Apple of all eyes?
- 13 Jan 08, 09:33 GMT
Another year, another Macworld, and all eyes will be on the Moscone Center, in San Francisco, for Steve Jobs' keynote speech on Tuesday.
And the question everyone is wondering is: what surprises does Jobs have in store?
As always the rumour mill is in overdrive, so let's look at some of the more potent:
A 3G iPhone
The iPhone's lack of 3G has been the most obvious problem in need of remedy. But I would be very surprised to see a hardware upgrade for the iPhone, especially as the software development kit for the phone has yet to be released officially.
A boost to the flash storage of the iPhone is not out of the question - but I'm guessing it will all be about the software and not the hardware of the phone. Expect demonstrations of some very cool new applications.
An ultra-lightweight Macbook Pro
There have been lots of reports of Apple releasing a high-end Macbook Pro with flash storage and no optical drive. If true, this could pitch Apple into the sub-notebook category, possibly a 12-inch machine with a solid state hard drive.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see this. Apple's skill has always been in knowing when to enter a market and while other firms have been doing the real innovation in this area - see the Asus Eee PC at the cheap end or Sony's Vaio TZ series at the expensive end - this could be the moment for the firm to take the plunge.
There have also been reports of the Macbook Pro range getting Wimax on board. Intel is certainly pushing Wimax very hard so it would not be a huge surprise but my instincts tell me it's still a little premature.
New iPods
It's almost certainly too early for a new iPod but a boost to the flash storage in the iPod Touch would certainly be welcomed.
Apple TV movie rentals
There has been a lot of talk about iTunes getting movie rentals and with Apple's TV system languishing as a forgotten product this could be the boost it needs.
You only have to walk into an Apple store to see how the product has been relegated. Typically, there is a single Apple TV device tucked away in the corner, with nobody using it.
It would also make sense for the device to be opened up to third-party developers. The Apple TV is really a computer and if Apple themselves can't spare the time to develop new applications for it, then they should let the community do it.
There is a real movement towards uniting the TV with the web - see - and the Apple TV could be that device to bridge the gap.
With Microsoft and Sony constantly improving the Xbox 360 and PS3 through software updates, the Apple TV is becoming neither media centre device nor internet-enabled hub. It needs some attention - and quickly.
So these are my thoughts. I'd welcome yours.
Here too are the thoughts of , and the always readable John Siracusa of .
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Rory Cellan-Jones is the 大象传媒's technology correspondent.
Maggie Shiels is the 大象传媒's tech reporter based in Silicon Valley.
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Comments
Good article, except at the end. "The Apple TV is really a Computer". Actually, this is a common misconception that dissappointed many early adopters an reviewers alike. Although a good product, Apple TV is really only a stationary (non portable) iPod Video (Classic). Tied completly to a network computer's iTunes app. Think of it as an iPod video (or classic) attached to a TV as A/V out. Only difference is Wi-Fi. But I do agree, so much more can be done with it, along with the iPhone and Touch.
All I have to say is: Thank God for Apple & Steve Jobs. If it weren't for his vision we'd be using DOS 15. After all, when it comes to innovation Microsoft is definitely not at the top. MS is truly the one the one that waits for others to innovate and then use their market position to make others believe that they were the true innovators.
Sorry, the Apple TV is a Computer. Hackers have already managed to get Mac OS X Tiger running on it. While not powerful (1 Gig Processor and only 256 Meg of Ram) it is indeed a stripped down Mac capable of running regular Mac software....
Apple maybe be using Apple TV as an iPod with it's restrictive OS, but make no mistake, It is a computer/.//
I find iPods to be a great tool with many uses. However, despite the iPhone hype, I will not waste my money on one until its memory reaches 80-160 GB which is that of the high end iPod. At that time, I will by up to 5 iPhones provided a new product is not released which wows me first. Work faster Apple and Steve Jobs.
I find iPods a great tool with many uses. However, despite the iPhone hype, I will not waste my money on one until its memory reaches 80-160 GB which is that of the high end iPod. At that time, I will by up to 5 iPhones provided a new product is not released which wows me first. Work faster Apple and Steve Jobs.
