The perfect WWDC 2008

[Tailpipe]

It's Friday, there's nothing much interesting happening today except the naysayers grumbling about Leopard 10.5.3, so I thought I'd unleash my imagination on the unsuspecting Barbarian hordes.

What would the perfect WWDC look like?

Here goes.

Steve stands up and to everyone's surprise he's wearing a suit, but no tie and he's clean shaven. He looks dapper and elegant, but above all confident.

As he is about to speak, his cellphone rings. Instead of putting it to his ear, he puts on an earphone and speaks into a mike attached to it. He's looking at a picture on his iPhone. Then we realize he's making a video call. It's Barack Omama, who congratulates him on being the underdog that rises to the top.

The call finishes and Steve apologizes for interupting his keynote. Very matter-of-factly, he explains that the phone he's been using is the new 3G iPhone, in case we hadn't guessed. Very similar to the existing one, it has an aluminium body not the much rumoured plastic one. It offers video calling, GPS location finding linked with Google maps, and Steve explains how everything has been improved. He shows off the enhancements to the operating system then demos a couple of very cool SDK apps. The audience cheers. Several geeks faint. The usual stuff.

Then he reveals a brand new line-up of MacBook Pros. Available in three sizes, 13, 15 and 17 inch configurations, they're thinner, lighter, sleeker, with new keyboards and gesture trackpads. BTOs include Blu-ray DVD players, 256 Gb SSDs, hi-def LED screens and the industrial design is just so cool that the collective oohs and aahs can be heard half way to LA.

"Now we've got the boring stuff out of the way..." Steve continues, "We can get on to the more interesting stuff".

Steve goes over to a couch and discusses how he likes watching DVDs, but that his collection is now so big he needs to move to a bigger house. The audience clearly sympathizes with the injustice caused by this tired media format.

Ripping the covers off a large display, Steve reveals a stunning range of Apple TVs. Once again each one is a stunning example of cutting edge design. Designed to replace Apple's range of large monitors, the Apple TV range has an in-built TV tuner, in-built Apple TV and can also play both regular and HD Blu-ray DVDs. It links directly to iTunes so that you can select and download movies to its massive 5TB hard drive. You can plug your computer into it so that it provides a large screen experience. Best of all, it's available in four sizes: 30, 40, 50, 60 inch LED screens operating at 120 Hz. He demos a few cool features.

Members of the audiences rush out to call their brokers to buy Apple stock. But itis not over yet.

"And one more thing..." and no sooner are those immortal words spoken than a hushed silence descends over the Moscone Convention Center.

Steve nonchalantly opens his jacket pocket to reveal a thin machine that is somewhere in size between the MacBook Air and the iPhone. It opens like a typical notebook PC but appears to have a second screen where the keyboard should be. In fact, it looks a lot like the OLPC except that it is sleeker, smaller and cooler.

Steve laments the fact that Newton 1 was so lame but promises that this new version, Newton 2 will more than make up for it. Sporting a full version of OSX, it does everything the iPhone does, but is also a fully-fledged sub-notebook. Its twin 9-inch touch screens can recognize handwriting. It even has a built-in piano keyboard to demonstrate its versatility. He plays a tune and several young guys at the front (with beards) start dancing. He finishes to rapturous applause.

Hundreds of journalists exit the auditorium. The Appleinsider website goes down due to the volume of traffic.

And there you have it.

[SpamSandwich]

Steve stands up and to everyone's surprise he's wearing a suit, but no tie and he's clean shaven.

Already you're off the deep end. :lol:

[mjteix]

Hey Tail,

I think that you described MWSF 2009 (apart from the iPhone stuff) instead of the WWDC 2008.
;)

[FuturePastNow]

You certainly are imaginative, Tailpipe.

[Jensonb]

That would be awesome! But unlikely. I like the Obama touch though, very cool. The TVs are outlandish though. 5TB? Come on!

Plus, I mean...I assume the mini got updated the week before under this scenario? Dammit I want my new mini...

[Kickaha]

Hey Tail,

I think that you described MWSF 2009 (apart from the iPhone stuff) instead of the WWDC 2008.
;)

Indeed. The D in WWDC is for "Developers". This is a consumer lineup.

More likely:

1) iPhone 3G (duh), with the emphasis on the new APIs, new technologies as they can be leveraged by devs, and the Application Store.

