Apple Thoughts - News & Reviews on all things Apple

"Rumors of the iPhone jumping to a US provider outside of AT&T continue to swirl as Apple's exclusivity contract with AT&T looks to expire this year. First it was iPhone + Verizon and now it's iPhone + T-Mobile."

I'm sure by now you have seen numerous reports about T-Mobile possibly getting the iPhone. For months it was that the iPhone was sure to be on the Verizon network (PC World has a timeline in case you are interested), and now it is the T-Mobile rumor that is getting legs, as the mentions of an impending iPhone release on their network keep popping up. Adding to this is a recent one that Verizon will get it but after T-Mobile, as well as one that says the elusive white iPhone 4 will actually be a Verizon iPhone. What to believe? Could there be an additional network from which to choose for your iPhone service? AT&T, and Apple for that matter, took a risk and it paid off big with the iPhone. With that risk, AT&T also got something from Apple, namely exclusivity. With the upgrades in the iPhone year to year, and the addition of the iPad in the mix of products, you can see from their financials that the partnership with Apple is paying off handsomely. I guess it goes back to that old risk versus reward saying. But how is it doing for the customers that, according to Steve Jobs, are so important to Apple? Well here is my two-cents on the topic, and the rumor about T-Mobile.

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"Tablet? YES! With its own App Store? MAYBE! More hype than Avatar? CERTAINLY! If you've spent the last week or so thinking about the new iTabletSlateBookCanvasPod and nothing else, you'll probably want to grab David Weiss's Prediction score card for tomorrow's big announcement. Then you can check off the features as they come tumbling from the Jobsian lips."

As you may have realized by now, we don't post a lot of rumors here at Apple Thoughts. But if you are into keeping score you can download the PDF of the score card mentioned above right here. Or alternatively, you can head on over to iTunes [affiliate link] and get this handy $2.99 USD app that will keep track of it for you on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You can even add to the predictions with some of your own. I predict that I will NOT be buying this app. Oh look, already got one right!

If you are like me, you won't be attending the Apple event today at 10am Pacific, but that doesn't mean you aren't interested in seeing just how true the rumors are, and what kind of wonderful things Apple will be introducing. So our only option is via live coverage right here on the Internet. Some of those that are providing coverage are:

ars technica

Macworld

CNET

The iPhone Blog

The AppleBlog (you can also follow their twitter feed here)

Seth Weintraub's Blog at ComputerWorld

These are just a few, there may be more but at least this gives you a start to your coverage, coverage that will tell you if the tablet lives, if AT&T loses their exclusivity and the iPhone goes to Verizon, what is up with the next iPhone and what the winning Megabucks numbers will be! Well, maybe not the last one, but it will still be an information filled event I'm sure! Any guesses for what lay ahead?

"Last week, some enterprising fans created a visual guide to the Apple Tablet rumors. Today, the French website Nowhere Else has done something similar for the next generation iPhone. The image highlights the various rumors surrounding the next version of the iPhone (the iPhone 4G if you will) into one annotated graphic."

I like how they set this up, with each feature given a percentage for probability. And it is always good when you get a well done image to go along with the rumors. Not so sure I like the Front Facing Video Camera angle, how is that supposed to work??

"It was inevitable really, as there was no way Stéphane Richard's comments on the iSlate would be allowed to go unanswered. So sure enough, Orange - who are owned by France Telecom - have sent some PR goodness to a UK media website denying that anything resembling a confirmation of the iSlate or Orange's involvement with such a device, if it even existed, ever happened and it was all in blogger's minds."

Image Credit: Gizmodo

Of course they are referring to the faux pas from Stéphane Richard, an executive from France Télécom, when he let slip in an interview that indeed there was an Apple Tablet (with camera) that would be announced soon. So many rumors swirling around this one and in about 12 days we shall all learn the truth! So, do you think there will be a tablet announcement? If so, what features is it going to have?

"While this could be just another rumor, this name would fit perfectly with what a source told me in late April: that Apple would differentiate the new iPhone by making it the first device that makes home movie-making mainstream."

I'm all about this one, if it's true. It goes together nicely with the other rumor about the new iPhone: that it'll have a front-facing chat camera and some sort of video chatting capabilities. I'm not a big video chatter, but I do shoot a lot of video and if the iPhone does it well, it'll be one less thing I have to carry on a day-to-day basis.

