With the Macworld keynote less than a week away, the rumor mill is running more rampant than ever. And we are here to report it at a safe, not-quite-endorsed-nor-denied distance.
What announcements will Jobs make this year...new iPods, "iPhones", Macbooks, or even mock turtlenecks? Hit the jump for our Frankenreview...errr...Frankenrumor: rumors from a plethora of Internet sources congealed together in an apple-flavored gelatin of knowledge hearsay quasi-intelligent rumors.

iPhone
"...we probably will see an iPhone."
"No Apple iPhone"
" Coming in January to all providers 2 batteries (1 MP3, 1 Phone) 2 capacities (4GB & 8GB) Prices will run $249 & $449 Flash memory (surprise) Slide out keyboard Touchscreen (on outside) "Cool" OS"
"small as shit."
"[Morgan Stanley analyst] Runkle says the phone will cost $599 for the 4GB model and a whopping $649 for the 8GB version...it'll be wider than an iPod Nano, but narrower than the 5G iPod. It'll have a nice 3.5-inch display and will come in multi-colored aluminum shells like the Nano..."
Video iPod
"If Apple's patents are to be believed, there is also a new crop of iPods on the horizon that will offer larger screens and possibly new navigation techniques."
"...little attention has been given to the rumored full Video iPod despite clear evidence that Apple has been considering such a form factor."
"The focus of the patent is the incorporation of a touch-sensitive bezel (edge of screen) that can adapt to the screen contents to provide an input method for the user...non-screen area would eliminate many of the "smudge" and "scratch" concerns for a full-screen touch iPod."
"...we're more likely to see a bump to 100GB capacity, courtesy of Toshiba's new 1.8-inch drive..."
iTV
"Apple now aims to begin shipping iTV (likely under a different product name) in late January or early February. They added that the additional time is necessary to fine-tune an embedded version of the Mac OS operating system that will reportedly run on the device..."
"Many people are speculating and/or hoping that Apple will ink a deal with TiVo or offer its own personal video recording capabilities...it seems a bit hard to believe the two companies are collaborating on a Mac product."
"There's an Apple patent application dated November 2, 2006 that outlines techniques for acquiring a season's worth of TV shows. However, it only mentions the word TiVo once in the entire document, and that's only in a generic sense, describing recorded digital video."
"I've been hoping for a video update to the AirPort Express, but it seems like the iTV more or less kills that idea..."
"Google integration (iTV + YouTube)"
Cinema Displays
"Look for Apple to announce a 17-inch Cinema display to complement their existing 20, 23 and 30-inch monitors."
"Apple hasn't made any major update to the Cinema Displays since their initial release in June 2004...the next generation of Apple Cinema Displays could feature a built-in iSight, HDMI connectivity as well as support for HDCP...23 inch model may be replaced by a 24 inch one while a larger model may broaden the line-up."
"...a 50" monitor may be planned for 'early 2007'."
"...a coordinated effort to intentionally spread false information to rumor sites...these rumors should be viewed with some skepticism."
iLife, iWork
"Apple's iApps usually get updated at Macworld Expo and this year should be no exception."
"iLife and iWork 07 are a sure thing."
"...introduction of a new spreadsheet application code named "Lasso"
Leopard
"Leopard could be released at Macworld Expo despite Steve Jobs' assertion that it would be released in 'Spring 2007'."
"It will certainly not be released at Macworld."
"the Mac OS[X] appears to be the key to Apple's ensuing consumer electronics strategy, beginning with iTV and iPhone and extending far beyond."
"...as much as I'd love to see PVR capabilities built into Mac OS X, I think Apple is much more likely to continue to focus on sales of TV content through the iTunes Store."
MacPro
"Apple's desktop Mac is due for a quad-core Intel Xeon Processor..."
"One more thing: 8-core Mac Pro."
"The new Mac Pro configuration will feature two of the recently announced Quad-core Intel (more likely Xeon) processors for a total of eight cores per configuration... development on the systems has been complete for some time..."
Macbook Pro
"...the miniaturized MacBook Pro should keep its built-in optical drive and sport a dual-core processor, providing unequalled size/performance ratio in the PC industry... Apple should use the 12 inch form factor... could be priced in the $1700~$1800 range."
"[odds: 50:1]"
"Unlikely rumors, which [PiperJaffray analyst] Munster calls "a stretch," include an ultra-portable 12-inch MacBook Pro..."
iTablet
"... a number of new Apple patent applications that relate to the long-rumored Apple Tablet based computer. The most recent patents appeared...February 2nd, 2006...with a filing date as recent as January 31st, 2005."