2) .Mac -> Mobile Me (Mac/Windows) as a part of supporting the iPhone, and a new suite of APIs for iPhone, Mac, *and* Windows devs to use to hook into the client for syncing, etc.

3) Possibly MacBook Pros, as they are popular with devs, but not likely on my list.

4) Ditto for the Mac mini... it's the entry box for a lot of non-Mac devs who are 'Mac-curious', but it's not a high-priority item, IMO.

5) Possibly teasers for Things To Come in 10.6 - ZFS moves to being fully supported, Multi-Touch gets a big nod, and... your guess is as good as mine.


My bet is that it's going to be mostly about the iPhone, and the mobile unit SDK, Application Store, and syncing through a revamped and renamed .Mac designed to appeal to non-Mac users as well.

You know, stuff *developers* care about.

[vinea]

Ripping the covers off a large display, Steve reveals a stunning range of Apple TVs. Once again each one is a stunning example of cutting edge design. Designed to replace Apple's range of large monitors, the Apple TV range has an in-built TV tuner, in-built Apple TV and can also play both regular and HD Blu-ray DVDs. It links directly to iTunes so that you can select and download movies to its massive 5TB hard drive. You can plug your computer into it so that it provides a large screen experience. Best of all, it's available in four sizes: 30, 40, 50, 60 inch LED screens operating at 120 Hz. He demos a few cool features.


There is no way in hell I want to trade a 30" ACD at 2560x1600 for a 30" 1920x1080 HDTV.

An Apple line of TVs is bloody unlikely anyway.


Steve nonchalantly opens his jacket pocket to reveal a thin machine that is somewhere in size between the MacBook Air and the iPhone. It opens like a typical notebook PC but appears to have a second screen where the keyboard should be. In fact, it looks a lot like the OLPC except that it is sleeker, smaller and cooler.


The OLPC XO-2 concept mockup is unlikely to get built given that Negroponte has been exposed for what he is.

The book format isn't bad but the touch keyboard isn't going to be desired for folks that do the usual amounts of typing. Perhaps if Apple uses more of Englebart's two hand interaction theme (5 keys for the left hand for hotkey/mode changes/etc, and right hand for a mouse or trackpad) it might work better but that requires quite a bit of UI changes in Leopard and application support.

[MacRonin]

…Blah, blah, blah…

Dude, seriously, put down the bong…

:smokey:

[Joe_the_dragon]

video calls will make you hit the 3g 5gig cap real fast.

[Ireland]

Steve stands up and says anyone who posted over 5000 posts in an Apple rumors site gets a $1M :D

[Kickaha]

Unfortunately, the queue is in chronological order. Back of the line, youngster.

[kim kap sol]

Unfortunately, the queue is in chronological order. Back of the line, youngster.

Oooo...that's good news.

[cdnalsi]

The perfect WWDC 2008:

17" Macbook Pro, 1920x1200, slot-loading Blu-Ray Burner, 320gb HDD, 8800GTX 512mb graphics, new keyboard, new trackpad, magnetic latch. Starting from $1999.

New iPhone. Half the thickness, 3G, GPS, video calls. 32, 64 and 120Gb models. Starting from $299.

New Apple Cinema Displays. 24" @ $599, 30" @ $799, 52" @ $999 and 72" @ $1499.

Guess that would be a perfect WWDC 2008 8-):lol:

[Kickaha]

Oooo...that's good news.

Holy crap, what rock have you been hiding under?!? And where are our damned plastics?!?

[SpamSandwich]

The perfect WWDC 2008:

17" Macbook Pro, 1920x1200, slot-loading Blu-Ray Burner, 320gb HDD, 8800GTX 512mb graphics, new keyboard, new trackpad, magnetic latch. Starting from $1999.

New iPhone. Half the thickness, 3G, GPS, video calls. 32, 64 and 120Gb models. Starting from $299.

New Apple Cinema Displays. 24" @ $599, 30" @ $799, 52" @ $999 and 72" @ $1499.

Guess that would be a perfect WWDC 2008 8-):lol:

You forgot the Apple Exoskeleton Flying Suit...the iFly™!

[icfireball]

video calls will make you hit the 3g 5gig cap real fast.