Not wanting to naysay Daves fine FlickrFan it's not a new idea, and certainly the AppleTV/Mini Mac hasn't lead the revolution
Many people have been using BigPicture on Windows Media Center for a long while now -
AppleTV is as much a computer as the iPod is, iPhone or your Sky box is. You could hack an all of them and program to do stuff they weren't intended to do. Instead they are sold as Apps specific devices sacrificing flexibility for usability and opening up the product would just weaken the original concept - to extend iTunes beyond the computer.
Hopefully they will be adding a few news services on Monday but we'll see.
As for 160GB iPhone - unless you're backing up your system, why? You can manage music & video easily within 8-16GB
McD
I would like to see gps on iphone.
Improved iPod Touch is my guess. I don't want anything associated with facilities like FlickrFan.
The Leopard Operating SYstem continues causes my iphoto program to crash! Help!
An iPhone with a functional camera would be nice. It seems like an after thought on the current model. Of course 100 Gb memory & GPS would be very welcome.
The AppleTV is a strange box. If you want one, and want to do what it does, it's superb. I've got my entire music collection on mine, plus it keeps a whole pile of Radio 4 podcasts sync'd, plus I use Handbrake to put whatever DVDs I'm watching at the time on rather than fiddle about with the disks (being Mr Law Abiding, I only do this with DVDs I own). It is just an iTunes extender, but by caching the content it avoids the need for the machine with the content management on it to be running.
But, but. but. After a fair amount of messing about I ended up with two wireless networks at home: a 2.4MHz 11b/g jobbie for the rest of the machines off a wireless router, and a 5GHz 11n for the AppleTV from an Airport Extreme subtended from the router. Even using 2.4MHz b/g/n from an Airport Extreme with the main router's wireless turned off wasn't really 100% reliable. Now obviously this means that synchronisation is very fast, and I can stream video over the link without any issues, but it's a bit of a mess.
I doubt AppleTV will sprout an optical drive, as some people hope. Firstly it would be regressive: you can't sell ``The DVD player of the 21st Century'' if it's a DVD player. But secondly it would be huge: the AppleTV looks like a squashed Mac Mini, but what people forget is that (a) the power supply is internal, not that huge brick under my desk for my Mini and (b) the AppleTV is fanless, with the top plate used as a heat sink. Adding a laptop optical drive would double the size of the thing, and make it substantially more complex thermally. Never say never, but I'd be very surprised. And a USB2 external DVD player would be a hideous idea. And that's before we consider that an AppleTV with built-in support for DVD piracy would instantly kill any deals with studios to do rental.
Must disagree with post. The Apple TV IS a computer, because, let's face it the iPod is a computer. It should not be necessary to break into ones Apple TV and install a SSH sever on the drive to be able to use it's full potential. For a start, why can't Apple put the Visualiser on it, then we could have superb graphics with our music. Waters is right, let them open the machine up to third party software authors. I suppose they don't because it might hit Mac Mini sales.
Must disagree with post 1. The Apple TV IS a computer, because, let's face it the iPod is a computer. It should not be necessary to break into ones Apple TV and install a SSH sever on the drive to be able to use it's full potential. For a start, why can't Apple put the Visualiser on it, then we could have superb graphics with our music. Waters is right, let them open the machine up to third party software authors. I suppose they don't because it might hit Mac Mini sales.
If the iPhone got GPS & 3G, it'd be equal in functionality to Nokia's N95. Up its flash storage to 16 or 32Gb & you'll have a superior phone.
ASUS have already pipped apple to the post on this one and they simply can't make enough of them. An ultra mobile pc one third the size of a regular laptop for 拢219.
ASUS EEE Laptop. Solid state disk. 4gb at the moment but 8gb versions just coing on to the market now. 7 inch screen. Storge expandable with sd cards or usb flash drives. Comes pre-installed with LINUX or if you prefer, you can install XP which is what i've done and i'm writing this message on it now.
Ok, apple for me have done 1, well maybe 2 great things. Released a great little mp3/mp4 player, overpriced imho. And it's OS. Actually make that 3. The 3rd being hype. They generate so much of it with little substance.
The iphone, where's the video?, where's the 3g/gprs? HTC and Microsoft have all this with their Smartphones/PDA phones. So really i feel it's simply down to hype. According to the media you'd think apple are the only players in todays technology markets.
You forgot to mention two products that is circulated in the rumor on the web, first is a docking device that is complementary for the ultra-portable macbook pro, and the second is the mid range CPU model mac (kind of in between mac mini and mac pro).
