Apple Rumors! From speculation on the iTV to a possible 7-inch iPad, they’re everywhere this week. Let’s round them up and analyze them.
Rumor: Apple Will Introduce iTV for $99
Analysis: Likely. Digg founder Kevin Rose has thrown his support behind a rumor first reported by Engadget, which speculated that Apple TV will be re-branded as iTV and cost about $99. This product seems like a no-brainer, and that’s why everyone is behind the rumor. An Apple TV running iOS—basically an iPod touch without the screen or storage—seems to be the most likely scenario. We have a short list of things we’d love to see on the new iTV, but mainly we just want Apple to take Apple TV (last updated in October) off the back burner and to the next level. Imagine using your iPhone as a controller for a game you’re watching on your television via iTV—and sharing content wirelessly between it, your iPhone or iPod touch and your computer. It could happen.
Rumor: Apple Will Introduce 99-cent TV Show Rentals
Analysis: Likely. If the iTV rumors are true, this Bloomberg News report makes a lot of sense. Why? Well, a rumored reasonably low buy-in cost ($99) for the hardware and low-cost show rentals fit the Apple business model. Apple makes big money off of hardware sales and does volume on low-cost apps. With Hulu now charging for full access to TV content (you can’t just waltz over to the site and watch the entire season of “30 Rock” anymore), Apple sees an entry. And if it’s cheaper, a la carte, and tied to an Apple product, a certain sizeable part of the population won’t be able to resist. Netflix and Hulu may have iPhone and iPad apps, but that doesn’t mean Apple won’t try to take a huge chunk of the customer base.
Rumor: Apple’s New iPod Touch is Coming—and it’ll have FaceTime
Analysis: Very likely. This is my surest bet of the bunch. Simply put: why wouldn’t this be happening? Apple Insider looked at the alleged new front panel Wednesday. The iPod touch traditionally follows the iPhone in terms of shape, abilities, etc. The main exception is that the iPod touch still does not have a camera, while the iPhone 4 not only has a camera, it has video chat in the form of FaceTime. Apple poured tons of ad revenue into heartwarming TV ads that specifically flaunt the FaceTime feature. The iPod touch needs this feature too, or FaceTime, which currently only works between iPhone 4′s, will remain quite limited. Oh—and why not add FaceTime to the rumored iTV, too? An external camera accessory could make that happen.
Rumor: A Mini iPad with a 7-inch Screen is on the Way
Analysis: Possibly, but don’t hold your breath. September has traditionally been about iPods. The fact that an Apple TV/iTV announcement seems likely makes this a crowded month for the Cupertino crew. Am I saying that a 7-inch iPad will never happen? No, but I’m not sure the timing of it will fall in the next month or so. My honest guess is you’ll see a new, full-size iPad, and perhaps a mini, in January. Apple announced its first iPad in January, and the company is pretty consistent with its calendar.
Rumor: Apple Will Announces All (or Some) of this on Tuesday, September 7
Analysis: Very likely. Every time I go to an iPod announcement event, it’s in the first half of September in San Francisco, and almost always on a Tuesday. It has not been confirmed by Apple, mind you, but my money would be on the 7th, and if not, the next Tuesday, the 14th. Why is the 7th a more attractive date? It directly precedes the new TV season and—as iPod events have done in the past—it falls a couple days before the first NFL game of the season. In other words, that week and weekend period is one of the best times of the year for high profile commercials. Expect Apple to be all over your team’s opening game commercial breaks.