WWDC ‘08 Last Minute Predictions

We’re now just hours away from Apple’s WWDC event. In case you missed the 20 other times I mentioned it, I’m going (yeah, I’m pretty excited). Naturally, I feel, like others out there, it’s time to make some predictions for what we’ll see. It would easy enough to go with the safe bets, but I’ll go out on a limb for some of these, there really isn’t too much set in stone beyond that we’ll see some sort of 3G iPhone:

3G iPhone
Obviously. It will have GPS, video streaming capabilities, a better camera and better battery life. It will also be a little bit thicker, but not much. It will be available in 16 GB and 32 GB, for $299 and $399 respectively. Available in white or black. Coming in Late June.

iPhone Nano
This is the one that will be cheaper, around $199. It will also remain 2.5G and have no video capabilities. It won’t be that much smaller so you can still type on the screen, but it will be thinner and weigh less. Coming in Late June.

iPhone 2.0 software
Fairly obvious. The 2.0 software will now be called “OS X iPhone” and it will have the ability to utilize 3rd party application. Available immediately.

iTunes 8/iTunes App Store
iTunes will obviously need an update for the new iPhone software/capabilities and the new App Store.

Mac Fusion
Just wrote about this over at VentureBeat tonight. This box looks to be for developers (this is a developer conference remember), and would be like a smaller, more powerful Mac Mini. It will run OS X as well as Windows and Linux thanks to Boot Camp.

Me/MobileMe
The revamped .Mac finally arrives. It will be FREE and emphasize syncing your data with your portable devices (iPhones and iPods). Premium version (beyond 10 GB) will be available as well for a fee. Wildcard: Partnership with Google on the cloud storage.

One more thing…

OS X Snow Leopard
OS X 10.6 will be shipping in January. It won’t be a huge upgrade, but security and stability will be key — as will the move to mobile computing utilzing multi-touch technology.

Coldplay closes the show
Who knows on this one, just keep seeing that new commercial…

What we won’t see — yet:
Mac Tablet/Newton – I’m guessing MacWorld 2009
Redesigned MacBook Pros – I’m thinking Fall
Apple TV update – I want a more powerful one, wait until the Fall.
Mac Mini update – They should, but never do.
New Mouse – Sometime this year, cause the Mighty Mouse sucks

I also wrote up some different potential curveballs a few weeks back on VentureBeat. I really hope I’m wrong and that Apple and AT&T do team up to subsidize the 3G iPhone down to $199. There are still rumors coming out that it is in fact happening, it just seems too good to be true.

  • SuitCase
    I like your predictions, though the Fusion is clearly a fake (and kind of a weird product, too.) I think you will be right.
  • MG Siegler
    @suitecase - thanks, we'll know soon :)
blog comments powered by Disqus