Gizmodo
As we're gearing up to bring Apple MacWorld Keynote 2K7 to you live, we thought now's a good time to ponder what the odds are of new hardware being released. Our Frankenrumor brought you ideas from every corner of the internets, but here it is, in odds form.
First off, there's likely going to be very little hardware announced Tuesday. Reason? Apple flies European journos to London for a simulcast and cocktails whenever Steve Jobs farts, but this time there's nothing. Nada.
Here's what we think, with some wildly ridiculous items at the end.
iLife, iApps '07: 99.99%
Apple dumps its updated suite of apps on us every year at this time—so why should 07 be any different? We've already seen leaks on Amazon and various other sites. The only reason is if they're holding it back for a simultaneous Leopard release, which is unlikely, and leads us to...
OS X Leopard: 45%
From the developers releases Apple's been distributing, Leopard's not quite ready for release. They're still adding in features, fixing bugs, and tightening up various loose ends. It's very unlikely that they'll have Leopard ready for release on Tuesday, but Steve will definitely talk about it.
iTV: 50%
From what we're hearing, iTV's not quite ready for public consumption. The delay supposedly comes from OS problems, which is strange seeing as it's not too hard to put together a set top box. Maybe they're putting HD into it?
Touchscreen iPod: 85%
After the mediocre improvement at Showtime in September, Apple better have something impressive to show the world that the iPod is still the king in media players. Some kind of connectivity to catch up to the Zune would be nice, but unlikely. But there should definitely be some iPod news.
Truckload of more video content for iTunes: 90%
There hasn't been all that many additions to the iTunes movie store since launch. Our guess is Apple's been bundling them all up for a massive dump come MacWorld. Kind of boring, but boring enough to be true.
Apple Phone: 55%
All signs point to the existence of a phone, but whether it's coming now is still iffy. We're leaning towards a yes, but not for countries other than the US at first.
Various Sized Cinema Displays With iSight: 75%
The fact that the iSight has been night unpurchaseable from Apple for a couple months now points us to the fact that they're dumping old stock in time for new iSights. Whether this means it'll be just standalone iSights—possibly with HD—or Cinema Displays with built-in iSights is still iffy.
Updated Mac Pro with Quad-Core or Blu-ray Support: 65%
The quad-core may be coming, but Blu-ray may not. Then again, it may. That's why this is a tossup.
iTablet: 10%
Unlikely. There hasn't been any sign of this other than the patents. It usually takes Apple a little while to go from filing patents to pushing out a product.
Ultraportable MacBook Pro: 5%
With ridiculous specs like these, it's unlikely a thinbook will come near MacWorld.
Comments
"First off, there's likely going to be very little hardware announced tomorrow."
Is your timing a little off, or are you expecting announcement on Saturday?
D.
i think by tomorrow, you're assuming most everyone will be piss drunk through the weekend and won't remember a thing anyways...or maybe just you :-p.
Anyways, a new iPod is unlikely - trend is to release iPod in the fall, in time for the christmas season.
New accesories and mac hardware could show up though!
doesn't mean they can't SHOW OFF a new iPod.
These percentages are really arbitrary. The rumor mill has been quiet on the iPod for weeks, and you're saying it's 85% likely a drastically different model will be released? And it's 65% likely that a professional machine will be updated at a consumer-oriented event?
more odds and predictions:
http://www.applerumortracker.com/rumors.html
though they don't mention macworld specifically; instead they base it by quarter.
i wouldn't be suprised if apple releases something that no one saw coming.
My prediciton is that Steve Jobs will announce a very secret product at MacWorld, one that has been kept under such tight security, that no one has even hinted at its existence: Apple's iRobot. The iRobot will be a domestic servant, capapble of cleaning, laundry, and some food preparation duties. It will also be able to do some simple outdoor chores, like weeding. Retailing for $5,000, it will be available for purchase by the end of Q1 '07.
Is the iTablet meant to be used by the the character with the half formed hand Chris Elliot plays in Scary Movie?
I'm predicting the release of the Beatles catalog on iTunes, possibly in conjunction with a Beatles-branded iPod model.
One thing is 100% certain: iWillPuke if I see anymore of this stuff.
I don't care what's announced, as long as it doesn't have a lower case vowel in front of it's name.
Like I have said, if APPLE is going to say something that profound, then this year is going to be very big hardware wise for them.
