Pre-Macworld thoughts

As every year, Apple invites to its great event in San Francisco, where Mac enthusiasts from all over the world participate. Of course, the highlight of the event will again be the great keynote held by Steve Jobs, who is known for releasing innovative and revolutionary products. And people have already begun speculating months before what this year’s sensation(s) could be. Because everyone is writing a let-me-tell-you-what-I-predict article, I will not. The only thing that I can do is write about reliable rumours of the online press so far.

1. New thin subnotebooks with the name MacBook Air (with flash memory, maybe?). Could it be that Apple is going to add a subnotebook to its MacBook family that is ultra-thin and relies on EDGE and Wifi, as it does the iPhone. Because of its lightness it should get the name MacBook Air?

-> A good indication might be the banners with “There’s something in the air” inside the Moscone center, which where hung up there recently:
http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/11/macworld-san-francisco-theres-something-in-the-air/

2. New version of the iPhone (software). What is certain at the moment is that Apple will bring out a new iPhone firmware with number 1.1.3. This will fix some minor issues and bring improvements. You can now drag icons around on the menu screen as you wish because developers are able to code third-party apps with the new SDK they got at the MacWorld.

-> Screenshot gallery at GearLive: http://www.gearlive.com/gallery/category/C51/

-> Icon-drag-around evidence video at Gizmodo:
http://gizmodo.com/338948/iphone-firmware-113-video-and-evidence-confirms-update-is-real-breaks-unlock-third+party-apps

There are also some rumors going on here in Switzerland that Apple might release the iPhone in February here, this time with 3G inside and the ability to watch TV on-the-go (with the help of the new SDK). This would then mean, that Apple is going to release the new iPhone throughout Europe and maybe not restricted to certain carriers.

3. New iTunes offers in Europe (including new iTunes software): In a new release of iTunes, you would be able to download movies in whole Europe, finally. Offers would vary from buying a movie or just renting it for 24 hours. (Maybe Apple will sell HD movies as well (or just with a higher resolution), but this will take a while as they have to prepare their servers for the rush.)

Another feature could be a YouTube video section directly in iTunes, where you can watch the movies and download them afterwards to your iPod or iPhone.

4. A new, improved Apple TV (therefore the indication “air” = Wifi on the banners). For all the new offers in the iTunes store, a new device has to be created to cover all needs. Many have complained about Apple TV because it was either too limited to certain video formats or there was a lacking internet connection as it is known on PS3 or Wii devices. They would have to rely on the more expensive Mac Mini. Apple could bring out a faster, more compatible Apple TV. Key features would be the seamless integration of iPhones (as remotes or something else) and the internet as an information source for weather information and RSS feeds and the like.

So, maybe I’ve not mentioned all of the ongoing rumors but I’ve certainly picked out the most reasonable ones because the keynote cannot last forever.

How Apple destroyed the iPhone for the European market

Apple is known for its innovative products and revolutions on the market. The iPhone is one of its marvels and has already gained a great impact on the market of mobile phones. The degree of popularity is high, 3 of 4 customers in Britain have stated to have heard at least once of the device. Great preconditions would describe the situation best. For a fresh and dynamic market as it is the European one, Apple should actually be able to sell its product easily. But there is another aspect that plays a great role on all the different markets: It’s the question of how a specific market is composed and what people are willing to pay for a certain product. In this case, it’s all about a cell phone and if someone knows the mobile phone industry in Europe then it should be clear that nobody wants to pay 999 € (for an unlocked iPhone in Germany) for a “simple” (business) phone without the functionalities as UMTS (3G) or the ability to create documents on the device itself. Although the big mass doesn’t care about “details” like 3G or so, everyone can see the high price. And that is definitely too high. In the price area of a business phone, many things can be expected. 3G is on of those things and it’s not yet built in.
Another factor is the linking of the device to a carrier without the ability to use other SIM cards. “Normal” people just can’t afford the monthly fees and would love to use their prepaid SIMs without any interference by Apple.
It’s sad to see a great company like Apple miss a complete market and destroy a very good product that deserves a better existence.