'It's Showtime': September 12th, 2006

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif

Several news outlets are confirming the media event that Apple is holding on September 12th 2006.

More details of the event were released to day when Apple sent out invitations to select media members. The invites says "It's Showtime":

http://guides.macrumors.com/images/1...e_showtime.jpg

First word of the event leaked out on August 31st, with multiple reports of a media event to be held in San Francisco. Today, the digital invitations were sent out confirming the event and setting a time and place.

The announcements will take place at 10:00am Pacific time at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in downtown San Francisco. Based on the title of the invitation, it appears likely that the long rumored Movie Store will finally be released.

Businessweek recently provided some early details of the service, which they claim to offer movies from $9.99-$14.99. Meanwhile, Appleinsider feels a new video streaming device will also be introduced. Meanwhile, Core 2 Duo iMacs and new iPods are also expected.

If you have access to this media event, please contact us.

[twoodcc]

wow. well this confirms it then. man this is gonna be a long week of waiting

[Chimera]

My nano is already on eBay awaiting a nice metal clad 8GB version, I hope they do an andonised black one though to match my other gadgets.

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Yeah... yeah... Movies for the American audience...

...I don't even get TV shows...

[Josias]

Extreme! I really hope for hi-quality movies, and not just 640x480. A new line-up would be nice too.

[yoda13]

I hope for good quality movies too. What is realistically the limit on quality that they can implement and still have it be manageable with a normal average speed broadband connection? Just curious.

[WildCowboy]

Yerba Buena's going to be a busy place on Tuesday...the American Chemical Society is having a meeting at the Moscone Center next week with over 12,000 people in attendance. I'll have a friend in town for the meeting, so maybe I'll snoop around YPCFA and see what's up. Maybe the walls are thin enough that I can just put my ear up to them...

[prady16]

I expect upgrades to the laptops, iMac, and Mini. Also, there is a good chance of introducing either a iPhone or a iHome.
iTunes Movie Store is certain, although it would be interesting to note how apple goes about selling movies (like the resolution, download times, pricing etc.)

[Spanky Deluxe]

New iMacs and Mac Minis imo. Those don't require anything changed apart from a processor swap since they're socketed. I'd give the Macbook Pros and MacBooks a while longer before we see an update.

Edit: If they don't up the quality of the movies to the base HD spec of 720p then they may as well not bother. I'd rather go and buy the DVDs. The only way I'd be tempted to purchase via iTunes would be if the quality I could get would be higher. I don't care if it takes a while to download.

[Chundles]

Quoted from an older thread that has been left behind:

Originally Posted by Chundles

iLounge have an invitation: Definitely new iPods of some form
"Centre for the Arts Theatre": Most likely some sort of movie content
iLounge have an invitation: Consumer event, new iMacs most likely.

I get the feeling the purported MacBook Pro updates are going to happen externally to this event, most probably when Apple can get enough into the distribution pipeline to begin immediate shipping.

So, I'm going to make a bold prediction here and say that it will be similar to last year's "One More Thing..." event but with a focus on "Bigger."

Act One: Last year was the iMac with built-in iSight and Front Row/Photo Booth software. This year it all gets bigger with new Core 2 Duo iMacs now in 17", 20" and 23" models. All models get HDMI-in ports and Front Row gains a "TV" option. No PVR functionality, no worrying about differing TV formats and delivery systems, if you have a box with HDMI-out you can watch TV on your iMac too.

Act Two: Last year it was the sales of iPod, iTunes Music Store and iPod accessories. This year, with the focus on "bigger" Apple announce the availability of feature-length movies on iTunes. iTunes 7 makes use of new Bit-Torrent style downloads from servers all over the world to ensure rapid download speeds, H.264 encoding allows for the smallest possible file size. $9.99 for DVD quality, $14.99 for HD.

Act Three: Last year was the new 5th generation iPod. This year we go "bigger" with the new 6th generation iPod sporting a 4.5" full-colour LCD screen at a resolution of 720x480. Incredible screen, more detail than ever before and you are able to download your iTunes-purchased movies onto it and watch them in bright, sharp, full colour. Available in 40GB and 80GB models and sporting a revolutionary new touch-control interface with hints of Apple's Front Row software the new iPod is shipping today.

Rip me apart if you will, I don't think Apple should make an iPhone. The global mobile phone system is too complex. The US are only just getting 3G whilst we're all looking down the road at 4G but that is Apple's biggest market. Maybe a US-only iPhone will appear but as it stands, other more-established phone makers have the market sorted globally.

MacBook Pro to be updated when Core 2 Duo production hits peak. Late September.

Comments?

Somebody cast doubt on the HDMI thing, I don't know - just seemed like the easiest option to get video into an iMac. You don't have to worry about all the different methods of getting TV (free to air, digital, cable) because if you have a HDMI-enabled receiver it would just plug into the back of the iMac. You'd need to use the receiver's remote to do all the channel changing but Apple could offer some sort of recording program. EyeHome could do something with it too? I'm no expert, just trying to look at a simple solution for a complicated, fragmented problem.