Or.. a big dissapointment..
Second what braingel says, I love apple but freaking hate speculation, I feel like I've been reading this same article all week.
In a way, I feel bad for Apple. The bar is set very high for them to come up with products at the annual MacWorld-fest that will make us drool and our jaws drop. But that high bar was set by none other than Apple.
yeah nickspatula,
apple's current graphic on their site suggests that things are about to get pretty different. i'm not expecting anything like a tablet or even the touch screen ipod, but i am expecting some seriously deep connectivity boosts. apple has a bunch of peices and parts of a massive entertainment center (front row, ipod hifi, itv, airport express, itms), but it's still not pulled together. Whatever they end up coming out with, i'm expecting it to be a serious case of 'think different' not 'think bigger better faster'. Maybe you could bundle it all together and call it iLife: Hardware
"iTablet: 10%
Unlikely. There hasn't been any sign of this other than the patents. It usually takes Apple a little while to go from filing patents to pushing out a product."
What about the Modbook?
Is gonna be a TabletPC an not an itablet but.... there are the patents...
and about that:
Lets look at Apple track record for applying for patents for new products:
Product Patent filed Announced
Original iMac May 6, 1998 May 7, 1998
Original iPod October 22, 2001 October 23, 2001
4th Generation iPod June 24, 2004 July 19, 2004
iSight Camera March 28, 2003 June 23, 2003
Apple Touchscreen Tablet/iPod September, 2005 ????
so they take tehir time?, like next day?
How about a N spec Airport to connect your entire home wirelessly... new Macs have N already, iTV is speculated to have it on the way, why not a N iPod dock/HiFi ?
Well folks, regardless of what comes out, it looks like in a about a week's time I'll be maxin out the credit card.
why don't people get it?!? the lower case "i" in front of an apple product stands for "internet"...
remember the original iMac? its the "internet"Mac, because it was so easy to set up the internet on it, it could be done in minutes.
the iPod is the same... "internet"Pod, hence, iTunes!
iwork.. internet work??
You guys give Apple marketing a surprising amount of credit. Hype-ridden Macworld banners must mean major, revolutionary new announcements? Am I the only one who remembers the Macworld .Mac rollout? ;)
It's not that I don't think Apple is deserving of the attention and enthusiasm they get. But when you take a look at the long view of things, it isn't ultimately what's announced in the keynotes that matters. It's the fact that, year to year, the Mac user experience is so complete, reliable, and productivity-boosting. I've got three PCs here (one on loan) and (counting the one beloging to my significant other) three Macs. I know my way around both. By far, the Macs deliver a more seamless and positive experience, and I don't have to be nervous each time I turn them on that some driver will run rampant over the system.
Of course, what lets them continue to be in business is that they make a lot of money off what they say at keynotes. So bring it on. But my MacBook has plenty to keep me busy with or without new stuff. (Where's that Xcode book again?)
Maybe they'll release the top secret
iDontCare?
The iDontCare is for the other audience than the Hardcore Apple-Zealots. Don't get me iWrong
iLike their products a lot - especially because of their iDesigns ...as a matter of iFact...only because of their iDesigns.
How can the iTV be "delayed" if it was first announced with a Q1 2007 release date? It's Jan 5 today, certainly Q1 isn't over yet is it?
Rather than the ol' "MOM! He's writing about apple rumors AGAINNNNN!!!!," why don't you just skip over the article? If it doesn't interest you, don't read it, if you don't care, don't comment.
This is funny, basically iLife updates is the only thing this person is confident enough to report on.
Wow how helpful
lol, im fairly certain that they're gradually straying away from the "i" brands. ie: Mac Mini, MacBook, and the fact that they won't be using iPhone, and the fact that it won't be called iTV. They know it's become cliched, and they'll do their best to come up with a new label to associate with themselves.
Any odds for bluetooth support in the ipod they are likely to introduce?
How about the iWindows PC
A Mac that runs Windows Vista
Maybe then they could sell to Corporate America
maybe we'll get a glimpse of mac os x's next skin.
apple showed some parts of leopard in a previous keynote and said it couldn't show too much now because of microsoft's "photocopy machine"
now that vista is out with its aero interface, it would be a good time to introduce the new ui that will replace aqua. what do you think?
Start a discussion:
Login with your username and password below. Or comment on this post via email.
Forgot your username or password? New User?