What is this so called "3G 5GIG" cap you are talking about? Presumably Apple's new data package would include unlimited data over 3G as it now includes unlimited data over EDGE.

[kim kap sol]

Holy crap, what rock have you been hiding under?!? And where are our damned plastics?!?

i am making them now

[kim kap sol]

What the hey...let's make my post count a nice round 2500.

[Kickaha]

i am making them now

:smokey:

[Frank777]

Even if they're not updated, Cinema Display prices simply have to be adjusted at the keynote.

The new Dell 30" is being advertised for $1299. in Canada, while Apple's older tech 30" is still $2099.

Unless Apple plans to stop selling displays altogether, this adjustment can't wait for much longer.

[IQatEdo]

Even if they're not updated, Cinema Display prices simply have to be adjusted at the keynote.

The new Dell 30" is being advertised for $1299. in Canada, while Apple's older tech 30" is still $2099.

Unless Apple plans to stop selling displays altogether, this adjustment can't wait for much longer.

I am sure that this conference will be the one where we learn the fate of continued Apple display initiatives. There are so many Samsung badged displays turning up now on Macs everywhere I go here and there - at vastly lower price points.

Tailpipe - a great read! :)

[ncee]

… and the masses CAN NOT take more then one "Big News Event" at a time, and it's NOT in Apples best interest.

So, there will be only ONE big announcement - 3G iPhone. Now thats not to say, there won't be something new and exciting announced each week for the next 3-4 weeks after this event.

Apple NEEDS to get back in the public eye, and the 3G iPhone init of itself is not enough.

• 3G iPhone …
• School stuff thats been kicked around … (Maybe a new inexpensive desktop unit for schools)
• Updated MBP …
• The MUCH waited for, new Monitors …
• Apple TV update(s) …
• Mini - updated …

And more. This will all take up some time, while Apple gets ready for the Holiday season,(- iPod updates) and MacWorldExpo shortly after that. Which will be the first time we see / hear about "Something New"???

• Oh, New desktop units / designs at MacWorldExpo …

Skip

[TednDi]

Talk about old timers club!!

[BenRoethig]

The perfect WWDC 2008:

17" Macbook Pro, 1920x1200, slot-loading Blu-Ray Burner, 320gb HDD, 8800GTX 512mb graphics, new keyboard, new trackpad, magnetic latch. Starting from $1999.

Only 1.5" thick and 10 pounds.

[cdnalsi]

Only 1.5" thick and 10 pounds.

Hell YEAH! I wouldn't mind that at all! :D

[MacRonin]

Oooo...that's good news.

Uh, dude, he said 5000 posts; you only got 2500…



New iPhone. Half the thickness…

With all of the 'leaks' from the accessory manufacturers, it is fairly obvious that the 3G iPhone is going to be thicker, rather than thinner…



New Apple Cinema Displays. 24" @ $599, 30" @ $799, 52" @ $999 and 72" @ $1499.

Wow, you & Tailpipe must be hitting that bong together…!

:lol:

[xflare]

WWDC will be 100% iPhone/iPhone SDK and nothing else.

[Jensonb]

WWDC will be 100% iPhone/iPhone SDK and nothing else.

Supremely unlikely.

[Ireland]

WWDC will be 100% iPhone/iPhone SDK and nothing else.

Well I know one thing for sure. That is wrong.


iPhone 2.0 software and possibly hardware
Either MacBooks (Pro) or new Cinema displays
10% possibility of new .Mac service.

[icfireball]

WWDC will be 100% iPhone/iPhone SDK and nothing else.

Funny joke.

[mdriftmeyer]

Only an idiot would think Steve would make a Political Candidate Phone call.

[Jensonb]

Well I know one thing for sure. That is wrong.


iPhone 2.0 software and possibly hardware
Either MacBooks (Pro) or new Cinema displays
10% possibility of new .Mac service.


The .Mac is the more likely of those latter 2 by far.

[Kickaha]

Indeed. I expect the .mac revamp/rename will be a big part of the iPhone ecosystem unveiling.

[aaple]

Well I know one thing for sure. That is wrong.


iPhone 2.0 software and possibly hardware
Either MacBooks (Pro) or new Cinema displays
10% possibility of new .Mac service.


I'm almost certain the 3G iPhone will be announced along with 2.0.

