What's Next for Apple?

[MacRumors]

Business 2.0 published an article which provides a roundup of thoughts circulating around the Mac Web and came up with their own "What's Next for Apple?" predictions.

From most likely to least, they provide speculation on the following products:

Wireless iPod
vPod (Video iPod)
iHome (Media Center)
iPod on Wheels (Enhanced iPod/Car interaction)
iPhone (Apple Branded)

A photo essay provides some visuals on these expected products.

Much of the thinking is based on analyst thoughts as well as circulating rumors and patents. Of note, a few of the items have been publicly rejected from comments by Steve Jobs in the past. Specifically, the idea of Apple branded Phones and TV/Computer integration have been denied in the past.

Jobs also expressed doubts about the sucess of portable video players, but didn't deny that they weren't working on such items in their labs.

[Rocksaurus]

How 'bout new PowerMacs?

[dornoforpyros]

personally I'm hoping by the time my iPod needs to be replaced(either wears out or is completly filled) I'll be able to replace it with a 100gb blue tooth iPod, that would be pimp.

[Derekasaurus]

Originally Posted by dornoforpyros

personally I'm hoping by the time my iPod needs to be replaced(either wears out or is completly filled) I'll be able to replace it with a 100gb blue tooth iPod, that would be pimp.

Bluetooth is a low-speed standard. It would take days to sync 100GB over BT. Even if you assume the first sync will be by wire, you'll still be waiting nearly a minute per song for updates. Wi-Fi, maybe, but that's another story with problems of its own. I hope Apple focuses on other innovations before wasting effort to replace one small white wire.

[jouster]

One thing I think worth pointing out is that if there ever is a video iPod, it won't be called a vPod. The name iPod is far too valuable in terms of brand recognition to ignore. That's why the mini isn't called the mPod, the shuffle isn't the sPod and the photo isn't called the pPod. Uh...aside from the unfortunate vegetable coincidence....

[mark6051]

With airport extreme built into most of apples products these days. What about a wireless ipod with a miniaturised airport card built in. might be slightly longer or thicker and maybe a few grams heavier. It would sync as soon as you come within range of your apple desktop or laptop. and it would be hellishly faster than bluetooth ?

It could even be secure coded so you control who accesses it and when.

I don't see why that isn't technically possible, still to slow for wireless video though

[ravenvii]

iPod, iPod, iPod... *yawn*

I wonder about the validity of a "iPod video".Movie-watching on such small devices were never successful, and unwieldy. I can't see how Apple could get around the fact that you hold it up to your face all the while, which kills any enjoyment you might have gotten from watching the movie.

[GFLPraxis]

Originally Posted by Raven VII

iPod, iPod, iPod... *yawn*

I wonder about the validity of a "iPod video".Movie-watching on such small devices were never successful, and unwieldy. I can't see how Apple could get around the fact that you hold it up to your face all the while, which kills any enjoyment you might have gotten from watching the movie.

If it has a 640x480 resolution, a hard drive, and some way to legally rip DVD's (by applying a DRM perhaps?), and costs less than a laptop, I'm sold.

[Panther]

Originally Posted by GFLPraxis

If it has a 640x480 resolution, a hard drive, and some way to legally rip DVD's (by applying a DRM perhaps?), and costs less than a laptop, I'm sold.

Bear in mind that DVD discs already have DRM - they have CSS and Macrovision. Every hardware player contains code to decrypt the CSS encryption, and has a hardware key that forms part of the decryption process. The CSS decrpyption code itself is normally encrypted (DVD Jon's DeCSS was written after one manufacturer forgot to encrypt that code).

So in theory, it should be possible to copy the DVD's VIDEO_TS folder to a hard disk and watch the movie on such a device as long as it had the code to do the CSS decryption. And because it is using an embedded controller, it should be little different philosphically to what you see in a regular DVD player...

A dual-layer DVD is going to be 9GB or so... so you would think a 60GB "vPod" device should be able to hold 6 or 7 movies worst case (for movies that had filled the disc with special features etc.)

Of course, in a perfect world it might be nicer to have software like you see for PocketPC, Palm and now the PSP that lets you rip a DVD to a tighter format, apply some DRM and get the size way down. There's little point having Dolby Digital and DTS audio streams take up space on the hard disk when you're only going to listen to it with your stereo white earbuds... But if I was a movie exec that would seem to devalue the "experience" because you lose the features, the director's commentaries... and perhaps most important to them the upcoming trailers ...

-------------------------

On the name front, if iPod Photo and iPod Mini are any indication, wouldn't this new device be called: iPod Movie ?

That would compliment iMovie, and to a movie exec talks more to the experience of "watching a movie" rather than the less compelling "watching a video"

Just my 2c

[swissmann]

Originally Posted by Raven VII

iPod, iPod, iPod... *yawn*

I wonder about the validity of a "iPod video".Movie-watching on such small devices were never successful, and unwieldy. I can't see how Apple could get around the fact that you hold it up to your face all the while, which kills any enjoyment you might have gotten from watching the movie.

I agree unless it becomes a phone and PDA or something incredible instead of just the blah.

