Besides The Beatles, what else could Apple announce Tuesday?

“So Apple’s reportedly going to get the Beatles on iTunes,” Brian Caulfield blogs for Forbes. “Finally.”

So what else might Apple announce Tuesday at 10 a.m.? PiperJaffray’s Gene Munster argues Apple will, finally, launch its cloud-based iTunes services,” Caulfield reports. “The evidence: Apple’s Maiden, North Carolina data center should be nearly fully operational by now.”

Caulfield reports, “And between the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, and Macs, Munster writes Apple will want to link all these devices to a single server-based media service — especially its new Apple TV set top box.”

Full article here.

Au contraire, Peter Kafka writes for AllThingsD, “I’ll be very surprised if it is music related–like a new music subscription service, or even one that lets you stream music you already own to multiple devices.”

“The music industry sources I’ve talked to so far today don’t know of any new deals between Apple and the big music labels,” Kafka reports. “So that would rule out a new subscription service, which would definitely require a new rights deal.”

Full article here.

61 Comments

  1. I’m content with the Beatles coming to iTunes tomorrow. Yes, there are bigger things I would like to get. (Read: iOS 4.2 for the iPad.) And if they throw in something bigger, that’s awesome. But by no means is the offering of a good collection of music something to scorn, particularly such a name as the Beatles.

  2. A day that “you’ll never forget”

    Apple does not use such words lightly. Speculation so far has been laughable.
    Get ready for the latest insanely great – and completely new – thing from Steve.

  3. nekogami13
    Why make a big deal if it is only the Beatles?
    If you care about them that much-you already have them.

    If that is the “big” announcement-very disappointing.

    ——
    I could not agree more. If you wanted them on your iPod rip the CD and be done with it. Who cares about the Beatles anymore?

  4. I am not a big Beatles fan but I recognize the impact they had on music and music culture. Just because some of you don’t like the Beatles, doesn’t mean that this won’t be huge. Especially if Apple is lucky enough for it to be exclusive to iTunes.
    There are probably many Beatles fans who have been waiting for this but didn’t cry about only getting some other software or hardware at past Apple announcements. Seriously, there are far better things to cry about.
    And no, I will not be buying any Beatles songs on itunes.

  5. Don’t be a horse’s ass. The Beatles are a unique property, so big and so unique that they make money like Mount McKinley makes its own weather.

    Maybe not YOUR money, Ass, but plenty of other peoples’ money.

  6. “If you care about them that much-you already have them.”

    True. I do, and I have.

    I’m not sure how much their stuff would really sell. OTOH, you never know.

    I think the big announcement is something else, though. Getting the Beatles on iTunes would be more of a “one more thing,” I think.

  7. 7 a.m. PST is when Apple unleashes its evil plan of world wide mind control when it finally succEEDS IN TAKING OVER THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    no, wait, they already did that.

  8. It’s MORE then owning the rights
    to the BEATLES on iTunes, finally !!!

    And it’s MORE then Steve Jobs giving away the
    entire music collection for FREE – for iPhone 4, iPad, AppleTV
    users !!!

    BECAUSE, it’s not just music but all the BEATLES VIDEOS and DOCUMENTARIES also !!!

    AND one last thing – Lucy IS IN the Sky with Diamonds and MUCH MUCH MORE things with NOTHING to DO with the BEATLES too !!!

    We all shall see – Hurray Apple !!!!

  9. Their announcement is echoing a great tune by Madness, obviously it’s related to that band rather than Beatles. Maybe a special edition Madness iHat for ska enthusiasts? I’d never forget that.

  10. Beatles? Lame. Who gives a crap about them, and I am 43 years old. Maybe my parents? Not.

    It has to be something totally memorable, like Apple buying Dell or MSFT or Oracle. Or FB or Google.

    But having said that it won’t be the above. He can’t announce that stuff. It has to be approved. So it’s got to be a product or service.

  11. If Apple is going to announce the entire Beatles intellectual property available for free, I honestly don’t know which if my numerous friends would even bother downloading it and some are even musicians. I probably won’t bother. So, I really hope it’s not that. Frankly I don’t even dig Bob Dylan but I know SJ does, so maybe this is a big deal for him. (Lennon is cool but that doesn’t mean I want to listen to the music. Imagine is great but played too much.)