I'm also guessing the new name/features for .Mac will be announced.

The back to school thing will have already been announced.

Unfortunately, the news I'm hoping for, new MBs and MBPs, seems less likely to come at WWDC. I hope I'm wrong, but with the delays for the integrated graphics chip, it seems like announcing new MBs that may not be available til the end of July would be counterproductive from a marketing standpoint. Why do the back to school promo (incentive to buy new MB) and then announce new ones that won't come til July (incentive to wait to buy newest MB). The chance of a new MBP being announced seems higher since it's Intel parts don't seem to be delayed necessarily...but if they were going to announce them simultaneously, I think they'll wait. Maybe announce in July...

Can anyone give me a good reason why Apple would go ahead and announce new MBs at WWDC instead waiting until closer to the release date?

[Ireland]

Indeed. I expect the .mac revamp/rename will be a big part of the iPhone ecosystem unveiling.

The only .Mac revamp I want to see is a free .Mac, any features they want to throw at us on top of that would be a bonus. And if not free at least a huge reduction in price to $29.99. @ $99/€99 (Amazon bla bla) Steve is pissing in our faces.

[icfireball]

The .Mac is the more likely of those latter 2 by far.

You mean the former two?

[Kickaha]

The only .Mac revamp I want to see is a free .Mac, any features they want to throw at us on top of that would be a bonus. And if not free at least a huge reduction in price to $29.99. @ $99/€99 (Amazon bla bla) Steve is pissing in our faces.

Depends on what the feature set, IMO. At the current price, it's not exactly a good value. Add in phone access, however, and things get interesting very quickly. It'll be interesting.

[MacRonin]

I think Apple needs to make the first years subscription to .Mac free with the purchase of a new Mac, US$30 with the purchase of an iPhone; and drop the renewal price to US$50 for all current & future subscribers.

If you purchase a new Mac down the road, you have the opportunity to use your free year for an extension of your current subscription, thus preventing having to start a whole new account.

[sandau]

Steve stands up and to everyone's surprise he's wearing a suit jacket, but no pants and he's clean shaven.

his last keynote before he leaves for the 3 week turbo-namaste clinic with fruit pectin-lsd colonics.



sorry, couldn't resist that one.


like your show better than mine. good imagination. However, I tihink it'll likely just be an incremental update, maybe a new product or two, but nothing that blows our minds (unlike the power brain wash above)

[rezwits]

I just can't believe no one seems to think 802.11n for the iPhone is just as important 3G, I almost don't even want to buy the new one when it comes out unless it has 802.11n :(

[Kickaha]

his last keynote before he leaves for the 3 week turbo-namaste clinic with fruit pectin-lsd colonics.



sorry, couldn't resist that one.


like your show better than mine. good imagination. However, I tihink it'll likely just be an incremental update, maybe a new product or two, but nothing that blows our minds (unlike the power brain wash above)

Nope, because unless it has a distinct developer interest, it's not going to get a big push at WWDC. This isn't aimed at consumers.

The iPhone ][ is a big deal for devs because *they can sell for it*. That makes it worth their valuable time. (Well, that and they're all going to be drooling over getting one soon. :D)

[@homenow]

I think Apple needs to make the first years subscription to .Mac free with the purchase of a new Mac, US$30 with the purchase of an iPhone; and drop the renewal price to US$50 for all current & future subscribers.

If you purchase a new Mac down the road, you have the opportunity to use your free year for an extension of your current subscription, thus preventing having to start a whole new account.
Apple is getting a share of the monthly earnings from subscriptions for the iPhone as I recall, so I would say that an iPhone customer should expect a free service that adds value above the competitors to the iPhone. Having them pay $20-99/year extra for that would make it less attractive to me as a consumer. I personally don't see the value in .Mac in its current form, but syncing of information from my computer to the iPhone while on the road seems like a good start.

[Jensonb]

You mean the former two?

No, I mean the latter 2. That's why I put them in italics.

[icfireball]

No, I mean the latter 2. That's why I put them in italics.

You said the latter two. The items were listed in this order:


iPhone 2.0 software and possibly hardware
Either MacBooks (Pro) or new Cinema displays
10% possibility of new .Mac service.


