Here is where I think Apple is going in the next six months based on rumors, speculation, news releases, hints from Apple execs, and my own crack smoking fetish...
The release date for 10.4 will be told at MWSF 2005, pre-orders will be taken, and Steve will demo a few more features that haven't reached daylight yet. Apple will launch a new marketing campaign bigger than the Switcher campaign that basically says "All those promises Microsoft broke about its new OS; Apple delivered."
The Powermac G5 will also finally get the bump to 3ghz at MWSF.
The emac as we know it will cease to exist soon. Vendors will get notice in November that supplies will not be refurbished. Again, around MWSF a new education model desktop will be announced. Whether they call it the new eMac or the Education iMac (not the one they already have now) it will look a lot like the existing iMac G5 (with an all in one form factor and and a flatpanel LCD) but it will house a 1.5ghz g4. The CRT will finally be dead.
A few weeks after MWSF the iMac will see its first bump to 2ghz and yes a 128mb GPU. Airport will be standard (but removed as a BTO option). Prices will remain the same. All in response to consumer feedback.
The ibooks and Powerbooks will be upgraded the day after the Presidential election (november 3 i think). Speed bumps in the ibook and 64mb GPU. But the Powerbooks will use new g4s freescale has in development. Faster hard drives will be standard.
Depending on production of the G5 at fishkill, the G5 pb will see the light of day in WWDC 2005 or later at the next revision. If the G5 is in good enough volume production than a g5 pb will happen at WWDC and the new freescale g4s it was using for the first half of 2005 will transition to the ibook.
Lastly, starting in February, Duke university will begin analysis on how successful its ipod distribution plan was and Apple will be paying close attention. If the ipod for evey freshman was a success, Apple will take a long hard look at the future of the ipod and its aborted PDA/tablet. While the PDA may be dead, it may rise from the ashes as the PLA (Personal Learning Assistant).
Well my friends, is my crack habit out of control? Have I stated the obvious? Do you have a better 12 month plan prediction? let the discussions begin!
The release date for 10.4 will be told at MWSF 2005, pre-orders will be taken, and Steve will demo a few more features that haven't reached daylight yet. Apple will launch a new marketing campaign bigger than the Switcher campaign that basically says "All those promises Microsoft broke about its new OS; Apple delivered."
The Powermac G5 will also finally get the bump to 3ghz at MWSF.
The emac as we know it will cease to exist soon. Vendors will get notice in November that supplies will not be refurbished. Again, around MWSF a new education model desktop will be announced. Whether they call it the new eMac or the Education iMac (not the one they already have now) it will look a lot like the existing iMac G5 (with an all in one form factor and and a flatpanel LCD) but it will house a 1.5ghz g4. The CRT will finally be dead.
A few weeks after MWSF the iMac will see its first bump to 2ghz and yes a 128mb GPU. Airport will be standard (but removed as a BTO option). Prices will remain the same. All in response to consumer feedback.
The ibooks and Powerbooks will be upgraded the day after the Presidential election (november 3 i think). Speed bumps in the ibook and 64mb GPU. But the Powerbooks will use new g4s freescale has in development. Faster hard drives will be standard.
Depending on production of the G5 at fishkill, the G5 pb will see the light of day in WWDC 2005 or later at the next revision. If the G5 is in good enough volume production than a g5 pb will happen at WWDC and the new freescale g4s it was using for the first half of 2005 will transition to the ibook.
Lastly, starting in February, Duke university will begin analysis on how successful its ipod distribution plan was and Apple will be paying close attention. If the ipod for evey freshman was a success, Apple will take a long hard look at the future of the ipod and its aborted PDA/tablet. While the PDA may be dead, it may rise from the ashes as the PLA (Personal Learning Assistant).
Well my friends, is my crack habit out of control? Have I stated the obvious? Do you have a better 12 month plan prediction? let the discussions begin!
