I believe that you are on the right track, I'd only question timing.
What I see occuring in the next month or so is the following: an updated iPod Touch becomes the standard iPod, replacing the current "Classic" line. Apple needs to do this for a couple of reasons:
1) Apple must continue to hold its dominance in the market for portable media players; it is essential to their cash flow. By offering a product beyond what the usual suspects can offer, which Apple can accomplish via its expertise in software, Apple can maintain its hold on this market.
2) As you correctly note, expanding the developer base is critical. As the iPod Touch and the iPhone use the same software, saturating the market with a new, low cost iPod Touch will be a strong enticement to developers.
3) An existing iPod Touch user is perfectly primed to become an iPhone customer: user interface conventions, content, and applications directly transfer over. The iPod Touch is the foot in the door for those who may one day purchase an iPhone but are unwilling to pay the current services price at this time.
All of this will serve to expand the user base of OS X faster than any promotions or feature additions to the current Macintosh lineup.
We are entering a new era. The "personal computer" will no longer be a desktop appliance; it will be truly personal, something you can fit into your pocket and take anywhere. Ultimately, something like what you are describing will be on the table, but I think what we will see in this next calendar quarter is for Apple to make a gigantic push to get the renewed iPod Touch in as many people's pockets as possible by Christmas.
Fancier devices will follow in good time. This alone will further solidify the user base and fertilize the developer market. In early 2009, look for a return on focus to the standard desktop and laptop line. And then an iPad of your description being a Christmas 2009 project.
ConX
· 1 year ago
Whatever, but we need the FULL Mac OS X (no just OS X) inside to make sure it runs NATIVE Keynote and PowerPoint presentations (wired and wireless).
The Mac Book Air is too large and heavy for us. We need it in our pockets and about 500 g or so (screen of 5 to 7-inches or so like the OQO model e2):
Claiming to have 'predicted' that apple would make a phone puts you in the same camp as 95% of the people who bought ipods and said 'man, apple will eventually put a phone in here.'
The rest of your discussion is interesting. the EEPCs of the world have shown to be big hits. Again, it's not a big surprise, people want portable portables. 8 inches is more portable than 15. I'm shocked.
What is great news for everyone is if apple decides to push down its margins. This makes their hardware cheaper for those us already paying the Apple Tax and an increase in market share helps grow the 3rd party software industry, which is ultimately vital to apple's growth.
nice post over all :)
Jeremy
· 1 year ago
I agree except for the "iPad" name. They already own a better name for this product, which is "iBook."
Great post. Very insightful. I found you through your post to the NYT story.
Manuel
· 1 year ago
I have a dynamac in my garage!
connectme360
· 1 year ago
Cool! Those old computers, to me, weigh as much as a small child!
ramadia
· 1 year ago
lol..
For the post though. Good luck with iPad name.
Like Zugzug said, "Claiming to have 'predicted' that apple would blablab.." is definitely not a 'prediction'.
You said, "I'm optimistic that Apple will sell the iPad within spitting distance of the first iPhone's price point ($499), with the following hardware specs:" "and the software would be:..."
MobileMe a trojan horse? Are you kidding? I was about ready to return my new 3G iPhone after trying to use it with MobileMe. Unbelievably poor performance with this overpriced POS. I have learned to love my iPhone, but only with assistance from Gmail, Yahoo Contacts, Toodledo, and nuevaSync. I wish MobileMe offered anywhere near comparable performance.
r4 adapter
· 1 month ago
As good as a laptop, easy to read, typing is smooth and uncramped.
All Comments
The full power of Leopard in your pocket.
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/gal...mage_med...
http://www.ilounge.com/gallery/iphon...iphonePr...
FULL Mac OS X, Firewire and Ethernet ports and we will purchase thousands for our University.
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/gallery/image_...
http://www.ilounge.com/gallery/iphone_concept/i...
What I see occuring in the next month or so is the following: an updated iPod Touch becomes the standard iPod, replacing the current "Classic" line. Apple needs to do this for a couple of reasons:
1) Apple must continue to hold its dominance in the market for portable media players; it is essential to their cash flow. By offering a product beyond what the usual suspects can offer, which Apple can accomplish via its expertise in software, Apple can maintain its hold on this market.
2) As you correctly note, expanding the developer base is critical. As the iPod Touch and the iPhone use the same software, saturating the market with a new, low cost iPod Touch will be a strong enticement to developers.
3) An existing iPod Touch user is perfectly primed to become an iPhone customer: user interface conventions, content, and applications directly transfer over. The iPod Touch is the foot in the door for those who may one day purchase an iPhone but are unwilling to pay the current services price at this time.
All of this will serve to expand the user base of OS X faster than any promotions or feature additions to the current Macintosh lineup.
We are entering a new era. The "personal computer" will no longer be a desktop appliance; it will be truly personal, something you can fit into your pocket and take anywhere. Ultimately, something like what you are describing will be on the table, but I think what we will see in this next calendar quarter is for Apple to make a gigantic push to get the renewed iPod Touch in as many people's pockets as possible by Christmas.
Fancier devices will follow in good time. This alone will further solidify the user base and fertilize the developer market. In early 2009, look for a return on focus to the standard desktop and laptop line. And then an iPad of your description being a Christmas 2009 project.
The Mac Book Air is too large and heavy for us. We need it in our pockets and about 500 g or so (screen of 5 to 7-inches or so like the OQO model e2):
http://www.oqo.com
The rest of your discussion is interesting. the EEPCs of the world have shown to be big hits. Again, it's not a big surprise, people want portable portables. 8 inches is more portable than 15. I'm shocked.
What is great news for everyone is if apple decides to push down its margins. This makes their hardware cheaper for those us already paying the Apple Tax and an increase in market share helps grow the 3rd party software industry, which is ultimately vital to apple's growth.
nice post over all :)
Apple "MacBook Touch" New MultiTouch Tablet Concept
http://superglide.posterous.com/apple-macbook-t...
What is Apple's New Secret Product
http://superglide.posterous.com/what-is-apples-...
For the post though. Good luck with iPad name.
Like Zugzug said, "Claiming to have 'predicted' that apple would blablab.." is definitely not a 'prediction'.
You said, "I'm optimistic that Apple will sell the iPad within spitting distance of the first iPhone's price point ($499), with the following hardware specs:"
"and the software would be:..."
Please.. not again.. that's not prediction. No one would want that.
My advice is join us here: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=57...
And You'll see why.
I have learned to love my iPhone, but only with assistance from Gmail, Yahoo Contacts, Toodledo, and nuevaSync. I wish MobileMe offered anywhere near comparable performance.