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DaffyDuck
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I'm not even going to pretend to 'predict' anything anymore, when Apple has any sort of event, seeing as how I've been way off base several times.
I guess the safest prediction for tomorrow would be "More new stuff from Apple"
...and I'll (probably) be right about that.
On the other hand, playing it safe like that, where would the fun be in that, so let me coiffe myself with the predictions cap, and speculate what tomorrow may bring.
First of all, this isn't a small town hall meeting, and introduction of a minor product, or product revision done at the Apple Campus conference room (see: iLife, iWork), but rather this event is taking place at the Moscone Center, in San Francisco.
Big stage. Big place. Lots of room for thunder.
Now, let's remember some of recent details that most of the rumor mongering fanboi sites (oh, sorry, web-journalists..) seem to have forgotten (which is no surprise in our culture of not just 15 minutes if 15, but 15 minutes of recollective ability).
"The First 30 Years Were Just the Beginning" - remember that tag line from MacWorld January? When Apple announced the iPhone, but more importantly, when Apple changed their name by dropping the 'Computer', to 'Apple, Inc.' Yes, Apple loves hyperbole, but I do feel they were serious, and they knew they had big things in store for 2007, with the iPhone and the name change just being the beginning...
"Apple vs. Apple" - That name change marked a paradigm shift in what Apple stood for, but it also would not have happened had the Apple vs. Apple lawsuit not have happened, and been decided in (our) Apple's favor. As a result, Steve Jobs was finally able to do what he wanted Apple to be named 30 years ago - Apple, Inc. Jobs certainly has VERY long term outlooks, which separates him from the rest of the quarter-by-quarter sheep of our industry.
"Apple vs. Apple, take 2" - the immediate fallout from the loss of the lawsuit to The Beatles' Apple Corps, was the (what I believe to have been. forced) retirement of Neil Aspinall, and seeing him replaced with Jeff Jones, a music industry executive, who for a change appears not to be a total goober. I believe we have yet to see the extent of the consequences of these events.
"A Major Product Transition" - remember the earnings call last month, when Apple's CFO Peter Oppenheimer listed a 'major product transition' as one of the reasons for a write-off, and lower earnings due to the costs associated with this transition. Nothing else was said of that. The iMac was no transition. The iPhone already launched at that time, and did not mark any sort of transition. The Mac is not in any position to transition (again), so what could it be?
"So successful we retired it" - Apple has a history of retiring products while they are still doing well, and replacing them with products that do even better. Witness the iPod mini which was pulled when it was the best selling iPod of all times, only to be replaced by the iPod nano, which became an even better selling iPod. Apple essentially retired iMovie 6 to replace it with iMovie 8.
"iPhones for Europe, End of 2007" - During the iPhone intro, Jobs clearly stated that the iPhone will hit Europe by end of year 2007, and Asia by mid-2007. It's not unusual for Apple to surprise us with bringing some products to market, or completing some projects much earlier than anticipated. This is always a pleasant surprise, and certainly screws with the world of their competitors.
These, above listed, minor events all took place over the past year, each one interesting in their own right, yet each one leading up to and contributing to a bigger goal, a bigger agenda.
Now, we can probably all agree that tomorrow will be about iPods. New iPods. Of course.
Would Apple reserve a giant venue like the Moscone Center just to show off new iPods? Even if they were to be 'really cool' new iPods, with touch screens, and wide-screens?
Maybe.
But that wouldn't represent a major product transition. That would just be 'more iPods'. Even if they had coverflow. Even if they had multi-touch. It's just 'more iPods'.
In addition to whatever iPods are lustfully expected, there are a couple of additional tidbits of information that have surfaced recently, this time about the iPhone.
- We know Apple announced launching the iPhone in Europe by end of the year, 2007 (Asia by middle of 2008).
- I believe it is safe to assume that there will be a new model of the iPhone, with new features (both hardware and software) launched for the European market, which will become the new 'version2.0' iPhone for the US market - thus maintaining the 'One iPhone' concept, and not diluting the brand with different phones for everyone (I personally believe the 'iPhone nano' rumor to be bunk).
- Apple has apparently struck deals, or is close to striking deals with three major European carriers, all of which remain mum on the issue (and is already negotiating with Asian carriers).
- iPhone displays and iPhone stock have been seen in France's major electronic and consumer retailer, FNAC, which seems to imply that the product is about to go on sale (meaning that any deals with carriers are signed and done with).
- TARGET has been telling their stores and employees to get ready for a 'very important product' to be shipping to the stores right after September 5th.
Plenty of bits of information? Curious what it all could mean?