Latter means:

situated or occurring nearer to the end of something than to the
denoting the second or second mentioned of two people or


So by saying the latter two, your referring to "Either MacBook (Pro) or New Cinema displays" and "10% possibility of new .Mac service."

If you were to have said, "the former to" you would have been referring to "iPhone 2.0 software and possibly hardware" and "Either MacBook (Pro) or new Cinema displays."

Former in this situation means:

denoting the first or first mentioned of two people or

[FuturePastNow]

I think we're going to see demos of a lot of iPhone apps. And I mean a LOT.

[icfireball]

I just can't believe no one seems to think 802.11n for the iPhone is just as important 3G, I almost don't even want to buy the new one when it comes out unless it has 802.11n :(

802.11n isn't important for the iPhone at all. No internet service provided through wireless is fast enough to utilize the speed of 802.11n and better range isn't an helpful since BOTH the router and the receiver has to be 802.11n in order for the range to be increased. Most wireless is current NOT 802.11n. Also, there may be some restrictions on mobile phones/devices regarding a non-ratified standard. The only current advantage of 802.11n is with networking and home-server features like Time Capsule or Apple TV which require large amounts of bandwidth. Apple's introduction of 802.11n was solely based on their future plans with Apple TV, Time Capsule and other similar devices.

[SpamSandwich]

I think we're going to see demos of a lot of iPhone apps. And I mean a LOT.

Sure, they have to steal back some of the thunder from the Android demo now.

[aaple]

802.11n isn't important for the iPhone at all. No internet service provided through wireless is fast enough to utilize the speed of 802.11n and better range isn't an helpful since BOTH the router and the receiver has to be 802.11n in order for the range to be increased. Most wireless is current NOT 802.11n. Also, there may be some restrictions on mobile phones/devices regarding a non-ratified standard. The only current advantage of 802.11n is with networking and home-server features like Time Capsule or Apple TV which require large amounts of bandwidth. Apple's introduction of 802.11n was solely based on their future plans with Apple TV, Time Capsule and other similar devices.

This is true.

Even 802.11g has a max speed greater than most consumer broadband speeds in the U.S. ...sadly.

[Kickaha]

You said the latter two. The items were listed in this order:]

Yes, and read again what he wrote:

The .Mac is the more likely of those latter 2 by far.

Of. Not than. He was correct.

[aaple]

Yes, and read again what he wrote:



Of. Not than. He was correct.

Zing!

[Jensonb]

Yes, and read again what he wrote:



Of. Not than. He was correct.

Thankyou, yes

[icfireball]

Thankyou, yes

Ouch. I read that through every time and for some reason I was always thinking than. My bad!

[JakeTheRock]

Did anyone else catch that he said 120 hertz for the TV screens?
As far as I know, LCDs do not have refresh rates, since nothing is continuously scanning across as in CRT monitors. LCDs have response time, instead of refresh rates (which is measured in hertz)

[onlooker]

I just can't believe no one seems to think 802.11n for the iPhone is just as important 3G, I almost don't even want to buy the new one when it comes out unless it has 802.11n :(

Than this is for you.


New BlackBerry® Device
Every BlackBerry Smartphone Has A Full QWERTY Keyboard. Available Now! :lol:

[Kickaha]

Ouch. I read that through every time and for some reason I was always thinking than. My bad!

S'okay, I had to read it twice to get it too. ;)

[Jensonb]

Ouch. I read that through every time and for some reason I was always thinking than. My bad!

No problem mate

[Cubit]

I just can't believe no one seems to think 802.11n for the iPhone is just as important 3G, I almost don't even want to buy the new one when it comes out unless it has 802.11n :(

I'm with you rezwits-- should be in the MacMini too.

[melgross]

Did anyone else catch that he said 120 hertz for the TV screens?
As far as I know, LCDs do not have refresh rates, since nothing is continuously scanning across as in CRT monitors. LCDs have response time, instead of refresh rates (which is measured in hertz)

Refresh may not have been the correct term, but the screen is written to at twice the normal LCD rate of 60 Hz. this is becoming common amongst better LCD Tv's.

My Samsung LED projection Tv is also written to at 120 Hz.

[melgross]

As we're talking about possible entries at the ADC, I would like to, again, present the possibility of Nehalem Mac Pro's making a showing.

