“Apple retail is ten years old this Thursday, and the Mac rumor mill predicts the company plans something to mark the event– though the most experienced Apple retail watchers disagree,” Jonny Evans blogs for Computerworld. “So, if an event does take place, what might the company introduce?”
“There’s lots of chatter around which claims Apple has product launch plans this week/weekend. Plans which require up to fifteen workers in each store, an overnight shift, a series of meetings and more,” Evans writes. “Reportedly, employees have had to sign Non Disclosure Agreements (NDA’s) while stores have already received hardware to install, with more hardware expected by the weekend. Materials are being kept locked away and curtained off, while a series of training materials are being distributed.”
Evans writes, “ifoAppleStore, which has followed the evolution of the stores for a decade starting with attendance at the very first opening, doesn’t believe Apple plans a tenth birthday party: ‘Apple doesn’t look back, so I don’t expect any official event, celebration or commemoration of May 19th. I do hear that something interesting will occur within the stores on the 19th or 20th, but it’s not a celebration.'”
Read more in the full article here.
What’s left to perfect?
iWatch?
iShoes?
iBed?
iFigure…..?
More than likely a Mac mini/MacBook refresh to Sandy Bridge. Or a 10th anniversary iPod nano only available in purple with an inscription on the back that says, “Beyond Zune.”
Yes, iVote for a Mac mini refresh.
And you can stack them, plug them together with Thunder bolt and make a parallel super computer. 😉
iGuess
iWash
iDunno
Marking an anniversary is not the same as looking back. Apple has marked anniversaries in the past with events and products.
This is a stupid rumor. Apple would never release a major new product without a press event. Whatever it is, it’s either a sale, or it’s a new version of an existing product. They wouldn’t just drop a major new product unceremoniously into retail stores without first going on stage and showing people how to use it.
It doesn’t really matter what Apple does- it will _be_ a press event.
Hey Kurki……um hate to break it to you but they just released all new iMacs on May 3rd with no media event. It does happen on occasion.
That wasn’t a new product, that was the same old iMac with a Thunderboldt port and a better processor. No one referred to that as a “major product release.” Apple didn’t keep its stores open late or deny their employees vacation time because of it.
A5 mba with thunderbolt!!! 😀
iMobile – The new iTunes in the cloud combined with the re-re-re-vamped MobileMe.
Now after all these years you’d think I had more sense than to drink coffee while reading comments. Gotta clean my screen again…
“imobile” means no mobile: I don’t think it’s a good name!
The one and only iBurrito.
Finally Safari for Apple TV 2!!!!
Seems like an easy to disprove rumor. Has anyone been in an Apple store recently and seen these curtained off areas?
How’s this for a prediction:
It’s iCloud 1.0, and since it’s cloud-based the announcement isn’t at an actual physical event, but a cloud event. The whole thing happens through the cloud… announcing the cloud.
It’s a thought. The only thing is, if they figure the stores will be packed, how does anything cloud-wise make sense? You wouldn’t need to go into the store for that.
If it’s store plans it’s physical hardware… which seems less and less likely with each passing hour.
iCentiPad?
iPrint ?
I think Apple’s gonna throw a party.
Some sort of “aren’t we awesome, come by and get a free [something],” celebration birthday party.
Of course, a good party is in the details, and I have no idea what those might be.
I predict that it is just a change in the store layout and the way products are displayed, to give the stores a fresh look or to improve traffic flow, or both. That would involve all of the stores worldwide. It would also require new display materials and a crew to work during the night to move things around. That would account for everything we know about this weekend.
A major new product release is not in the cards. Just about every product has had a recent refresh, new iPhones aren’t going to come out for a while, and a major software releases does not require all this effort. WWDC is only a few weeks away. Why would Apple steal their own thunder? Lion and iCloud (if it involves an API) won’t be released at least until the WWDC, even if they are ready right now.
It’s a change in the stores, not the products. It will be nonetheless impressive.
Every new product Apple has release has been preceded by 2 or more years of rumor, like the iPhone, and Tablet computer. The only rumor of a new product lately has been an Apple branded TV and I don’t see that happening.
I’ve seen elsewhere that they’re going to introduce NFC devices that plug in (?) to your iDevice.