"We've received news from a Best Buy insider about some new phones that may be on the horizon for the electronics retailer. Taking a peek into Best Buy's inventory system reveals three AT&T phones that have a "Project Charlie" codename."

Charlie 1, 2 and 3. Each with an individual SKU. All from AT&T. Screams new iPhone doesn't it? The only thing that I see that could possibly be lending credence to this addition to the rumor mill about a new iPhone, is that they are using code words and being very secretive, something Apple has been known to do in the past. But that isn't to say that other companies also do this and this could be a regular occurrence in the cellular phone industry, anyone know?

"The world and his dog, it would seem, want Apple to make a netbook. Even that part of the world that has no idea what a netbook is wants Apple to make one. But this is Apple we're talking about, and if it decides to make something that fits into the same market that the PC industry has been addressing with netbooks, you can bet it will be something special. Here's our best guess at what it might be."

Okay not for nothing, but if the upcoming (maybe) Netbook (tablet) that Apple may (or may not) make looks like this or along these lines, you won't be able to get my credit card into the hands of a black turtle-necked salesperson fast enough. Frankly, I think whoever made this mockup should probably sell the design to someone because it's brilliant.

I'd definitely buy it.

"One of our trusty ninjas just blessed us with some exclusive iPhone 3.0 shots. Things like detailing a video recording application, more settings options, an accessibility entry, and even showing that Apple could possibly be integrating voice dialing, too."

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to doubt what's coming just because of the number of rumors out there. Apparently Apple is including World Peace 1.0 rA in this version of the iPhone OS. While I'd love to see all of it, I'm starting to wonder if a lot of it is just wishful thinking. If it is true, then we're gonna have one hell of a device in a few months.

"We can’t tell you where or who, but pretty high up in AT&T’s food chain, the following was reported to be said: New iPhone announcement around mid-June (duh) New iPhone will be faster and have a more seamless experience unmatched by any device (could be just talking about 3.0, but we think it’s also a new iPhone) U-Verse iPhone application; will allow control of your home DVR (play, pause, rewind, etc.) The annual iPhone launch is “becoming a tradition.”"

It's not surprising that in the wake of the 3.0 announcement rumors would start swirling about a new version of the phone itself. I'm not sure I buy it, though. They had everyone's attention with the 3.0 announcement. To come out a mere two months later and announce a replacement phone when they easily could've done the same with a captive audience doesn't make sense to me.

Luckily, we won't have to wait long to find out of there really is any meat behind this rumor. June is definitely not that far off!

"A source has disclosed to World of Apple that Apple is planning to hold an event on March 24 to unveil new desktop hardware. The source which has been confirmed to be in reach of such information stated that the event would be similar to the notebook event held by Apple last October. World of Apple’s source was unable to offer any details on hardware specifics but did speculate that the Mac mini, iMac and Mac Pro would all be refreshed."

Why not, right? I'm still fiending for the new Mini, the iMac is a bit long in the tooth, and the Mac Pro hasn't been updated since Dinosaurs were buying them, so maybe this has some legs. It'll be interesting to see what comes of this one or if another "event" goes by without an actual event.

"A photo making the rounds on the Internet appears to conform to descriptions of a next-generation Mac mini published by AppleInsider earlier in the year. The photo shows the rear of a Mac mini that includes five USB ports instead of 4, both mini DVI and Mini DisplayPort connectors, and FireWire 800 instead of 400 -- all of which were specifications for a next-generation Mac mini first published by AppleInsider back in January. For what it's worth, this is the second picture of a Mac mini seen by AppleInsider with such a port makeup, the first of which we were asked not to publish. While we cannot vouch for the authenticity of this new photo, it shows a Mac mini that is identical in every way to the system in the unpublished photo, which was said to be a prototype from last fall."

As I've made clear on here on numerous occasions, I'm anxiously awaiting the new Mac Mini. I was hoping that this machine, which is, to me, the ultimate gateway drug into Mac computers wouldn't be discontinued or put out to pasture. Now it seems like every day we're hearing a new rumor about the next version of the Mini. I'm all for it, and honestly if there is a new Mini with a nVidia GPU on board, I'll be buying it the day it comes out; no questions asked. Anyone else?

"Apple is believed to be wrapping up a new feature in iTunes 8 that will allow users to stream their iTunes video purchases directly from the company's servers for playback anywhere, anytime without eating up local storage. Dubbed iTunes Replay, the service would allow iTunes shoppers to build out their digital video collection without worrying about the space needed to store the often hefty media files. It's unclear whether Apple plans to charge for the service, which is said to support both iTunes Movie and TV show purchases."