"...Methods and systems for processing touch inputs are disclosed. The invention in one respect includes reading data from a multipoint sensing device such as a multipoint touch screen..."
"Apple researchers have built a fully working prototype of tablet Mac and three companies in Taiwan are bidding for a potential launch in mid 2007."
"...it's not likely to happen..."
Rumor Links...In No Particular Order
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22











Comments
Looks like someone forgot to close a bold tag....
My predictions:
* Lord Jobs will appear in jeans and black turtleneck, looking thinner than he looked at the last Apple special event.
* He will drink bottled water.
* There will be no live webcast, but sites like Gizmodo and MacCentral will be mercilessly slammed by Mac fanboys with auto-refresh macros.
* Much of the Mac-based IT community will grind to a halt for the hour or two that the show goes on. It will be like the OJ Simpson trial verdict, only with a respectable outcome.
* The Mac rumor sites (Think Secret, etc) will post "how close did we get" articles, which will also contain needlessly detailed explanations as to why they were so far off the mark on some 'predictions', and how great they are that they managed to 'guess' correctly at others. The law of averages has never seen a better poster child than that of Mac rumor sites.
* The software? Demo of 10.5. Announcement of iLife '07 ("Now with less bugs!") and iWork '07 (including Numbers, the mythical spreadsheet component).
* New iPods? Yeah, probably. Gotta do something to stem the tide of Zune's advertising budget before it gets outta hand.
* New quad-core Mac Pros? Possible, but not likely. January Expo is usually a consumer-based show, not a pro show. Wait a month for an Apple 'special event' for that one.
* Another preview of "iTV", possibly using a speed-bumped Mac mini as its companion.
* Attendees at the show will use such words as "exciting" and "unique" and "innovative" alongside such words as "finally" and "patiently" and "eventually" -- all with a straight face.
* Microsoft will be taking notes on what to include in the next version of Windows, scheduled for release in 2009 (actual release date: 2013).
A portable iTablet would be very great especially if it is with a Multi-Touch UI and get rig of all those Keyboard, Mouse, Stylus or whaterver.
The Apple innovation queue has been remarkably empty lately...
Last time everyone was predicting the iPhone and touchscreen ipods, and they were disappointed. Just a few product refreshes, and that was about it.
I can see them doing some refreshes this go 'round, to keep up with the rest of the world, I just don't think the rumored new products are really all that strong.
All i want for Macworld is an iPod with a new UI...
I'm sick of the drawbacks of my Black and White 4th Gen 40Gigger's Interface, but it's been improved so slightly that it's not worth the upgrade (yet)
DRM free iPods?
i know, it's too much to wish for...
led backlights for all mac lcd displys
new macbook that turns into the magic bullet. please.
"Microsoft will be taking notes on what to include in the next version of Windows, scheduled for release in 2009 (actual release date: 2013)."
ooo I love that one the best, why buy an apple machine when you can just buy a microsoft clone five-ish years later? :).
I find it odd that the iPhone gets the same level of confidence as Leopard We know Leopard exists, and we have no firm commitment from Apple about a phone like device.
All we know is that regardless of what is shown, we know that Apple cult members will rave or rant and regardless- they will buy.
Nomination for sgodun: comment of the week. That rocked. Couldn't have said it better myself.
When everybody's like iPhone this and iPhone that, I'm probably the only one who thinks that mac mini will (finally) get an upgrade to core 2 duo.
Since my current phone is just fine, I'm not into that 'great white hope' gospel :)
We'll see how it turns out...
What about updates to Final Cut Express?
Forget about that one, did ya?
DRM free iPod? uh, every iPod is DRM free. You don't *have* to put protected music on it. Buy it someplace else, rip it and import it. BFD. Oh, you don't want to buy it? Oh, I get it.
At least the iPod doesn't goo all over the song file like the Zune does to it's unlucky passengers.
I doubt they would use that ipod interface, it's too much hand movement and that's just bad design. Also I bet something not even mentioned here will be announced, something big.
I don't see iPhone happening ever, at least not from Apple. Consider it would be incredibly unreliable and prohibitively expensive. Besides cellphones are disposable and that's not really Apple's style. Maybe cellphone integration or use of cellphone networks but not iPod+Phone.
Dear Apple,
Please don't make me be that guy with two cell phones, take your time and make the iPhone all it can and should be.
Thank you!
B
Please Steve, give me a 24-26" Cinema Display with HDMI for $799-999.
Start a discussion:
Login with your username and password below. Or comment on this post via email.
Forgot your username or password? New User?