What the percentage is, I can't say, but new evidence that they are pretty much, if not entirely, ready is at hand at Computex. Numerous working Nehalem boards were on display at Intel's booth, including a number from Intel themselves.

This is tantalizing. Read down to the end, after the photos:

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/06/03/computex-2008-great-wall

While AnandTech says that Nehalem will be released in the fall, it seems to be ready now, and as Apple has received new product early...

[IQatEdo]

As we're talking about possible entries at the ADC, I would like to, again, present the possibility of Nehalem Mac Pro's making a showing.

What the percentage is, I can't say, but new evidence that they are pretty much, if not entirely, ready is at hand at Computex. Numerous working Nehalem boards were on display at Intel's booth, including a number from Intel themselves.

This is tantalizing. Read down to the end, after the photos:

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/06/03/computex-2008-great-wall

While AnandTech says that Nehalem will be released in the fall, it seems to be ready now, and as Apple has received new product early...

Perhaps a '1/2 Mac Pro' tower too? :wow:

Single 45nm processor, 8 core (OK, 4 would do), 3.6GHz. :)

[Joe_the_dragon]

Well the full power mac with 2 cpus will need 6 dimms to get the max ram use.

Also with the 3 channel set up will make 4 dimm systems bad so 1 cpu mac system better have 6 ram slots. With 2 x16 and 1 x4 pci-e slot.

[melgross]

Well the full power mac with 2 cpus will need 6 dimms to get the max ram use.

Also with the 3 channel set up will make 4 dimm systems bad so 1 cpu mac system better have 6 ram slots. With 2 x16 and 1 x4 pci-e slot.

It all depends on the speed you want to run your DIMMS at. With three channels, you can get much more memory, but it runs at 1,333 GHz (bus speed). With two channels you get less memory, but it runs at 1,600 GHz (bus speed).

I wonder how Apple would go here. Raising memory bus speeds has proven to make little difference on most software. On the other hand, thats a lot of memory either way.

The only thing about memory here with Nehalen is that Intel is allowing DDR 3 for the first time. But it is going to use DDR 3 1,300 GHz memory, which is the speed where DDR 3 makes a faster memory subsystem over DDR 2. But we know that DDR3 is already up beyond 2,000 speeds. I'd like to see faster memory making a difference.

[melgross]

Another thing to add to the iPhone announcements about carriers atthe conference

I just received this from Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/06/04/ap5078481.html?partner=alerts

[TednDi]

One more thing....

Apple MVNO + .mac = MOBILE ME.

remember that nifty data center?

APPLE will allow ATT to subsidize phones and Apple will purchase the airtime from ATT and other partners enabling worldwide locked phones at a stable price no more need for unlocking.

boom!

[GregAlexander]

WWDC will be 100% iPhone/iPhone SDK and nothing else.

Hehe.
The problem with that prediction is that it ignores the whole Mac developer side of things.

As we're talking about possible entries at the ADC, I would like to, again, present the possibility of Nehalem Mac Pro's making a showing.

Interesting, I love reading stuff I hadn't thought of that make absolute sense (once pointed out!)

Apple MVNO + .mac = MOBILE ME.
remember that nifty data center?

APPLE will allow ATT to subsidize phones and Apple will purchase the airtime from ATT and other partners enabling worldwide locked phones at a stable price no more need for unlocking.

While a worldwide MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) would be intriguing, I think it'd be far too difficult to organise.

If we're going to talk 'grand plans', what if every online Mac (with a wireless chip) and Airport device became a wireless access point for ANY apple devices? I guess that's a "wireless virtual network operator"). So if someone has an iMac in their home and I am nearby with my laptop or iPod Touch, it logs into MobileMe via the iMac and accesses the internet.

Or on a phone related note - it would be very interesting if Apple was an early entrant into wireless VoIP phones which roam onto mobile networks and then back onto VoIP. The way BT do it in the UK is the phone logs into a wireless access point when it can and then connects (via voip) to a virtual cell-tower. So you actually use your home or office internet connection to make and receive calls rather than the cell network. Early IMS demonstrations even allowed your phone to recognise (via bluetooth) when you were returning to your computer and let you flick your call to the computer .

[GregAlexander]

Since it's the DEVELOPER conference...
I'm going to predict that the app store is open for ALL Macintosh applications.

