The anticipation is almost over for avid Mac fans around the world as the start of the 2007 MacWorld Conference begins next week.
Macalicious is no different in the sense that we too wish to know what will be unveiled this coming week in regards to what Mac has in store for 2007. As a result, we have compiled a list of rumors could certainly be discussed at MacWorld Conference, what might appear, and what is unlikely to make a debut. There has been quite the flurry of activity around the web regarding possible speculation of what Steve Jobs has up his sleeve this year, but the wait is almost over.
So lets get to it:
Certain to Appear at MWC ‘07:
- iPhone - I don’t know what has been more overrated in ‘06, the rumor about an impending mobile device from Apple, or Michael Vick’s ability as a quarterback, since obviously nothing has come from either one. It won’t be dubbed the iPhone because Cisco owns that trademark name in the U.S., but we can expect there will be a lot of chatter about the phone. We know that Hon Hai, a Taiwanese manufacturer, signed a contract with Apple to generate 12 million mobile phone units that will begin being released in early 2007. “Apple waited several years to enter the MP3 market, we believe the company is well-positioned to enter the phone market now that early music-enabled handsets have tested the waters,” said analyst Gene Munster.
- iTV - In September of 2006, Apple unveiled the iTV, a device that allowed users to view iTunes content on a TV, and it is expected that Apple will introduce several new upgrades for the $299 gadget at the conference. In order for the iTV to play and store videos from iTunes, Apple would need to create a new model with an internal hard disk drive, which is quite possibly in the works.
Might Appear at MWC ‘07:
- iPhone: Round 2 - While there has yet to be an initial phone released from Apple, there is already a rumor that the second generation model will feature a integrated keyboard and some sort of instant messaging and emailing system. In addition to this, it is expected that Apple will ultimately sell the phone through several top wireless service providers, such as Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobil and Cingular. But it seems that Cingular will hold exclusive rights to the phone for an undetermined amount of time at the beginning of its release. We believe this because Cingular will have a hand in prime time advertising for such a device (conveniently starting right AFTER MWC ‘07) with the premiere of American Idol on January 16th & 17th and the Super Bowl XLI on February 4th (Cingular sponsors both). Lastly, it is possible that there will be a 4GB phone for $249 and an 8GB model for $449 and both could feature an iSight camera like ones that appear on MacBooks and MacBook Pros.
- Widescreen, Touchscreen, and Wireless iPod - Apple is rumored to be working on a 6th generation iPod that will have a widescreen as well as touch screen ability. In addition, Apple would eventually like to produce an iPod with wireless synching equipment if they can figure out a way to make the batteries not die more quickly with such an added feature.
Unlikely to Appear at MWC ‘07:
- Ultra-portable 12″ MacBook Pro - While such a computer would be heavily desired by consumers, it is unlikely that this model will debut at the conference. The Intel Core Duo 2 transition went quite well for Apple, and in doing so they nixed the idea of creating a 12″ PowerBook model into the MacBook Pro lineup. If a 12″ MacBook Pro is unveiled, it needs to be the ultimate portable laptop, not just a mini MacBook Pro.
- OSX 10.5 Leopard - Apple did announce a plan to release an OSX 10.5 in the spring of 2007, but it is believed that it will not be unveiled until or close to the time of the release of Microsoft’s release of Windows Vista. Luckily for Apple, Microsoft has effectively pushed back the official launch date of Vista, which was originally set to be released on January 30th, 2007.
So, that’s what Macalicious is expecting to see play out at MacWorld Conference 2007. While one can never really know what such an exciting week in the Mac industry has in store, we are more than certain that good things will come from the conference and yet another groundbreaking Mac year.
