We've been using Macintosh computers for quite a while now, so we're already familiar with the ups and downs of a relationship with Apple. Here's how it goes: You buy something, and are blown away by its simplicity, by its elegance, and by how intuitive it is to use. Then, you want to change something, or do something different, and find out that you cannot, because Apple has either left out the feature you want, or has made it so difficult that only a hack will help you. So, you wait for the next version of the product. And wait. And wait.
So, what's next?
Eventually, the iPhone will have high-speed networking, GPS navigation and some sort of wireless stereo transmission, though perhaps not A2DP. We know this, because eventually the Apple mouse gained an extra button and a scroll whee…, er, ball. . These are logical upgrades, and eventually every phone will see them, but anyone following the iPhone this year, and that's pretty much everyone, will ultimately be disappointed by how long they take to come to market. Or how high-end features are hobbled when they do arrive.
Can we predict what Apple will release in the next year? If we could, we'd be sitting at a roulette table in Vegas, not writing about cell phones. However, we can easily predict the hot Apple rumors for the year. Our best advice is to take rumors for their entertainment value, and not as fact or signs of an imminent release.
What to expect when you're expecting
Tablet device rumors will hit a rolling boil this year, as new devices for Intel's Mobile Internet Device design come to market. As Apple begins to look for GPS chips for upcoming iPhone models, we expect these moves to be misinterpreted to assume that Apple is working on a GPS device. When solid state drives hit capacities of 128GB or more, and the new 1.8-inch and 1.2-inch hard drives hit higher capacities, expect to see more rumors of an Apple tablet, high-capacity iPhones, and larger juke box devices based on the iPod. Basically, when a technology is introduced or improved, someone will wish Apple was using it.
So what do we really expect? Apple has traditionally followed two patterns with its existing product lines. First, instead of significant price drops, Apple tends to upgrade features. These are usually slight upgrades, think about graphics card or front-side bus upgrades on a laptop. On the iPhone, this will mean higher-capacity drives, better battery life, and 3G networking, but don't say we didn't warn you when Apple turns to plain old UMTS instead of full-bore HSDPA.
Second, Apple likes to provide an entrance at a lower price point. We would put money on a smaller iPhone this year, especially around the time the 3G iPhone comes to market, perhaps even at the same event. It won't do everything the iPhone does, and some omissions might be critical. We could see losing the Wi-Fi radio, except that Apple is selling music over Wi-Fi on the iPhone and iPod touch.
Harder, better, faster, stronger
So, our Apple predictions in a nutshell: a smaller iPhone, a faster iPhone, lots of rumors and lots of disappointment. But it will be feigned disappointment, because the iPhone, even with its flaws, was the best and most important phone released in the past year.
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