In fact, Apple will insist that
1) all macintosh applications be available via the store
2) all applications store their configuration and installation data on .Mac/MobileMe
3) apps be licensed to 1 or more users, rather than to a machine
Apps can still be sold elsewhere and Apple won't take 30% of sales price.

You won't just synchronise Dashboard apps with the .Mac service - you'll synchronise whole applications. If you go to a new machine it'll have to download the application again from the store, then use .Mac to insert your configuration information.

[Joe_the_dragon]

apps like cs3 and games are to big for a on line store do realy want to down a 4-5gb + app also some people only 1.5 meg dsl and other on cable have low 5-40gb download caps.

[melgross]

apps like cs3 and games are to big for a on line store do realy want to down a 4-5gb + app also some people only 1.5 meg dsl and other on cable have low 5-40gb download caps.

I don't think Greg was serious about Apple "insisting" on this.

You weren't, were you Greg?

[GregAlexander]

apps like cs3 and games are to big for a on line store do realy want to down a 4-5gb + app also some people only 1.5 meg dsl and other on cable have low 5-40gb download caps.

Yeah I realised that as I wrote it... some apps are simply too big for people to do this. Apple could handle it - they routinely rent multi gigabyte HD movies - but for the big apps many users couldn't handle it.

That's not to say that the App store couldn't simply switch across to the Apple Online Store and courier the purchase to a user.

(I suppose that a "MobileMe" service which syncs your apps via .Mac, could warn that some apps may not be synced since they are too large (or require an iPod Classic for initial sync). But it could confuse people.)

[GregAlexander]

I don't think Greg was serious about Apple "insisting" on this.

You weren't, were you Greg?

Kind of. It's total guess work on my "prediction" of course, but I like to make a specific guess rather than a vague "apple will do something no one expects with their app store" - which is much easier to be right on, but a much weaker prediction to start with.

:-)

I was certainly serious about Apple considering a new way of handling regular Mac applications, linked to what they're doing with the iPhone App Store.

So in my prediction, for now and for fun, I'll say yes to "insisting" each of those things (knowing full well I will likely be entirely wrong).

Apple charges $5 to download a huge movie, they can afford to download huge games etc, even if it warns about size first (or tells you that a courier would be quicker).
(I'll also stick to them insisting app config data is syncable via .Mac, and to enable synchronising users across their machines the license will have to be by user rather than by machine).

(edit: of course some companies will stick to doing it how they've always done it - Apple can insist all it wants to no effect. My prediction is that Apple's new system won't accept 'half' memberships. )

[TednDi]

Hehe.
The problem with that prediction is that it ignores the whole Mac developer side of things.



Interesting, I love reading stuff I hadn't thought of that make absolute sense (once pointed out!)



While a worldwide MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) would be intriguing, I think it'd be far too difficult to organise.

If we're going to talk 'grand plans', what if every online Mac (with a wireless chip) and Airport device became a wireless access point for ANY apple devices? I guess that's a "wireless virtual network operator"). So if someone has an iMac in their home and I am nearby with my laptop or iPod Touch, it logs into MobileMe via the iMac and accesses the internet.

Or on a phone related note - it would be very interesting if Apple was an early entrant into wireless VoIP phones which roam onto mobile networks and then back onto VoIP. The way BT do it in the UK is the phone logs into a wireless access point when it can and then connects (via voip) to a virtual cell-tower. So you actually use your home or office internet connection to make and receive calls rather than the cell network. Early IMS demonstrations even allowed your phone to recognise (via bluetooth) when you were returning to your computer and let you flick your call to the computer .


I see your point and that reminds me... Wasn't Steve J. interested in FON?

That sounds pretty close to your idea.

http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2007/10/31/jobs-love-of-wifi-may-lead-to-partnership-with-fon


I wonder....

[vinea]

802.11n isn't important for the iPhone at all. No internet service provided through wireless is fast enough to utilize the speed of 802.11n and better range isn't an helpful since BOTH the router and the receiver has to be 802.11n in order for the range to be increased.


My AEBS increased my range with my MBP even though I have an older G card vs the D-Link I had before. The D-Link I keep as a secondary G network.

Eh...the advantage of 802.11N on the iPhone is you can ditch G support for faster speed on your network without keeping an old G router around.