Apple Expo Paris 2004 Rumor Roundup

[MacRumors]

With Apple Expo Paris this week, MacRumors provides this Rumor Roundup as a summary of the major rumors circulating around the Mac Web. As always, stay tuned, as last minute leaks and revelations are common. This roundup will cover what's expected to be released, as well as a few 'open' rumors that are still only speculation.

The Event

Apple Expo Paris kicks off August 31, 2004 with Phil Schiller giving the tradition keynote in place of Steve Jobs while he recovers from pancreatic cancer surgery. The speech starts at 10:00 a.m. CET (4 a.m. EDT, 1 a.m. PDT) in Paris at the Palais des Congrés. As far as MacRumors knows, there will be no live webcast of the event, and as of yet no word on a satellite broadcast either. Anyone planning to go to the show and willing to offer live updates from the keynote please contact us.

iMac G5

With Apple pre-announcing the redesign of the iMac to sport a G5, this is the most likely candidate to be released. Think Secret provided specs for 4 different configurations, with a range from an education model 17" screen 1.6 GHz G5 to a 20" screen 1.8 GHz G5. Pricing is expected to be $1300 to $2200. With the introduction of the education level iMac, the eMac is expected to be retired, representing the last CRT-based Mac. This may still prove to be incorrect, since that would significantly raise the price of the least-expensive desktop Mac option from $799 to around $1300.

Form factor has been a source of recent speculation and there are a few possible spy shots circulating the web. The design is expected to have the motherboard and relevant pieces and parts mounted behind the monitor in a vertical position, moving the guts of the machine off the desktop. Additionally, MacObserver points to the filing of a 'chameleon' patent by Apple suggesting that the body of the machine may be able to change colors to suit the mood of the user.

Teaser advertisements on the Internet for the Apple Expo Paris point to another use of the G5 processor, stating 'A SuperComputer On Your Desk. What's next?' These presumably point to the new iMac, but could also lend credence to the rumors of a possible Apple Tablet/Wireless display that was previously patented.

iPod

With the introduction of the 4th generation iPod and the recent unveiling of the 'Apple iPod from HP', it seems unlikely that the iPod will receive any updates in Paris. The unknown factor is Time Magazine's rumors of as-yet undisclosed functionality in the 4G iPod that could offer options such as WiFi, wireless headphones, or Bluetooth compatibility. As of yet, there is no concrete information. Recently Apple Insider noted a job listing at Apple looking for an iPod engineer posessing the protocol skills for these functions, but didn't offer any more proof than that. Additionally, there are reports that certain resellers are awaiting colored versions of the iPod in purple, yellow & orange.

PowerBook G4

Recently a buzz came from news source The Register about Freescale, the processor division spinoff of Motorola, maker of Apple's G4 processor used in the current PowerBooks, iBooks, eMacs, and discontinued flat-panel G4 iMacs. Expected is not only a move to a faster processor, but also a move to a dual core setup, effectively producing the horsepower of a dual-processor system from a single chip. Since G5 processors are already in such short supply due to manufacturing issues at IBM (maker of the PowerPC 970 aka Apple G5), and heat issues play a significant role in the move to a portable, it seems a logical step for Apple to use these new chips until the move to a G5 PowerBook is practical.

Power Mac G5

No updates are expected to the Power Mac line in Paris, but it should be noted that there seem to be availability issues with the 1.8 GHz G5 processors, probably due to their use in the new iMac. Additionally impacting the Power Mac range, the 30" Apple Cinema Display should be shipping in mid-September, although availability of the NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL graphics card (required for the large display) has been pushed back to at least October 15th. Additionally, shipments of the 2.5 GHz Power Mac G5 have been slowly emerging, with many orders reportedly being pushed back to mid-September.

iSight Version 2

Apple Insider claims Apple is working on a refined version of the iSight video camera capable of supporting higher resolution and frame rates than the current model. MacRumors has received numerous reports from resellers about the 'iSight Ver2' with its own stock number (M8817LL/B). So far, this is the only speculation, with other indications pointing to it simply being the same camera and internals but containing new mounting hardware for the new Apple aluminum displays shown at MWSF 04.

[RitchieDeMan]

I Can't wait!!!!

[Some_Big_Spoon]

still waiting for the "one more thing"

[Ambrose Chapel]

do think we might get a ship date for tiger? i'm guessing steve'll announce that at MWSF, but you never know...

