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Earlier this year, Steve Jobs alluded to something big on the horizon for Apple. He never does that. Steve (and thus, the rest of Apple) are always very secretive about any new products they are working on. For him to admit that there was something, and to say it would be “very big” (or whatever his exact words were) meant that something like the iPod was about to be announced.
Rumors seem to be circulating that rival the level of secrecy, and the language used in 2001 when the iPod was first introduced. No one knows what the announcements will be next Tuesday, but it’s now official that there will be an announcement.
The invitation sent out to the media (in the link below) shows the Apple logo in 4 Hollywood-style spotlights with the words, “It’s Showtime” below it. Most people know that Apple has been working on the movie studios for a LONG time to strike a similar deal with the iTunes store to what Apple has with the music industry. So far, the movie people want a subscription, or a rental type of service rather than the purchase/download/own model that iTunes has been so successful with. It will be interesting to see what compromise (if any) the two parties have been able to agree upon.
Aside from that, a few rumors focus more on the hardware. Perhaps Apple will release a wireless router that will stream video to a TV? Perhaps a radical update to the Mac Mini line? Perhaps a 23″ iMac that could serve as a living room PC? Perhaps a completely revamped (“true”) video iPod with the full-screen, touch-(or motion)sensitive controls?
There are certainly lots of options.
It took a couple years for the iPod to really gain an immovable foothold in the digital music market, but from the very beginning, the iPod was revolutionary. I have no reason to doubt that Apple and iTunes, with their already sizeable foot in the door with the TV and music video industry, will release another culture-shifting device and service starting on September 12th, 2006.
Stay tuned. It’s just starting to get interesting…
Read The MacRumors.com Article:
‘It’s Showtime’ : September 12th, 2006