  12. @Mac Daddy et all.

    The Beatles are number 2 for album sales in the last decade. Still. How big is this if its true? Monumental. Collossal. This shifts the pendulum fully into the digital age for music finally. Well deserved thanks if that is the announcement.

    Ignorance from other posters may try and discount this but make no mistake, this is huge.

    Any other announcements will be pure golden gravy to top it off.

  13. As old Beatles fan, i can understand Steve’s joy to have The Beatles songs on air… Yet, people like me already have all titles as vinyl or CDs and, nowadays, i doubt that that kind of music still is of any interest for younger music amateurs.

  14. If it’s just the Beetles, then it’s official: Apple’s using this just to screw with us.

    It would be them finally pushing their media and press manipulation just a little bit too far.

  15. Since this isn’t an attended media event, it must be something that doesn’t require Steve Jobs to explain it. Also, it’s specifically an iTunes announcement. So yeah, I vote Beatles, and 90-second previews. With a possible subscription service (Ouija Elvis says no) and/or streaming (Ouija Sinatra says maybe). Along with the release of iOS 4.2.

    And for the haters out there, if you don’t understand what the Beatles did (and I’m 50, not much of a fan, don’t own one song), you may be ignorant. And I’ll say one thing about them – they’ve got more staying power than almost anyone else. I could literally see a Beatles renaissance, sparked completely by the Beatles on iTunes with long previews – how many songs have been sold that were featured on Apple (mostly iPod and iPad) commercials? And if they can do that with select Beatles music this holiday season, BAM! Instant gold.

    Not to mention the fact that there’s a whole generation of kids whose parents are eager to introduce them to classic Beatle’s (since they have a hard time connecting to today’s music, and the kids will love it just because they’re kids).

    No other iTunes holdout has had this much press (almost 10 years of it, in fact). Not Kid Rock, not anyone.

    You say you want a revolution? Apple’s the company to bring it.

    goo goo g’joob

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  17. Ah, yes. Everyone’s a “hater” if they think this is lame. Actually, the biggest yawns are coming from Beatles fans like me. I’ve got the recent remaster (and previously older) CDs ripped lossless.

    This is a milestone even if it’s late. Maybe some kids will download and listen, which is good. Beat of all, we can put the Beatles on iTunes speculations behind us!

    Btw, I too noticed the reference was more directly related to Madness lyrics–another fine British band. I would celebrate a “nutty boys” iTunes event!

  18. The teaser indicates only one announcement about iTunes. It must be just the Beatles. Which is cool, yes, but I’ll be disappointed if that’s all it is. When you’re implying that people in Japan should pay attention to this announcement (as Apple has), it had better have global value.

    Something tells me it’s more than the Fab Four, though — maybe they’ll be used as a lead-in to the unveiling of “iTunes Cloud”. That would make more sense and be much more noteworthy.

  19. Today will be like every other announcement from Apple. What’s amazing is it’s just been 24 hours of not knowing that has turned the internet on it’s ear, with speculation from the Beatles to anti-gravity boots. Imagine if the page was up for a WEEK. We’d be talking end of the world, Skyline-level stuff there.

    Pundits get all lathered up and turn it into something Apple never intended, and then the pundits slam Apple for not meeting their mostly unrealistic and often idiotic expectations.

    Goes with the territory, I guess. We’ll know in 45 minutes. Unless, of course, Apple just leaves the splash page the way it is. That would be a cruel joke. Tomorrow never turns into today.

  20. Well, if it is the Beatles, there better be something offered up more than just the songs to get excited about, like a commemorative iPod or something with EVERYTHING on it, video’s etc.

    I’ve been waiting far too long for this to even bother to feel the excitement I’d have felt about it years ago when the rumors started.

    Nice to hear, but painfully late. If it isn’t special in some way, I’ve already bought everything, starting with vinyl in ’63 to DVD’s and CD’s. Impress me with “Something New” (to quote an album title) Apple.

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