Drop one tiny Verizon rumor pebble into the pond, and watch the iRipples spread like crazy. Cases in point:
Business Week (via MacRumors) is reporting that Apple will introduce two (2) new devices on Verizon this year:
- iPhone “Lite”, which would be thinner and cheaper than the iPhone proper due to the system on a chip technology Apple has been amassing lately (i.e. PA Semi, Arm and PowerVR licenses, etc).
- “Media Pad”, which would be smaller than an Amazon Kindle but with a larger screen and described as yet another breakthrough device on the scale of iPod or iPhone, with photos, HD movies, music, and Wi-Fi for — presumably browsing and — VoIP calls.
To further the rumor, one of these new toys may come as early as this summer. (WWDC time frame?)
We’re still not sure about any of this. iPhone did begin life as a larger, iTablet-like Safari Pad, and recently developer Craig Hokenberry made an interesting argument for a “Front Row To Go” pad that sounds similar.
Meanwhile, sucking the oxygen out of the lower-cost market is something Apple did with the iPod nano, however Apple has repeatedly said there’d be no iPhone nano (for whatever that’s worth…) but more importantly, unlike the GSM iPhone, a CDMA iPhone Lite or “Media Pad” wouldn’t enjoy the international portability of the iPhone (sure, “world phones” typically do some EDGE, but we’d want ultra-fast HSPA+, right?).
Just 2 years post launch, the GSM iPhone is in over 80 countries. The CDMA Amazon Kindle? Still just 1. Apples to oranges, we know, but it’s something to consider for “Media Pad” class devices.
As covered in the Apple Q2 2009 conference call, Apple Chief Financial Officer, Peter Oppenheimer, repeated the company line that they “looked forward to [Steve Jobs'] return at the end of June”.
Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) — where in 2008 Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone 3G to the world — takes place this year June 8-12, which is decidedly before the end of June, and thus the end of Jobs’ leave of absence.
Does that make it impossible for Steve Jobs to pull out a surprise appearance, iPhone the Third Generation in pocket? No… but it makes it unlikely.
That leaves Apple marketing honcho Phil Schiller, who handled Macworld 2009, or iPhone marketing head Greg “Joz” Joswiak, who handled part of the iPhone 3.0 Sneak Peek as the likely suspects, doesn’t it? (Perhaps with Scott Forstall again on the 3.0 software?)
Apple has (finally!) announced the date for it’s 2009 World Wide Developer Conference: June 8 -12.
Last year, Steve Jobs’ Keynote at WWDC gave us an update on iPhone 2.0, the introduction of MobileMe, and the unveiling of the iPhone 3G. What will they have for us this year? More iPhone 3.0 no doubt. iPhone gen 3 maybe? Snow Leopard? One more thing…?
As usual, WWDC will be held at the Moscone Center West in San Francisco, and will again consist of iPhone, Mac, and IT streams. Of the iPhone stream, Apple says:
iPhone OS is the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, offering you a revolutionary platform for designing innovative mobile applications. Learn every aspect of iPhone development — from the powerful tools and frameworks to enhancing your application with the unique features of iPhone OS.
So, who’s going to camp out for the keynote?
(Thanks to daveizzle for the tip!)
At the World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2008, Apple unveiled the iPhone 3G, gave us a shipping date on iPhone OS 2.0, and introduced MobileMe during Steve Jobs’ Keynote . It was held June 9, 2008, a date announced (according to Daring Fireball) on March 13.
As many other conferences announce their dates up to a year in advance, giving travelers ample time to make plans and arrange schedules, even those scant 3 months weren’t exactly a comfortable amount of notice. Now, with the end of March already upon us, and not an announcement in sight, people are beginning to wonder: when in the world is WWDC 2009?
Apple is juggling a lot of balls this year, no doubt about it. iPhone 3.0 needs a shipping date, iPhone gen 3 may need an intro, and then there’s Apple’s next Mac OS, 10.6 Snow Leopard to put in the spotlight as well. Oh, and the Sword of Damocles currently dangling over Apple: the intended return of Steve Jobs in June.
Scheduling for any of those things, as Apple is likely pinning their Keynote on all of them, could be making things really tight for the teams involved, given the two possible dates we’ve seen thrown around the internet, May 16-22 or June 6-12.
Many of us just want our iPhone news. Developers, on the other hand, have their livelihoods and their families to think about. Could Apple get thousands of them to drop everything and show up in just under two months? Is under three months even realistic? Would you spin on a dime and make travel plans the moment Apple releases the date? Or have you already got your time share in the Caribbean lined up, WWDC be damned?
In 2008, Apple’s WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) heralded our first look at the iPhone 3G, iPhone OS 2.0, Mobile Me, and the App Store. In 2007 it was… WebApps. Okay, scaling, we get it. But that means 2009 should be gangbusters, right? iPhone hardware rev 2,1? iPhone OS 3.0? And… only Jobs knows for sure, but we’re sure it will warrant at least a couple Booms! (Where by “sure” we mean “hope”).
First things last, however, we need a date, and so far we have two possible candidates according to Apple Insider: May 16-22 or June 6-12.
If it’s May, Steve Jobs will not have returned yet from his leave of absence and Macworld Final Keynoter Phil Schiller will likely take center stage. June… could be great timing for a triumphant return. Apple has historically held the event as late as August, but June seems the favorite. Of course, we’re also hoping for a pre-WWDC sneak beta peek this month (on the 24th?!) so developers have the time to adapt any changes Apple may be planning to hardware or OS.
Anyone placing any bets on when — and more importantly — what we’ll be seeing?
