When and how does Apple announce new products?

[ChitoCrisis]

I was just wondering how Apple announces new products. I'm waiting for some sort of announcement for the new MacBook Pro. If there's a conference soon then maybe that's when they will announce it? Or do they just do it on their website or something?

 

[miles01110]

Whenever they want, however they want.

 

[croooow]

I was just wondering how Apple announces new products...If there's a conference soon then maybe that's when they will announce it?

They do hold events and invite press to them, so you'll hear about it usually a week beforehand. There are no details in the invitations but sometimes it's pretty easy to guess (Apple music events mean new iPods, the last event was "Back to the Mac" with an image of a lion in the invitation so it was easy to guess that a new OS would be announced.) but the products are generally not announced before they are on their way to stores and available within hours/days. The original iPhone is an exception, since the FCC would have be the ones to break the news to the world 6 months before it came out if Apple didn't do it first back in 2007.

 

[OllyW]

They do hold events and invite press to them, so you'll hear about it (usually a week beforehand) There are no details in the invitations but sometimes it's pretty easy to guess (Apple music events mean new iPods, the last event was "Back to the Mac" with an image of a lion in the invitation so it was easy to guess that a new OS would be announced.)

Products are generally not announced before they are on their way to stores (The iPhone is an exception, since the FCC would have be the ones to break the news 6 months before it came out if Apple didn't do it first back in 2007)

For minor updates they usually just take the Apple Store off line while they update the web site. You'll know when this happens because the MacRumors forums are flooded with loads of 'the store is down' posts.

 

[skiltrip]

For minor updates they usually just take the Apple Store off line while they update the web site. You'll know when this happens because the MacRumors forums are flooded with loads of 'the store is down' posts.

Yup, which will most likely be the case with a new MBP update. It'll just happen. Of course, rumors will start swirling like nobody's business a number of days before. But we'll never know if it's crying wolf or if it's the real thing until that Apple Store is offline. At that point, get your credit card ready and keep hitting the refresh button. lol.

 

[WardC]

Apple used to introduce many new products at the Macworld conventions, in San Francisco, New York, and Boston. Since Apple has completely backed out of Macworld, they no longer introduce new products at Macworld.

Apple has several different options for introducing new products (hardware):

1. WWDC (Worldwide Developer's Conference) - usually in June. Apple will introduce products at WWDC very often, usually they introduce something new there, the last year it was the iPhone 4

2. Special Event (like the iTunes/iPod event). Apple will host a special media event somewhere like the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and introduce products there. This usually happens around October

3. Special Apple Event (on Apple campus - invite only). Apple will hold a special media event at their campus in Cupertino and introduce new products there. Usually a very small, invite audience in a small room.

4. Silent Product update: Apple will simply introduce something new and post it to the Apple store and their website, with no formal event, like the recent new Mac Mini or Mac Pro. There was no event to unveil these machines. These were simply silent updates. This may likely be how the new MacBook Pro is announced.

My bet, is if they re-design the case design and make major changes, Apple will probably hold a special event around April or May to introduce the new MacBook Pros. That is my best best. If not, they may just hold out until WWDC in June and introduce then. That is very likely as well.