5 Predictions for Apple in 2007 257
Michael writes "2006 is coming to a close, and all anyone can think about (in regards to Apple, at least) is the upcoming Apple phone, but what happens next? What are we going to be salivating over and speculating about after Macworld? What changes are in store for Apple in 2007? No one knows for sure, but it sure is fun to take a guess."
My top 5 predictions for Apple (Score:5, Interesting)
5. Apple will break the 10% market share mark in new computer sales
4. The iPod will face it's first big competitor at Christmas 2007, from a vastly improved Zune
3. iPod will release a hard-drive free version of it's Video iPod, utilizing multiple flash memory cards to achieve 40GB+
2. Apple will release the iPhone, and it will be the must have phone of 2007
1. Apple will announce plans for a set-top box, integrating gaming, cable, and internet browsing
Where is the market for a full screen video iPod? (Score:4, Interesting)
"After years of speculation, the full screen video iPod will make it's debut just in time for the 07 holiday season sales push."
Can someone please explain to me what the market is for portable video players with builtin viewing screens, in general?
I see these at electronics stores and their appeal is completely lost on me.
When might I use such a device? Well, I suppose when I am somewhere without access to a computer or television, want to watch a video, and can devote my full attention to a little ~2.5" screen (so not when I'm driving). For me, that is never.
As far as I can tell the primary markets for these are:
1) People who spend a large amount of time on public or air transportation, but don't carry a laptop.
2) Young children of parents who are rich enough to buy them personal video viewing devices but don't already have viewing screens built into their SUVs.
Anyone? I can't even think if a reason to buy the existing video iPod, muchless a full screen model.
Video is overrated. BBC radio news, for example, is more informative than any broadcast or cable television news outlet in the U.S. Add in the daily hour long DemocracyNOW broadcast (or podcast) and you have more real, compelling news than you will find in a week of 24x7 Fox News. And you can listen those while you commute or work. Video monopolizes your brain. Not only that, but even old pre-1950 radio dramas are at least comparable in quality to the majority of sitcoms, dramas. and comedies on television today: i.e. they are crap.
Kill your television. Don't bring it with you in a little box.
5 things Apple should do in 2007 (Score:3, Interesting)
2. Acquire TiVO or offer similar service. Allow TiVO to download iTunes song and synch with iPod. Agains this will allow people to buy iTunes over broadband without using computer. Also, people can play their iTune songs on home stereo via DVR easily. This would fit in ther iTV or MacMini strategy quite well.
3. iPod remote: Make an iPod remote which looks like iPod nano. It can be synched with real iPod using a computer. Now user can truly do full control of their iPod using this remote control. My biggest problem of current generation of remotes is that I can't select a song, photo, video. I can only do play and then skip it if I don't like it. With a wheel and display, I can exactly select the song and then play. Such a remote should not cost more than 50/60 dollars.
4. External memory/battery module for iPod nano: Make an external memory/battery module for iPod which will connect to docking connector. That way, I can expand my iPod nano. How about 8 GB module for $99? Or a 48 hour battery module.
5. A camera module expansion.
Re:#1 (Score:0, Interesting)
Jobs didn't do anything on the level of Skilling.
What is more likely is that Steve Jobs will be forced to leave Apple.
What then? If these issues fester or get worse, Steve could go. Apple gives the appearance that the company's products are overseen by Jobs in minute detail. He's also their best salesman. I remember the non-Jobs years, and frankly I am a bit concerned about what will happen to the company as a whole.
Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple (Score:5, Interesting)
I imagine this will eventually settle under a legal tarpulin of promises and the obligatory fine. Still, any cracks in the Apple empire are sure to be more and more exploited by a press hungry for material. This is all we are seeing; it only matters for Apple because people pretend Apple is a "good" company, unlike say, Marsh and McLennan...
All I want (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo (Score:5, Interesting)
Since I own a video iPod (80GB woot), I can state my reasons:
1) I have my entire photo collection with me at all times. No more pictures in my wallet.
2) I watch lastnight's Daily Show before work every morning.
3) Video podcasts.
4) I can share music videos with others on a drinking night.
And I haven't even mentioned my music until just now.
Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... (Score:3, Interesting)
The fact that they don't do either of those things is the reason Apple hasn't tanked yet. Say it with me: "Apple is a hardware company."
