WWDC 2009
WWDC starts in San Francisco in about an hour. I am really interested to see what Apple announce today. Personally speaking, I hope we don’t see Steve Jobs. He is on a well deserved and much needed break. The story should be the products, not the CEO’s health.
By building the WWDC into the most widely anticipated corporate event in the calendar, Apple has become its own worst enemy. The company’s stock price 1 hour before the start typically accounts for the markets (totally speculative) expectations on product releases. And people tend to assume a lot. As has happened a few times recently, don’t be surprised to see Apple’s stock drop 5% this afternoon, regardless of what they announce. Apple is a long-term play for sure.
Clearly there will be a new iPhone. Not sure they have the iPhone lite ready, and I don’t think now is the right time to launch it. A $99 feature-lite, small profile, cross-network iPhone will corner the market in weeks, but it will cannibalize sales of the higher spec, higher price iPhone range. Apple should wait until everyone that will buy a feature-rich iPhone has already got one. In my mind, that should be sometime next year.
I think Apple has a tablet up its sleeve too. But again, its probably too early to unleash that on the world. And WWDC’s should be about one hardware group, not two. So again, I say 2010 for a tablet mac.
I believe their will be some software announcements. Its a crowd of developers after all. Probably some changes to the App store (and lots of self congratulation) and possibly the much anticipated Snow Leopard.
But today will be a day about iPhones. I can’t remember ever being disappointed by an Apple announcement, I am sure today will be the same. Lets hope that the pre-event hysteria doesn’t stop that the market from getting excited too.