Lastly, we have the quote on Apple's invite for the event tomorrow: "The Beat Goes On..."
I'm going to assume (since so much of Apple is in reference to The Beatles) this is in reference to The Beatles' last words, on their last press release, and that it is a direct reference to the stated intent of that press release:
...an epitaph to The Beatles, marking the end of an era, the end of The Beatles, but not the end to The Beat, not the end to music...
Hence, I give you:
"The iPod is dead, long live The Beat...! " (or something to that effect)
September 5th may very well mark the end of an era, but the beginning of another, when paradigms shift, worlds change, and the day dreams come true...
..here's hoping that NBC will look like a bunch of idiots by 5:00 pm.... (well, more than they already do, that is)
Let's touch base after Wednesday, to see, once again, how off base I have been.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:03 am on Sep. 5, 2007
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ThaidUp
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I predict "The Woz" will be camping outside of Moscone Center all night to get a good seat.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 3:20 am on Sep. 5, 2007
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Abrak
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Read an article in today's post about some guy who was given an iphone and wandered around Bangkok trying to get it to work. Eventually managed to get the ipod functioning but still not the phone!!
What was Apple thinking... linking its product to telcos....
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 4:35 am on Sep. 5, 2007
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DaffyDuck
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Quote: from Abrak on 6:29 pm on Sep. 5, 2007
What was Apple thinking... linking its product to telc
What were they thinking? Oh, I don't know, judging by the stock price, and the fact that the iPhone was the best selling smartphone so far (July Numbers), seems to me they knew what they were doing...
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 7:22 am on Sep. 5, 2007
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black cats
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True, Apple stock has been doing nicely.
-- A happy shareholder
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 9:36 am on Sep. 5, 2007
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black cats
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Well in case anyone doesn't know yet or cares, Apple has released a touch screen ipod with wifi and safari web browser. To me this is good news.
I can utilize wifi hot spots without travelling with a laptop. I can play video games and watch movies on the thing. Thai air doesn't have the built in the seat entertainment centers on my local flight so this is useful.
And I can just continue to use my bo bo Samsung cell phone that's unlocked. Good thing as I can easily replace that if I lose it in a bar. The ipod will be in the hotel safe.
A welcome compromise, (don't really need everything including a pacemaker in one gadget). I'll be sending my sister in New York a check to buy me one in October.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:21 pm on Sep. 5, 2007
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DaffyDuck
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So, in summary, I was right about:
- "More new stuff from Apple" to buy.
- End of an Era - everyone seems to have missed that this marked the demise of the white iPod, the truly classic design, that started it all. No more white iPods.
"The iPod is dead, long live the iPod!"
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:33 pm on Sep. 5, 2007
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ThaidUp
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Quote: from DaffyDuck on 4:57 pm on Sep. 5, 2007
Lastly, we have the quote on Apple's invite for the event tomorrow: "The Beat Goes On..."
We now know the sound of the beat goes on is previous iPhone customers who paid top dollar for a phone who value lost 33% of valuation in two months bashing their heads against the wall. 
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:13 pm on Sep. 5, 2007
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ThaidUp
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Quote: from Abrak on 6:29 pm on Sep. 5, 2007
What was Apple thinking... linking its product to telcos....
Absolute marketing genius that's what.
You come into a relatively mature market as a newbie. So you lock up for a while with dedicated carriers you use their expertise on customer support and distribution networks. Meanwhile, while Apple's R&D department is busy adding additional features you have hackers foaming at the mouth trying to get them on other networks creating another wave of must have demand. Everybody wants what they can't have. So then the release newer models and cut the umbilical cord with the single providers and another wave of sales. Another reason to hook-up is you get the carrier to provide the financing for people who would not normally shell out $600 opps I mean $400 for a phone at one shot.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 9:24 pm on Sep. 5, 2007
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DaffyDuck
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Quote: from ThaidUp on 11:07 am on Sep. 6, 2007
We now know the sound of the beat goes on is previous iPhone customers who paid top dollar for a phone who value lost 33% of valuation in two months bashing their heads against the wall.
You must be thinking of yourself, which is funny, since you don't even have an iPhone, so can't really judge that, effectively.
If you had one, even at the $600 price, you'd think quite differently.
Quote: from ThaidUp on 11:18 am on Sep. 6, 2007
Another reason to hook-up is you get the carrier to provide the financing for people who would not normally shell out $600 opps I mean $400 for a phone at one shot.
...and how did they do that, excatly, since the iPhone was neither subsidized by AT&T, nor is AT&T providing financing to buy one (albeit Apple is providing a financing plan for their products).
So, wanna run that by me, again...?
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:27 pm on Sep. 5, 2007
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