I just don't get how everyone can hate MS so much, and look the other way at Apple's proprietary hardware and DRM.
It's a matter of degrees, really. Apple's DRM is about ten times less restrictive than anyone else's, and their "proprietary hardware" is perfectly amenable to installing other OSes. What you meant is that they won't let their OS be installed on anyone else's hardware, which of course is a good thing for them since (1) it's the main reason people buy their hardware in the first place and (2) it makes OS X more stable and dependable because there's a much more limited range of hardware to adapt it to.
This is old trollfood, of course. But it's late, and I'm bored.
Re:All I want (Score:3, Interesting)
does anyone have a clue why they supersized their whole laptop line? the only two things i can think of are 1) their market research suggested that people want bigger or 2) they need the space to squeeze in the extra processing/gadgets.
to 1) i suppose i understand. i guess. no. no i don't. i thought the trend was smaller and lighter...
to 2) i can say, give me less processing and gadgets. the small size and weight of a laptop are the biggest selling points for me.
also, what's with the glossy screens? after going through years of those shields to go over your monitor to cut glare, and other check-out lane solutions to the glare problem, the new trend is *GLOSSY* screens? OMGWTF?!?!?!
anyway, to the parent: like, right-on, man.
mr c
Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... (Score:5, Interesting)
Apple will implement the API and tie it with all the goodness of Mac OS X and none of the badness of Windows.
Linux will implement the API and tie it with all the goodness of
The term "Windows Compatable" will become much like "IBM Compatable" was in 1980s. Software will no longer be written for Microsoft Windows, but rather the new Windows API.
Microsoft will abandon Vista fairly quickly after nobody wants it. Mac and linux takes off.
Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole (Score:3, Interesting)
Can you give me anything about the iPod that's actually innovative, rather than "Same as competitor's product but looks sexier". They stole the menu system from Creative, evidenced by the $100 million license payout, and event their own patent for 'rotational user-interface' as been constantly rejected, suggesting prior art.
And no, looking sexier is not an innovation.
No "Office Killer" rumour this year? (Score:4, Interesting)
I predict Apple will go agressively after the business market, this upgrade cycle would be the perfect time to convince businesses to 'switch', especially if iWork had all 4 expected apps, robust compatibility with office documents, and the pricetag of (MacPro + Leopard + "iWorkPro") is significantly less than (Vista capable pc + Vista + Office 2007), which seems entirely possible. Throw in the expected 8-core MacPro, a bit of dual boot hype and garnish with XServes, and it's a tasty package.
As for the iPhone and widescreen video iPod, I wouldn't be at all surprised if these were actually one device not two. A 360 degree clamshell design that's a very scratch-resistant shuffle when closed, a phone when 180 degrees open and a widescreen video iPod when 360 degrees open sounds like a highly marketable device to me, especially if Apple leverage their close ties with flash memory producers to give it good video storage space without a hard drive. Nokia tried hard with the N93, but they ended up with a rubik cube designed by a committee. Apple product design head Jonathan Ive must have been looking at that thing and laughing.
Re:Predictions (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:No "Office Killer" rumour this year? (Score:1, Interesting)
MS office isn't going anywhere - here's why:
#1. 20 or so years of MS Office dominance has created an enormous legacy of files. Nothing will be ever accepted as a competitor in business unless there is a 100% backwards compatability with ms docs
That can't happen because of vba (visual basic for applications - the cut down version of VB6 that essentially turns Ms Office into a development environment in the hands of people like me). You may be able to read and write compatable excel docs - but can you open the attached compiled vba, complete with api function calls and active x components and make it do something sensible on a mac?)
This is Especially true now that Ms have announced discontinuation of vba emulation in future OSX versions
#2. tight interaction between office apps and other parts of MS universe make breaking away almost impossible. For example - I have a MS Access app that connects with a SQL server database, reads and writes various excel and word docs, relies on various bat files and has basically become insinuated in every part of the office. Port THAT to a apple network with backward compatability.
Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole (Score:1, Interesting)
Apple discovered this with the Firewire connection on iPods. It was great for a subset of iPod users who had macs and knew Firewire was better, but in the end it cost too much and didn't sell any additional iPods. Now, iPods don't ship with support for it.
iPod wifi is a neat idea, but not a very practical one.
(On the other hand, I have to admit that having that "check box" checked would make a lot of geeks buy new ones, regardless of usefulness.)