[bentmywookie]

Man, chameleon sounds really cool, aesthetically speaking. I'm crossing my fingers for that one.

[Flowbee]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

Form factor has been a source of recent speculation and there are a few possible spy shots circulating the web.

The creator of those "spy shots" has admitted they are hoaxes.

[Flying Llama]

I hope it's the chameleon and not those fake? photos...

[relimw]

Hey, imagine that, the expo starts on a Tuesday.... Hmmm, they prolly will announce the iMac with shipping immediately for the first 1000 orders, and December for everybody else

[morkintosh]

Originally Posted by bentmywookie

Man, chameleon sounds really cool, aesthetically speaking. I'm crossing my fingers for that one.

that would be pretty sweet, but I can't see them releasing it so soon after a patent filing.

[timwindsor]

My prediction, fwiw....

Schiller: Oh, and, uh, one more thing...

Curtains open. Steve walks onstage to thunderous applause. He demos the "secret" features of the iPod.

Hey, it could happen....

[musicpyrite]

Hmmm, this is good news for the most part. I hope we see G5 PowerBooks, but if we don't, dual core is the next best thing.

(although I will be pissed if the 12" isn't dual core or G5 because I plan on buying one come Christmas!)

[relimw]

Originally Posted by Ambrose Chapel

do think we might get a ship date for tiger? i'm guessing steve'll announce that at MWSF, but you never know...

A ship date? Sometime between Jan 2005 and June 2005, or sometime *way* before Longhorn
But I'm guessing it'll most likely ship around WWDC time next year.

[hobbes3113]

Bring it on!! Can't wait for the new goodies...

[appleface]

it sounds like the only probably-definite release is the g5 imac. i'm excited to see the imac and any of the might-be-maybe releases. i guess we're all excited

[skyfex]

Apple is killing me! I can't wait for them to show off the new iMac.. The thing that bothers me even more is that it's probably completely unlike anything we've seen (including hoax photos/concept designs).

I personally think an Apple Tablet is probable in addition to the iMac

[relimw]

Originally Posted by musicpyrite

Hmmm, this is good news for the most part. I hope we see G5 PowerBooks, but if we don't, dual core is the next best thing.

I wouldn't hold my breath for a G5 Powerbook this time around due to high demand for every other desktop system that Apple has out. Dual core G4 seems to be a much higher likelihood for the powerbook as well as a possible speed bump.

[CholEoptera36]

Chameleon would have that Apple innovation for sure.
I remember a couple of years ago Alienware released a model computer that was named Chameleon and the paint color changed depending on where you were standing in the room. I hope the Chameleon from Apple wouldn't look like that though. Too space like and far out.

[reyesmac]

I just know Apple is going to have most of its new products in short supply. Not because they are popular (which they will be) but because they are just bad at making enough of them. And if they do ramp up production, then I expect there to be some recalls or quality control screwups. That just seems to be the Apple way these days.

[scibry]

Who knows what'll happen. Very exciting.

I am still curious how the 12" PB will change in the near future.

A rumor a few months ago said Apple was looking into differentiating it from the iBook, possibly by making it thinner. As an owner of a Rev. A model, I say make the screen better and that thinness wouldn't hurt.

[maddav]

Schiller: Behind this curtain, you've all been waiting for it, the ALL NEW POWERBOOK!

*applause & curtains pulled apart revealing a PB G4*

look, it has an all new extra USB port, and cool white stripe on the back

*cough*

that's all...

*Barrage of gunfire*

[Mord]

there is no way the emac is going away, not for a long while

[Mord]

i hope the 17" powerbook go's HD 1920x1200, and bodge the resulutions down the line.

[Superdrive]

I would like to see more new features that have been added to Tiger 10.4 in the past few months since Steve's last demo.

I am looking forward to a new iMac; I just hope that it can top the form and function that the G4 iMac introduced in January 2002. Although it will be sad to see my current machine get superceded, I will at least have something to set my eyes on for the future.

Any new additions for must have gadgets are welcome by me. My credit card is waiting.

-Superdrive

[CholEoptera36]

Originally Posted by Hector

there is no way the emac is going away, not for a long while

yeah it's part of Apple's starting line up, and when it does go for good I've still got one!

[Brian Hickman]

hopefully this chameleon thing will be incorporated into the PowerBooks. That way we can change the color of the illuminated Apple logo on the back of the LCD. That would be pretty sweet.

Hickman