If this is true, it would be pretty darned cool. I want to own my music, but for the most part, I don't keep movie downloads after I watch them. That's why I love Netflix's Watch Instantly on my XBox 360 so much; no commitment to keeping movie files. Apple could easily pull this one off, but I imagine the big stumbling block will be getting the studios to cooperate. Isn't that always the way it is?

"Coverage of Apple's plans to launch the iPhone 3G in the United Arab Emirates later this month appears to also signal a June release date for the handset's successor. On Monday, Emirates Telecommunications - Etisalat said that it had struck the first iPhone deals of 2009 when it announced in a local newspaper plans to bring the iPhone 3G to the UAE and Saudi Arabia (under the Mobily brand) later this month. Mark Davis, Program Director for iPhone at Etisalat, later spoke with Dow Jones and revealed the precise launch date to be February 15th. The same report went on to say that the "next version of the device, which is due out in June, will be launched in the UAE at the same time.""

June? I'll take it. Honestly, I don't feel the urgency for the next version of the iPhone OS that I felt for 2.0, so it isn't pressing to me, but I always like to see new gadgets come along! Anyone else looking forward to the 3.0 release?

"The new iTunes Store screenshots confirm that Apple will be delivering over-the-air downloads for both video and audio podcasts. According to Schimanke, podcast downloads will be limited to episodes less than 10MB in size when using the cellular network. The screenshots also show off the new App Store category view with icons embedded. Additional 2.2 features previously revealed include the addition of Google Street View and Japanese Emoji icons."

Welcome news? Most definitely. If this rumor turns out to be true, one of the biggest knocks against the iPhone will have been remedied internally and officially. It's also nice, if this screenshot is true, that you don't have to be hooked up via WiFi to use the feature. Me? I don't really care one way or the other. Honestly, I've long since become disenchanted with a lot of podcasts I used to love and only listen to / watch a few of them, but it would be nice to not have to hook up my iPhone to grab the latest episodes. Any of you out there excited about this? Have you been holding out on the iPhone because it didn't do podcast downloading natively?

"Having read a blog post speculating that a discontinuation of the current Mac mini line overseas may be indicative of the product's ultimate demise, one advocate of the tiny desktops fired off an email with his concerns to Apple's newly-crowned Mac hardware engineering chief Bob Mansfield. Although Mansfield didn't issue a personal reply, a colleague in Apple's executive care division did almost immediately, offering no timetable for a Mac mini update but assuring that the company was well aware of system's market value, and suggesting the customer continue to exercise patience. 'I got a prompt reply by phone from an Apple executive care person essentially giving me no new information but assuring me that Apple knew the mini was a popular machine and to be patient," the customer told AppleInsider. "I certainly appreciated the contact, and I think it was a nice way of letting me know that rather than bug their head guys.'"

Now I have no reason to believe that this guy isn't telling the truth in any way, I just find it odd that Apple would break character by tipping their hands about future hardware plans. I am, however, comforted in the fact that the Mini may not be dead after all. We've discussed it on the forums for a bit and the general consensus of Apple Thoughts readers and staff would be that it would be a tragedy for the Mini to go the way of the dodo. Now, I put it in the hands of you, my dear readers. What do you think of this story? True? Not true? Wishful thinking? Or good news? I don't personally have an opinion on it except for hoping that it's true.

"Despite Internet rumors of forthcoming product releases, an Apple representative confirmed that the company has no plans to release any new products before the holidays. “Our holiday line-up is set,” Apple spokesman Bill Evans told Macworld."

Sad Christmas Tree (Of course it's sad; there were no new Apple products under it!) photo via Hajime7 on Flickr.

Well, thus ends that batch of rumors. Turns out Apple won't be releasing any new iMacs, Mac Minis, or Mac Pros before the holiday season. There's still a persistent rumor that the 17" MacBook Pro will be getting an update a-la the 15" models soon, but I think this pretty much puts the kibosh on the whole thing. It has been a busy year, nonetheless, for Apple. They've updated the MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, spec bumped the iMac, spec bumped the Mac Pro, updated the iPhone, the iPod Classic, the Touch, and the Nano, and released a new firmware version for the AppleTV, so it's not like Apple was asleep at the switch this year. What do you think? Are you happy with the holiday line up, or did Apple miss a chance to make further inroads with customers?