I'm completely underwhelmed at the coverage given to flimsy reports Apple [AAPL] plans a complete overhaul of many of its products in the next 12 months. Why is an expression of the completely and utterly obvious such a big deal? It isn't rocket science -- Apple ships new products every year.
[ABOVE: Is iMac due a facelift?]
Helter, skelter
The blogs are buzzing with endless repetition of a Digitimes report which claims Apple's suppliers are talking about "complete overhauls" across the product range in 2012. New iPhone, iMac, MacBook Air and iPad models are being discussed. I don't get it. Where's the surprise, news, information or even healthy speculation in that?
It saddens me that people all across this Apple planet are clicking avidly on a link which basically tells us: "Apple will be introducing new products next year." Isn't that obvious?
"Oh, but this isn't just new kit," they reply, "it's completely overhauled." So the news is that Apple plans new designs for its range? What could these be? Reading swiftly across the hegemony of Mac rumor reportage these could feature:
[ABOVE: There's been other iMac designs.]
Tomorrow never knows
I'll make another prediction: Some of us will go to work, some will get born, others might get married and sadly some of us will need to get busy with dying. The sun will rise in the sky, the moon will progress across the celestial heavens and it's possible a little rain will fall. So what?
Is that news? Of course it isn't. It's incredibly obvious that Apple will introduce new products and it isn't unlikely it will choose to maintain interest in its range by offering new designs.
What might make the news more interesting is a look at what isn't being claimed. Do you see a MacBook or MacBook Pro upgrade mentioned in any of these articles? Do you see a Mac mini upgrade mooted, or a Mac Pro improvement? No. The story, such as it is, only mentions Apple's more consumer offerings.
So perhaps that's a story? That Apple might be focusing more on the bigger revenue generating businesses as it attempts to navigate its way through a painful economic recession.
The fool on the hill
The Digitimes report also claims Apple's working on two prototype iPads, J1 and J2. Perhaps it is, but since it would be foolish to expect these things to ship before April next year, I'll only get excited when one of these prototypes turns up on eBay in, like, 20-years time.
When it comes to Apple rumors I'm all for the ones which set you thinking. I'm keen on the stories that invite a little analysis -- such as the notion that Apple's Siri will incinerate Google's ads traffic on iOS devices -- but this latest peccadillo seems to me designed to achieve just one thing:
Depress Apple's Christmas season sales as consumers think: "Oh, but there will be new products next year."
[Above: Another earlier iMac model.]
Long and winding road
I'm curious just who is advising Digitimes. All the included information about display manufacture invites speculation that the leak could be a competitor in the display manufacturing space. Who does Apple compete with in that sector?
I'm sorry for today's rant, but if there's a takeaway here it is really, really simple: Apple will release new products next year, and every year. Some will feature new designs, others will deliver hardware or software improvements, and every single one is designed to make a difference in the market it hits.
That Apple will release new product next year isn't a story, it's a truism. Night follows day, you get burned with fire, and it's best not to eat cheese at bedtime. It's enough to make me take another look at Stupid Apple Rumors, who track these things and are at least consistent in their criticism.
It's time to stop this imitative click-based approach to Apple news. It's time to move onto something more interesting, such as the future of the voice and motion-controlled user interface, the Apple-led dissolution of Google's search empire or the potential for OS X licensing in future.
The Apple world is in no way so short of things to discuss, speculate upon and consider that we need to repeat every vacuous and empty comment just because everyone else is doing so.
Who took the oxygen from the Apple news room? What are your thoughts? Speak up, I'm interested.
Got a story? Drop me a line via Twitter or in comments below and let me know. I'd like it if you chose to follow me on Twitter so I can let you know when these items are published here first on Computerworld.
[ABOVE: Is iMac due a facelift?] Helter, skelter
The blogs are buzzing with endless repetition of a Digitimes report which claims Apple's suppliers are talking about "complete overhauls" across the product range in 2012. New iPhone, iMac, MacBook Air and iPad models are being discussed. I don't get it. Where's the surprise, news, information or even healthy speculation in that?
It saddens me that people all across this Apple planet are clicking avidly on a link which basically tells us: "Apple will be introducing new products next year." Isn't that obvious?
"Oh, but this isn't just new kit," they reply, "it's completely overhauled." So the news is that Apple plans new designs for its range? What could these be? Reading swiftly across the hegemony of Mac rumor reportage these could feature:
- That much ado about very little slight teardrop revision of the iPhone
- A few millimeters sliced off of the size of the MacBook Air
- A redesigned iPad (really? With the design lawsuits going on? All I can see is a thinner or better-featured model)
- Apple processors inside Macs?
[ABOVE: There's been other iMac designs.]
Tomorrow never knows
I'll make another prediction: Some of us will go to work, some will get born, others might get married and sadly some of us will need to get busy with dying. The sun will rise in the sky, the moon will progress across the celestial heavens and it's possible a little rain will fall. So what?
Is that news? Of course it isn't. It's incredibly obvious that Apple will introduce new products and it isn't unlikely it will choose to maintain interest in its range by offering new designs.
What might make the news more interesting is a look at what isn't being claimed. Do you see a MacBook or MacBook Pro upgrade mentioned in any of these articles? Do you see a Mac mini upgrade mooted, or a Mac Pro improvement? No. The story, such as it is, only mentions Apple's more consumer offerings.
So perhaps that's a story? That Apple might be focusing more on the bigger revenue generating businesses as it attempts to navigate its way through a painful economic recession.
The fool on the hill
The Digitimes report also claims Apple's working on two prototype iPads, J1 and J2. Perhaps it is, but since it would be foolish to expect these things to ship before April next year, I'll only get excited when one of these prototypes turns up on eBay in, like, 20-years time.
When it comes to Apple rumors I'm all for the ones which set you thinking. I'm keen on the stories that invite a little analysis -- such as the notion that Apple's Siri will incinerate Google's ads traffic on iOS devices -- but this latest peccadillo seems to me designed to achieve just one thing:
Depress Apple's Christmas season sales as consumers think: "Oh, but there will be new products next year."
[Above: Another earlier iMac model.]
Long and winding road
I'm curious just who is advising Digitimes. All the included information about display manufacture invites speculation that the leak could be a competitor in the display manufacturing space. Who does Apple compete with in that sector?
I'm sorry for today's rant, but if there's a takeaway here it is really, really simple: Apple will release new products next year, and every year. Some will feature new designs, others will deliver hardware or software improvements, and every single one is designed to make a difference in the market it hits.
That Apple will release new product next year isn't a story, it's a truism. Night follows day, you get burned with fire, and it's best not to eat cheese at bedtime. It's enough to make me take another look at Stupid Apple Rumors, who track these things and are at least consistent in their criticism.
It's time to stop this imitative click-based approach to Apple news. It's time to move onto something more interesting, such as the future of the voice and motion-controlled user interface, the Apple-led dissolution of Google's search empire or the potential for OS X licensing in future.
The Apple world is in no way so short of things to discuss, speculate upon and consider that we need to repeat every vacuous and empty comment just because everyone else is doing so.
Who took the oxygen from the Apple news room? What are your thoughts? Speak up, I'm interested.
Got a story? Drop me a line via Twitter or in comments below and let me know. I'd like it if you chose to follow me on Twitter so I can let you know when these items are published here first on Computerworld.
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