[eXan]

I would be interested to see the Wireless iPod.
I doubt there will be an Apple-branded media center (iHome?) because they already have Mac mini

[LimeiBook86]

I'd like to see a new computer from Apple rather than a new iPod.

[iGary]

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.

If there is a market for photos, there is a market for video.

H.264 anyone?

I posted this link this morning to MacBytes. Pity.

[LimeiBook86]

Originally Posted by iGary

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.

If there is a market for photos, there is a market for video.

H.264 anyone?

I posted this link this morning to MacBytes. Pity.

I agree with you totally. Honestly i didn't really see a market for the iPod Photo, - iPod Video would have probably been better. You can watch photos and videos on it. I mean showing photos to your friends is cool but, videos would be much better. Think of it, no need to drag your camcorder around, use your iPod to show your family your trip to Disneyland or what not.

The iPod Photo I guess is doing well but I wouldn't buy one until there is some video or a hack at least (...one that doesn't require moving the scroll wheel forever )

[sirjimithy1]

Originally Posted by iGary

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.

If there is a market for photos, there is a market for video.

H.264 anyone?

I posted this link this morning to MacBytes. Pity.

Jobs didn't dodge the issue. Perhaps you should watch this.

[jouster]

Originally Posted by iGary

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.

I dunno. There are quite a few devices that allow this already. None of them seems to be setting the market on fire. I guess we'll see if the PSP does any better.

Interestingly, however, Laptop magazine reports research it commissioned for this month's issue which suggests that up to 30-40% of respondents would be prepared to watch clips on their phones. This has really taken off in Asia, where the research was carried out - much more so than watching on dedicated devices. There is even a word for these clips: 'mobisodes,' so perhaps that's the future.

[aafuss1]

Scottgfx-your post was great-especially considering the mockups/ideas posted at Business 2.0 were from a former Apple design director.

Video iPod-no, because of legal concerns (didn't SJ say something about this when the iPod photo was announced), because unlike photos, with movies, you don't often have the copyright to it and piracy as well.

[finchna]

vPod--YES!

There's much more to video than theater movies. Think about your 20 oe 30 minute bus/train commute, last nights sitcom or drama or this morning's news (or whatever you want from the listings) automatically downloaded to your vPod, take the vPod off the FW connector, hop on the bus/train and your choice of watching the program or listening to music. This isn't a replacement for a home theater system as an iPod isn't a replacement for a home stereo (or live music/theater)--merely a way to take some of that experience with you.

[TheGimp]

Originally Posted by iGary

Jobs dodged the issue of the video pod.

You can't tell me that people wouldn't love to take home movies, and then take them to the office in their pocket.

If there is a market for photos, there is a market for video.

H.264 anyone?

I posted this link this morning to MacBytes. Pity.

He most likely does not want to offer features that result in people spending less disposable income at the itunes store in favor of video content for which Apple would have difficulty obtaining a retail licensing agreement.

[wdlove]

Originally Posted by TheGimp

He most likely does not want to offer features that result in people spending less disposable income at the itunes store in favor of video content for which Apple would have difficulty obtaining a retail licensing agreement.

Besides iTunes and iPod, Apple needs to start introducing Mac's that will attract our disposable income.

[chaos86]

1 Wireless iPod
2 vPod (Video iPod)
3 iHome (Media Center)
4 iPod on Wheels (Enhanced iPod/Car interaction)
5 iPhone (Apple Branded)

1 maybe (bluetooth auto update without stopping layback?)
2 no (jobs himself said its a dumb idea, video encoding takes longer than just watching, 2 inch screen would suck, etc.)
3 no (jobs says tv and computer wont mix, brain turns on while at computer, off while at tv)
4 yes, its been done (bmw), now its due for an update
5 no (stupid idea-- apple+music, good, apple+telephony, why?)

[Toe]

iHome is the wrong way to think of it.

Howabout iServe, as in Xserve for consumers.

[thevessels]

Originally Posted by Toe

iHome is the wrong way to think of it.

Howabout iServe, as in Xserve for consumers.

i must agree on this one...

[Platform]

Originally Posted by Toe

iHome is the wrong way to think of it.

Howabout iServe, as in Xserve for consumers.

That would be real nice Running Xgrid on a few

But can apple come out with a few new computers instead of iPod's it is just too much iPod

[Toe]

Originally Posted by Platform

But can apple come out with a few new computers instead of iPod's it is just too much iPod

Does Apple sell computers?

If you go to http://www.apple.com/hardware/ you'll see a link for "New TV Ads. See Apple’s latest television commercials." So you might think that that would show you ads for Apple's various hardware offerings. Instead, it points directly to http://www.apple.com/ipod/ads/ as if Apple's only hardware is the iPod.

Aren't people sick of dancing silhouettes by now? Might Apple just possibly advertise Tiger or, gasp, the Mac mini? Or what about the PowerBook? The current PBs are best computers ever made, being marvels of engineering and hardware-software integration. And PowerBook is still a powerful brand name.

Or wouldn't it be nice to see Apple come out with brand new hardware concepts that don't have Pod anywhere in the name?

Yeah, I already posted this in another thread, but it bears repeating. Doesn't anyone else want to see Apple producing Macs?