However, considering at the teaser banner in Moscone Center; "There is Something in The Air" I really have no idea at all what would Steve's "One More Thing" going to be
TroveMistress - You seems to have missed a vital point about why the iPhone doesn't have the same capacity as the iPod.
The iPhone uses Solid State memory, the iPods use a hard disk. Solid state memory is much more expensive than a hard disk - it just not possible to create an 80g plus iphone at a reasonable price at the moment.
At present Apple's attitude to DRM issues means that I can't access i大象传媒 or C4 tv downloads, nor ClassicFM's new 'My ClassicFM' streamed music, nor many of the sites that offer audio books to download - Apple doesn't license its DRM softwear. I'd like to see that changed - rapidly! I want to use my computer as I wish and not use just the tiny number of firms that Apple has a contract with.
While Apple innovate more than Microsoft their biggest innovations are largely in form factor and design.
They also tend to set a standard which others seem to care less about. For example the responsiveness and speed of the iPhone is vastly superior to Windows Mobile. The battery of the iPhone lasts a lot longer than other smartphones when talking on the phone.
Most large companies are slow to innovate, Apple is at least faster than Microsoft. It's funny seeing Microsoft hype up multitouch when Microsoft has no product on the market with this technology yet Apple does.
Apple could market a touchscreen tablet as an input device. An offer alternate input device.
Of course this would fit even better - from their point of view perhaps - as a touch screen tablet portable MacBook-Touch.
This must be coming - touch screen input.
At least I feel so.
Knowing Apple's weakness for elite products it could start as the MacBook Pro Touch and use flash memory - and cost silly money.
I understand that the initial opening of such a market has potential to set high profit margins but also feel Apple could benefit by hitting a mainline artery with a really cool product and not just the very wealthy.
How about a 大象传媒 iPlayer app for iPhone?
TroveMistress - You seems to have missed a vital point about why the iPhone doesn't have the same capacity as the iPod.
The iPhone uses Solid State memory, the iPods use a hard disk. Solid state memory is much more expensive than a hard disk - it just not possible to create an 80g plus iphone at a reasonable price at the moment.
Help! My AppleTV is looking like it will be replaced by the likes of the Sony PS3 if it can't do half of what that can do soon.
Don't kill off my AppleTV.
well, if the iPhone is to be released in Japan, it will need to be 3G. Compared to Japanese phones it is up against still competition. I would say the iPhone needs to take video, run 1seg digital tv and operate on 3G to make any sort of impact here or entice the networks. Thankfully for apple, Japanese consumers are used to paying for handsets though.
The Apple TV issue is misguided... the update needs to be to Frontrow, not apple TV. Frontrow need to be opened up for 3rd party applications and iPod games.
Can't add anything to what we're likely to see, but what I'd like to see is opening the AppleTV to the 大象传媒 iPlayer content - being able to stream everything that's available to the Flash player.
It can't be too different technically to the YouTube access, and for the Beeb, it'd be a real riposte to the claims that they're Microsoft-biased. For goodness' sake - the content is meant to be viewed in lean-back mode on a TV, not lean-forward on a monitor, so it's the *right* way to do this.
Come on, Aunty... get it together!
I think you're right re. Apple TV - I suspect that Steve Jobs will use tomorrow to park his tanks, not on our lawns but in our living rooms and show is vision of a truly integrated digital media future.
As to what that is, I don't know... an even better UI, movie rentals, more movies/tv shows to buy, iTunes integrated into Apple TV with synchs accross ipods, your computer, iPhone etc. so that instead of being a fun demo of how you can display video on your TV, Apple TV will become a true media hub.
And what about an Apple Reader/iBook i.e. Apple's answer to Amazon's Kindle? I'm not sure if the market place is crying out for it, but if anyone can create unhitherto undreamt of consumer desires, it's Jobs & co.!
Re: Ian Denton
Mac users (and even linux) can now use iPlayer.
The reason you can't access Ch4 VOD service is because of Microsoft's WMV DRM licensing not Apple's.
Yet again another non-story about Apple makes the front page of the 大象传媒 "News" website. When will the 大象传媒 stop acting as Steve Jobs marketing department by giving constant and unremitting coverage to all things Apple?? I don鈥檛 see a news item every time Nokia releases a new phone or Ford releases a new Mondeo, so please stop using license fee payers money to market iPods.
