10 Apple Predictions for 2010
The end of the year is the perfect time to spout ten, rock solid, take it to the bank, predictions for the upcoming year. Well, if only it were that easy. So let me rephrase: here are ten predictions intended to be mildly diverting, whether or not they'll materialize.. Well, with enough legalese I'm sure at least one of them will be spot on.
10. Thirty-Inch iMac
You know what just isn't cool? The three inches the iMac added last year. If you have a 24" iMac the extra three inches really isn't enough motivation to splurge on a new machine. A thirty-incher would be a different story. Why not a tricked out iMac in thirty inches? I guarantee Apple will at least sell one.
9. MacWorld Makes It After All
The easiest prediction in the world to make is that Macworld (the event) will be killed dead by Apple's refusal to make a showing at the conference. But Macworld has an ace up its conference sleeve: Paul Kent is fighting very hard to keep the thing going. The crowds will be smaller and the buzz won't be as big, but thanks to Paul, the event will continue.
8. iPhone Sees Its shadow—12 More Months of Failed iPhone Killers
Currently the internet is aflutter with rumors about a new Google phone. Previously the internet was bubbling with Droid talk and before that there was the certainty that the Storm would finally take the steam out of the iPhone. You can make the list as long as you want and you'll discover that no other phone has come close to generating the hype surrounding the iPhone. 2010 won't see Apple removed from the top of the smartphone heap but people won't stop trying.
7. AppleTV to Get Radical Makeover and Continue to Suck
Steve Jobs has called AppleTV a hobby and the only reasonable conclusion is that Apple, as a company, doesn't have a lot of free time to devote to said hobby. Until AppleTV rates as something more important than a hobby at Apple it will continue to languish in the land of misfit gadgets.
6. MacBook Air Discontinued
The MacBook Air was Apple's first response to the netbook market. The MacBook Air was never a big seller, no one managed to see the diminutive Mac as a real competitor to netbooks, they saw it instead as a status symbol. Killing the MacBook Air is a great idea if you've got something to replace it which brings us to...
5. Apple Finally Releases a Tablet and it Fails
The more you hear the rumors the more it seems like Apple is intent on releasing a 10" iPhone to the world. Supposedly, it will be low priced and you'll be able to have constant connectivity with the thing. Sounds good on paper but why would you want a 10" iPhone if you already have an iPhone that fits in your pocket?
4. iPod Touch is 2009's Surprise Christmas Hit
People will be amazed when the numbers for the current quarter are revealed. The iPod touch will be a monster seller.
3. New Version of OS X Announced, Called Serval
Operating systems keep evolving and OS X will have to keep moving forward as well. With the next release Apple will choose the code name Serval and tout how your Mac has really has become a digital hub for your life. Serving movies to your TV, allowing to access your music on the go and so forth.
2. Macs to Pick Up More Market Share without Giving Up Profits
By now it is obvious that, despite the exhortations of bloggers, Apple isn't interested in growing Mac market share if it means cutting prices. Apple has also shown that a price cut isn't needed to pick up market share. Expect the "rounding error" of the Mac's market share to keep growing throughout 2010.
1. iPhone on Verizon, World Goes Nuts
Who doesn't want the iPhone on Verizon? AT&T is suspect number one. But when the contract runs out there will be little the company can do to stop it. Point to the standards that AT&T is set to roll out in a few years and argue that Apple wants in on the new stuff and you'll be forgetting that Apple wants to sell phones now and two years from now. Selling phones now means Verizon, if Apple can sell a bunch more when AT&T has a superior network in a few years that's even better. Or you might argue that Verizon CDMA and the iPhone isn't. If Motorola can make phones that work on both networks so can Apple. When the iPhone does come to Verizon expect the US market share of all other smart phones to plummet at roughly the speed of domestic turkeys tossed from a helicopter.
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My predictions?
1. No Apple tablet in 2010. We’ll see one in 2011.
2. A carrier agnostic iPhone 4G in the fall of 2010.
3. Apple will replace/supplement the iTunes app with a web based system using Lala technology. Anything you buy on Lala will sync instantly to your iTunes library and vice versa. Your entire iTunes library will be streamable from any broswer or iTunes enabled device - Applet tv, iPhone, mac or PC.
Agreed, the tablet as a giant iPhone will be a hard sell. It would be quite un-Apple like if that’s all the tablet is. I don’t think Jobs would release the tablet if it had no compelling new feature.
That said, I don’t think that the Air would necessarily be discontinued when the tablet comes out. The development and tooling are already sunk costs. With CNC machining of the alu shells, I don’t think it’s that expensive to continue selling the air at low production numbers. More likely, Air development will be at a pace closer to Mini than MacBook Pro.
Yeah, I think the Great Cincinnati Turkey Drop is one of funniest scenes in TV sitcom history.
re #5 tablet fail. Well since Apple have supposedly spent many years developing the concept coupled with Jobs legendary user focus and some clear thinking I can see Apple coming up with something completely radical. One of those ‘why didn’t we see that coming’ moments.
Too early to call this one.
I think for #1 - it should read ...
1. iPhone on Verizon - America goes Nuts, World Doesn’t Care
I do agree that if they did it it would have to be a CDMA phone , not LTE (for now).
Awesome predictions, Chris. Many of them ring so true.
I’ve got to disagree with prediction 4. I’ve thought about that myself, and did start designing a way around that to some extent.
But to be honest, I’m not sure there’s any point. Generally news posts are on a quick decline to irrelevance the minute they’re published. All they could offer is context for future events, but a well-written article should offer the reader that anyway. As for non-news posts, I wonder if many people have a site they’re particularly tied to, or would just use a search engine instead.
Also, 11 would be easy to call true on already. There’s a fair few papers, and some products too (e.g. NeuroSky).
Tommy Jamess
Awesome predictions, Chris. Many of them ring so true.
BearinG
Howard Stringer, CEO (Sony) confirmed an ongoing rumor about Apple’s next gen iphone i.e iphone 5 to have Sony’s 8 Mega Pixel camera with image sensor.
You are right on time. I lve Apple products but they have to step it up...especially in the Tablet market. I read some interesting comparisons about the Ipad 2 and the Samsung galaxy tab 10.1. Your predictions here to seem to be holding true my friend.
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Generally news posts are on a quick decline to irrelevance the minute they’re published. All they could offer is context for future events, but a well-written article should offer the reader that anyway carpet cleaning. As for non-news posts, I wonder if many people have a site they’re particularly tied to, or would just use a search engine instead.
I think Apple sales will do fine and Apple’s creativity is indeed a well known feature from the early days.That was exactly what i needed to know thanks to you for sharing it here.
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I do agree that if they did it it would have to be a CDMA phone , not LTE (for now). tuition agency
Im sure the android phone are getting closer to the iphone though.
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I have Apple products but they have to step it up especially in the Tablet market. I read some interesting comparisons about the Ipad 2 and the Samsung galaxy tab 10.1. Your predictions here to seem to be holding true my friend.
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Looking back I can see how many of these things happened. Good predictions! download free movies