is based upon gut feeling, quality of sources, other industry information, and a variety of other methodologies including the time-tested “educated guess” method:
1. Intel Yonah-based iBooks: New, thinner, with 13.3 and 12.1 widescreen displays. Lesser possibility of surprisingly low price points.
2. iLife ’06 (including iWeb?).
3. Expanded .Mac service, possibly at a lower annual fee of $69 (including iWeb?).
4. (tie) New Mac mini with Intel processor and, possibly, incorporating Intel Viiv technology in some fashion. With DVR capability (see next item).
4. (tie) Front Row 2 with DVR functionality.
4. (tie) Increased content deals for iTunes Store, including CBS and other company’s TV shows and possibly also including feature-length films. Lesser possibility of using some sort of new streaming technology, “digital video locker,” and/or subscription model for video and/or feature-length film content. Least probability, but still a possibility: music subscription service option.
7. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard demo.
7. iWork ’06 with ‘Numbers’ spreadsheet application.
9. (tie) New iPod shuffle with screen. Lesser possibility that Apple may drop the shuffle and intro a 1GB iPod nano at $149-ish price point in the shuffle’s place.
9. (tie) New Intel-based PowerBooks. Slightly higher probability that they will be announced, due to ship a bit later in the quarter.
11. Airport Video Express with 802.11n (hey, they went early with 802.11g, too!)
12. Apple iPhone with iPod capability. Lesser probability of Apple-branded mobile-phone service – Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO).
13. Apple Plasma Mac TVs. Think giant Intel-based iMac with Front Row 2 possibly with Intel Robson “instant-on” technology.
14. New Intel-based iMac.
15. New Intel-based Xserve.
16. New Intel-based Power Mac.
17. An Apple-supported virtualization method for running Windows applications without Windows (probably too early for this).
18. Debut of a major informative Mac television ad campaign (showing what Mac OS X, iLife, iWork, and other Mac-only software offers the vast majority of the computer-using consumer, especially vs. Windows XP) and the screening of such ads during the keynote (we wish this was much higher on the list, but wishing won’t make it so).
Oh, yeah, and one or two more things…
Would you reorder the list? Would you add and/or remove items? Let us know below.
[UPDATE: Jan 10, 2006, 8:55am EST: Added Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard demo at #7.]
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HERE’S HOPING FOR A LEOPARD PREVIEW!!
That would be the greatest thing I can imagine. What can be added to an almost perfect OS? Oh yes… a Safari that doesn’t switch tabs automatically! That is the single most annoying thing in all my Mac computing years. Hey Apple… if you like, make the tab bounce (;-))!
@Eric. It’s a sign that when Apple’s website says 7-10 before an announcement, it means that new products will be replacing them. It’s always been like that. Don’t take my word for it.
hmmm… the apple website seems to be down. i wonder if they are reactivating the iweb links.
http://www.apple.com
Http/1.1 Service Unavailable
Monday, January 9, 2006 10:59PM
Works for me
Works for me too
@ Apple’s WH – like shipping to take 7 to 10 days? I guess i dont fully understand your point.
@ Eric. It’s a fact that when Apple puts a 7-10 days shipping on Macs, it means they are replacing them or updating them. It’s always been a hint of the past. Now, maybe Apple is surprising us this time. If you doubt me, check old message boards or news items.
Eric,
In the past, whenever an updated Apple product was coming, the previous version of that product would say “ships in 7-10 days.” Meaning that Apple was clearing out inventory of the previous version for the new version.
Example, in the days before the most recent iMac update in October. The previous iMac shipping times changed from “ships in 24 hours” to “ships in 7-10 days.” A telltale sign that an upgrade was on the horizon.
Okay folks.. maybe this is a sickness, BUT THIS IS REALLY BUGGING ME.
On amazon the creative zen player, you know the most recent iPod knockoff . Well it is getting stellar reviews and being called the first true iPod killer.
If you have an amazon.com account, would you be so kind as to post a review of this piece of crap to put things into perspective. I mean, can the thing be any more of a blatant iPod ripoff?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CS7U1C/qid=1136870046/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-5699143-7099362?n=507846&s=pc&v=glance
I’d put 4+4+4+10+12 all in one unit at the #2 spot right behind Yonah iBooks. Believe it! That’s what the expanded .Mac account capabiltiy is for.
Thanks Mike.
Normally, Apple always has a stock item shipping in 24 hours or 1-3 days during normal business. If it goes more than that on a stocked item before an event it’s called a hint.
But maybe they realize you’ve caught on to that…or at least i hope that’s the case. I mean, we are all pretty sure that they are introducing an ibook, and that’s still on 24 hour shipping…
Though the thought of an Apple branded TV with a built in mac would be very cool, there is no way in hell Apple would use Plasma technology. It’s old news and Plasmas CAN’T handle static images such as a desktop..
BURN IN.
Nope, ain’t gonna happen.
Or it could mean, that the iBooks will be introduced, but won’t be shipping for a while yet. God knows we’ve seen that scenario befoe… cough… cough… 2.5 Powermac G5
The Apple Store is a good indicator sometimes, but in this instance I wouldn’t trust it. I’d be willing to bet that if they do announce any new computers tomorrow, they won’t be shipping until at least February. Just a hunch, probably because it seems like this is still early in 06. I’m not going to hold my breath for them.
I think they absolute givens are iLife 06 and iWork 06. The question is, will either of them contain new apps?
I’m not gonna be able to sleep tonight!
How many days in advance does that shipping figure usually change to the release date?
Beat me to it Mike!
@ eric. That’s what I’m hoping for. I think this time it’s different. Because maybe Apple will be selling both.
Selling both….what?
How does one sleep, knowing that Santa Steve is on his way with new toys for all to see in the morning…???
NM Mike…i see what you mean…
@ Eric. Current IBM based CPUs and intel based CPU.
yeah i see what you mean…but wouldn’t that be very un-apple?
In the shortest MacWorld keynote in history, Steve Jobs is going to only announce the Wireless Mighty Mouse.
Hahahahaha!
Well, we can dream!