[powerbuddy]

9.99? you can rent movies from Mlink or Cinemanow for 4.99 or DVR's from 3.99. Just stupid if we dont keep to buy and keep the movie for that price.

[mrgreen4242]

Well fudge. I've been holding off on getting an Airport Express for literally a year, waiting for an AV version. I finally had to get one when I moved (no cable drop in the office at new house, so needed a wireless router) and then like 2 weeks later they release the AV model. Bastards.

Oh well, probably can't afford one anyways - seeing as the AE w/ AirTunes is still $100. Does Apple price match refurb hardware? I'm assuming the AE price will drop when they release the AV model.

Hmmm, I might be able to talk my wife into letting me get one for the theatre room if I can make it send cable TV up there too... Have to wait and see what the product actually is.

Also, $10-15 for a d/l movies is a ripoff. Unless they are going to do HD quality movies at $15, DVDs will remain a much better value. Now, HD download service, with an affordable playback mechanism, at $15 per movie they will clean up... SD though? Forget about it.

[IJ Reilly]

Originally Posted by WildCowboy

Yerba Buena's going to be a busy place on Tuesday...the American Chemical Society is having a meeting at the Moscone Center next week with over 12,000 people in attendance. I'll have a friend in town for the meeting, so maybe I'll snoop around YPCFA and see what's up. Maybe the walls are thin enough that I can just put my ear up to them...

Careful, Steve has them run 12,000 kv through those walls for Apple events.

AAPL is making a nice advance on this news, up about $2 this afternoon. Looks like the markets have been waiting for Apple to get into this business.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?d=t&s=AAPL

[BenRoethig]

This could be either really big or really bad. Either way, I don't see it going over to well without a burn to DVD option. It also needs a settop media mac. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how everything develops. Good thing I'll be in Milwaukee on the 12th. I might want to go to Mayfair to see how everything went.

[nagromme]

A start to movie downloads is for sure.

But anything else might be postponed, so we must try to remain calm

(It's all the OTHER rumors that interest me more. I highly doubt that iTunes movies will meet my standards at first--though I'm happy to see a step in that direction. If they're less than DVD quality they'd better be close AND very cheap. And until the selection rivals Netflix it won't see much use from me.)

Re Core 2 Duo

The iMac may get the headline (if a larger size is truly coming) but they could well update iMacs AND MacBook Pros simultaneously. Makes a good announcement that way.

[Chundles]

The biggest "movie related" release from Apple on that day down here will probably be an exclusive music video from Bob Dylan.

Carn Apple, get your finger out and get international TV shows up and running.

[puuukeey]

Good move but I bet its riddled with DRM

[Chupa Chupa]

So this tells us as much as we already knew really, only confirms the movie service. Now the question is...is the service for streaming to your home TV via a new set top box or is this service for the iPod...or both.

I don't see how Apple can legitimately sell the service for iPod unless they are going to come out with a WS iPod. The novelty of watching video on the iPods 2" screen has worn off.

That said...glad I sold both my 4gb nano and the 2 giger I got with the Mac to School promo. A black anodized nano would be cool. Just hope they come out with some male colors. The iPod mini colors were so fraking wimpy.

[Chundles]

Originally Posted by puuukeey

Good move but I bet its riddled with DRM

It would have to be otherwise the studios won't agree to it.

[amols]

Originally Posted by mrgreen4242

Also, $10-15 for a d/l movies is a ripoff. Unless they are going to do HD quality movies at $15, DVDs will remain a much better value.

I agree. I'd rather buy it off Walmart for that price and convert it to iPod format, PSP format and what not. Afterall, I won't be limited to play it on 'n' number of players. Steve was right when he said few years back that movie downloads does not work. Off course, any new addition to the store will not hurt.

[TheRick]

Originally Posted by BenRoethig

This could be either really big or really bad. Either way, I don't see it going over to well without a burn to DVD option. It also needs a settop media mac. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how everything develops. Good thing I'll be in Milwaukee on the 12th. I might want to go to Mayfair to see how everything went.

I live in Milwaukee so maybe I'll see you at Mayfar on the 12th.

[iGary]

I could care less about movies, especially as slow as TV shows download on busy nights.

I would like to see new pods, though, which I think would be a pretty solid bet. Been almost a year.

[tabaczka]

I myself am not too excited by this...

An overpriced movie store doesn't seem like something i would ever use.

But whatever they have in their bag of tricks for streaming may prove to be worth taking a look at.

[DavidLeblond]

I'm hoping for iMacs because I could care less about downloading Movies. Hell the only TV I download are the free eps. Unless you can get me 5.1 surround, DVD quality for a monthly fee that is less than Netflix... well, Netflix is still king to me.

[psxndc]

I don't usually speculate, but I find it interesting "Showtime" is capitalized. Could the downloads be part of some partnership with the cable channel? Just wild speculation on my part.

-p-