I couldn't agree more with the comment on i大象传媒 / C4. Apple seems to talk about DRM free services, pointing the finger at third party providers, while others like Amazon seem to be able to actually achieve it ! Roll on Amazon's DRM free "iTunes" to the U.K.
Also agree about an Apple Touch Tablet MacBook. It would fit nicely into their stable of products. I have been looking for one but nothing comes close to Apple's Unix based OS for reliability & ease of use. May have to end up going with Linux (sorry apple!).
Dull, dull, dull.
It's 2008, for crying out. We want personal heli-pods and televisions we can actually step into.
We were promised holograms and time-machines.
Jobs - you're lazy. Get Willy Wonka on the case.
I agree that AppleTV is in serious need of some TLC. I have a Powerbook, a Macbook and an iPhone but wouldn't consider the AppleTV because I can't see the benefit.
The iPhone is probably the best thing I have ever bought. I know it doesn't have all the features of some its counterparts (I agree the camera is literally useless), but its ease of use and beauty are staggering. What's the point of a phone with every conceivable feature if you can't work out how to use them?
Apple come under fire from techies. Apple products are not designed for these people, they are for those of us with a limited interest in technology to whom ease of use, reliablity and beauty are more important; qualities that techies sneer at. I have never owned a phone I could use so easily and derive so much pleasure from. For the majority (who don't read the technology section of the 大象传媒 website!) the iPod was a breakthrough, combining fairly new technology with style and ease of use. If it weren't for Apple, such players may still be reserved for tech savvy gadget geeks; now your mum's probably got one.
Mavis, as for the 大象传媒 giving publicity to Apple, I think that criticism is unfair. The fact is, in the technology world it is important to know what the giants like Microsoft, Google and Apple are up to. Remember, this is headline news in the technology section. If you looked at Top Gear for example, you may well find the new Mondeo in the headlines.
I don't need a solid state macbook. I'm more than happy with my Asus EEE PC. It truely is a product that makes every day portable computing easy.
i would like to see a release of 10.5.3 fix 802.1x and the rest of the broken wireless networking. It would also be nice to stay on even my home network for more than 15 minutes, like every other mac I owned could do. Oh look, I've had to rejoin to post this - what a surprise. Oh and how about a proper fix to the keyboard locking? is anyone else tired of correcting missing double letters? 'tis very microsoft, sadly. So Mr. Jobs, new software and an apology please - "I'm Sorry" in 30 foot white on black. . iPhone engineers, come back to the day job, all is forgiven.
I love my Apple TV and can only hope the firmware updates will come that will not make my model out of date. With 160 GB capacity it already has all my music and lots of movies (iTunes US and ripped DVDs) and TV programs and I have 40 GB left. So that USB port could become really useful if a large disk drive could be added to it!
I am always amused by the techie comments to threads like this. Apple users are Apple users because they don't have to be techies.
As to the comment that the 大象传媒 is favoring Apple - give me a break! We had to force the 大象传媒 into even thinking about a Mac iPlayer. One monopoly favoring another near monopoly (Windows) would be more like it!
I think Steve Jobs will relaunch the Apple TV especially with Movie Rentals in the pipeline through iTunes.
I think we're going to see Blu Ray players incorporated in lots of the top end devices (MacBook Pro's, Mac Pro's).
In regards to the Ultra thin 'sub notebook', I don't think this will replace or work within the 'Pro' range, and will actually supplement/replace the existing MacBook range.
We're also going to see the standard updates to all the iLife programs - Garageband, iPhoto etc.
whether or not the apple tv is a computer is another thing but apple should be sued with anti trust laws in the same way as microsoft.look at the ipod or the iphone they offer.those things can only play tunes purchased from i-tunes.come on if i am spending this much money the i have the right to burn my own music and the ipod should play that but it doesnt.the apple company ,in my opinion, has violated its dominant position of the mp3 market.
Rusty, I don't think we'll see iLife updates - the current version is already iLife '08. There never was an '07 version!
Junaid wrote:
'i have the right to burn my own music and the ipod should play that but it doesnt'
Correct me if I'm wrong but I can rip a CD to my iTunes and play it on my iPod?
Apple take something that exists and make it easy and nice to use. That is Apples innovation.
