Las cinco cosas que Apple no menciono
Lala y iTunes
Nuevas companias de servicios
Apple TV
MacBook
iPad multitouch
Lectores: que es es lo que quieren que Apple lanze la proxima vez?
What Apple Didn’t Mention at the iPhone Launch
By Jennifer Valentino-DeVries
Thanks to a post by technology blog Gizmodo, which purchased a prototype of the iPhone 4, many of the details about the phone already were known before Apple officially launched the product on Monday. So there was a lot of speculation that Apple would talk about something extra to surprise its masses of fans. Much of the chatter before the event centered on what might happen after Apple CEO Steve Jobs said those four little words he often says: “And one more thing …”
Apple CEO Steve Jobs smiles with the new iPhone.This time, though, there wasn’t much beyond what had been anticipated about the phone already. So Apple watchers will have a lot to speculate about as they await Apple’s next big announcement.
Below, the five most intriguing possibilities that Apple didn’t talk about.
Lala and iTunes.com: In December, Apple bought online-music company Lala, which let users pay for access to songs that could be streamed but not downloaded. At the end of May, Apple shut down the site, fueling speculation that it was going to launch a version of iTunes that would work online — possibly allowing users to access their music through any Internet-enabled device.
New Carriers: Analysts and customers have long been asking about carrier options beyond AT&T. AT&T has acknowledged problems with its network in some cities, and Apple would stand to gain customers if it expands to other networks such as Verizon. There were reports earlier this year of a phone that could work on Verizon’s network, but there was no word today of any break in Apple’s exclusive agreement with AT&T.
AT&T did announce that it would be offering subsidies for users who are still on contract but who want to buy the new iPhone; this applies to anyone whose contract would expire in 2010, provided they agree to a new two-year contract. The deal could indicate that AT&T is moving to lock in users before its exclusive deal for the iPhone is up.
Apple TV: Google recently introduced a software platform that connects the Internet and television, for viewing on a TV screen. Given Apple and Google’s recent competition — and the fact that Apple already has a television platform — it seems natural that Apple should make a stronger push into the Web-television market. But last week Mr. Jobs dismissed a possible foray into television by the computer giant, reiterating that Apple TV is just a “hobby” for the company and saying that the options for bringing a real Web-TV platform to market are too limited.
Mr. Jobs has a history of pooh-poohing efforts as too difficult before successfully tackling them. That’s what he did with phones and with tablet computers. He tends to wait more than a week before doing such an about-face, so it was unlikely that this announcement would include Apple TV. But expect murmurs of an Apple push to the television screen to continue.
MacBook News: The MacBook Air — Apple’s ultra-thin laptop — has been around for a couple of years but hasn’t seen a significant upgrade. In May, several blogs speculated that Apple could announce such an update soon — possibly new memory or processors. Others questioned whether there was still a place for the MacBook Air, given the apparent success of the iPad and the Air’s high price of $1499.
Multitouch Pad: Word that Apple might introduce a multitouch trackpad peripheral at its keynote made the tech-blog rounds early Monday morning. Engadget said it had photos of the device, which would allow for finger-based input for computers. In theory, it would be similar to the input that is found on the iPhone’s screen, but in peripheral form, and it could allow handwriting recognition. The speculation followed reports earlier in the year of a “magic trackpad.”
Readers, what do you want to see next from Apple?