Then they make it beautiful and desirable.
The fact that so many people talk about it, recognize them and refer to MP3 players as ipods is why Apple gets into the news. It's not about pandering to Steve Jobs marketing department.
As for what we are about to see, I think it will be something that connects all apple devices wirelessly, including a wifi ipod classic/nano. An end to wires all over your desk.
But I want an update for the iphone, open networks and cheaper tarif, a skype application for the iphone and an updated imac with the new intel chips the stuffed in the Mac pro.
14 Jan 2008, "Mavis Davis wrote:
Yet again another non-story about Apple makes the front page of the 大象传媒 "News" website. When will the 大象传媒 stop acting as Steve Jobs marketing department by giving constant and unremitting coverage to all things Apple?? I don鈥檛 see a news item every time Nokia releases a new phone or Ford releases a new Mondeo, so please stop using license fee payers money to market iPods."
Exactly what I was going to say.
BTW I can't wait for the follow-up to the 'iPhone' when I'll be able to navigate anywhere on the planet using a wireless device. I hear Apple will be the first to launch such a product called 'iGPS'. And there's going to be a new way to cook your food really quickly, thanks to Steve Jobs, soon we can use 'iMicrowave'. They invent EVERYTHING!
"14 Jan 2008, "Mavis Davis wrote:
Yet again another non-story about Apple makes the front page of the 大象传媒 "News" website. When will the 大象传媒 stop acting as Steve Jobs marketing department by giving constant and unremitting coverage to all things Apple?? I don鈥檛 see a news item every time Nokia releases a new phone or Ford releases a new Mondeo, so please stop using license fee payers money to market iPods."
i大象传媒, you are being fooled by the hype, and buying "a label"
Who cares what new product Apple is releasing. I care about the products already released (before they were tested properly) that don't work correctly and have many bugs and glitches.
I HAVE HAD A 9 MONTH SAGA OF iMac FAILURES. MY 3rd REPLACEMENT COMPUTER SITS IN FRONT OF ME NOW, TAUNTING ME WITH THE THREAT OF COMPLETE FAILURE AND HOURS OF TROUBLE SHOOTING. THE CURE FOR THIS IS TO BUY AN EXTERNAL HD TO KEEP MY PRECIOUS INFO SAFE. (I'LL BE SURE NOT TO BUY IT FROM APPLE THOUGH!)
# 15 Jan 2008, Dave wrote:
Exactly what I was going to say.
BTW I can't wait for the follow-up to the 'iPhone' when I'll be able to navigate anywhere on the planet using a wireless device. I hear Apple will be the first to launch such a product called 'iGPS'. And there's going to be a new way to cook your food really quickly, thanks to Steve Jobs, soon we can use 'iMicrowave'. They invent EVERYTHING!
--------------------------
What?! They don't claim to invent at all, they simply look to move things forward.
And do you seriously expect the 大象传媒 to leave out coverage of MacWorld and it's main event in the keynote from their 'Technology' news site?!
Regarding the comments about what might be introduced regarding the Iphone, I think the author is on the right track - it is too early for hardware updates. Although upgraded storage would be nice, my guess is that they will continue to sell the original product with continued software updates for at least a while longer. However, I think/hope he will be releasing some fantastic software updates!
Anything Apple related will continue to be big news in the media because that's one of the primary habitats of the Apple user. Therefore we'll continue to endure pro-Apple articles at the expense of Microsoft.
To regularly report security flaws in Windows and not in OS X merely and to describe innovation in terms of making devices prettier or smaller makes people feel better about choosing a computer solely based on form rather than function.
I am not that surprised that Apple Macs are doing so well. I recently bought a laptop running Vista. I found it interfering, constraining and annoying. For now I have switched back to XP. I disliked Vista so much that for the first time ever I am considering going down the Mac route despite the software limitations.
Was speaking to mate who works for o2 who reckonds the 3g version of the iphone will be released in April... think i'll wait until then especially as he can get me a 20% discount :o)
also good news on the Macbook AIR..i'm guessing the pricing will not transalate from from $1799 to less than 拢1000 for us in the UK,
'i have the right to burn my own music and the ipod should play that but it doesnt'
My iPod contains NOTHING BUT my CD collection. I haven't purchased a single track from iTunes. You have misunderstood something in a big way, Junaid.