Apple Predictions (Present to Future+)

[huttjos]

Hi everyone, this is my first post. (Newbie, stop poking me! lol)

To just say plain a simple, Apple Inc. is like my first child, lol. I love everything about them, can get a little mean and angry at them, but all in all, will always love them. And being a fellow industrial designer, I can greatly appreciate alot of the things they are doing.

So this is a topic that my dad and I constantly debate about for fun when there's nothing else to talk about or we hear an exciting blab about Apple in the news.

-What is Apple going to come out with next?-

Now, everyone has seen 100s of spoofs on future Apple 'i' products. "The iChair, The iToliet, The iCup, etc". This is not what this post and discussion is about, just to be fair so this can be a serious post with peoples real, thought out opinions.


Now, this can be from anytime from present to as far as you would like to go without getting delirious i guess, lol! (The iSpaceship). And be sure to read others opinions in this blog. Someone may of thought of different things than you, which can be cool!


Personally, this is my analyzed, well thought out timeline on where Apple is going at least in the 'nearer' future. Not really to sure about the actual time itself, (years), this is more of a list of products. (But I'll speculate on years)



Summer 09'
1. Apple with be stepping into a brand new arena, as well as advancing more and more in their invested fields of interest. So, certainly the long awaited NetBook. Also possibly Apple going into the Blu-ray Drive? I'm going to assume not yet, but soon.
2. A brand spanking new redesigned iPhone, shell and all. (This will be the one to get, folks) Im going to speculate an array of iPhone shell colors, just as they did with the Nano.

Now since Apple has speculated and anylasts have agreed, Apple will be gearing up more toward the Mac; putting the iPhone and iPod etc on the back burner for awhile. I have a feeling they are going to want to beef up their computers and OS X for a new market they will be entering.

3. Their next OSX update. Forget about Snow Leopard. Even though that will be grand, it will be the next OS's to be looking at.
4. I also think you're going to see Apple take on touch to desktop computers big time. So I believe that with addition of touch, the OS platform will change thus creating a brand new touch based look to the OS (Which will certainly be comparable to the iPhone's OS.)



Future (No Date)
5. Then, I'm going to speculate that Apple is going to give a push to their Apple TV. I have a feeling Apple's really going to want to tap into that full steam like they did the iTunes Music Store. (Take a look back and see how far they have come) Especially with the Apple TV 'take two'. They obviously don't want to let this fish go quite yet. However, the actual product unit will be no more. This is because the Apple TV software will be built into Apple's new HDTV. I believe Apple to going to progress into the television market and try and do everything right in that market too, lol!. They already have the amazing screens, and the name behind them to back them up, but this will be a TV done Apple style. As soon as you see it, you will not believe how ancient every other TV will look. (Like what the iPhone did to the Cellphone market. Like what the iMac did to the computer market) Not only the industrial design, but the software inside and it's UI will be unlike anything you've seen in TV's. That will be it's true selling point. I'm going to guess they will start off at the sizes 32" and 40" to start. WIth a 52" model later as well in the months after. I also believe they will either go with LED or LCD instead of Plasma. Going Plasma may hurt their reputation a little bit to the people that know about Plasmas and their quick burning (even though self-fixable). LED is a great resolution, and crazy eco friendly; which happens to be a nice little trend going on right now, thank god.


That's as far as I'd like to go right now, lol

 

[talkingfuture]

It will either be an extension of Apple TV or part of front row, but I think it is coming reasonably soon. The only grey area is how they will overcome the hurdles of providing wide ranging content at a reasonable price. I think iTunes TV show are too expensive right now. Maybe they will get into streaming or subscription services for TV and Movies.

 

[Dr.Buzz]

What makes money?

1. Tablet in the next year. Why? I posted this in another area already, but most of us only use our computer for email and web stuff outside of work (and at work too I guess..shh!). So, if I want to do real work / game - I use my iMac. But, if I am walking around or lounging and want to read and do very simple things like email (90% of my comp use), I don't need much memory or power or weight or a keyboard. The tablet is the natural progression. Netbooks are just the retarded child of laptops - next they will all realize that what people simply want is a cheap computer alternative to paper. Since the web is todays textbook, notebook, etc, we will see these in meetings and coffee shops. They can make money here just like with the iphone, plus it expands the devices the app store can sell to. Also itunes movies. Main points: Simple, cheaper than laptops (netbook prices or even smart phone prices eventually) and relatively disposable like amazon reader but with actual good functions and view ability.

2. Apple TV set? Shrug. I'd love it, but I just don't see how it plays out unless they do what the other guys said above, which is allow better streaming and delivery and better prices. Why do I care - if I can watch hulu on my HD TV and it looks DVD quality?

3. Bluray is going to die just like laserdisc. Good tech, but too late. The world is downloadable. It will be around, but I am 30 and we haven't purchased a physical disc in years. I'm guessing I'm not alone. Owning is done with. Rent on demand is the future. I rent a movie and put it on my iTouch and with one cable I can plug into any TV and play DVD quality. Why own for 20-30 when I might only watch it twice in many years? Would rather just look at my past purchases and remember what I liked to watch again for 3-5 bucks.

4. Apple is working with Mercedes and maybe Tesla (my own prediction) to integrate car stuff like Microsoft but hi end. Wifi syncing when you come into your garage at home with your iTunes library. Don't know why this isn't more mainstream yet. Makes complete sense too me. Why fuss with an ipod when you can get Hard drives in cars now? I want to drive around with my itunes music library. HD radio has itunes tagging, hit a touch screen button, prompt says, "would you like to wirelessly DL the song on the radio"? Why, yes! Thanks car, you're my BFF to the end. Now, make me a biscuit.

 

[diemos]

perfect media center is XBMC in my opinion, the next big thing from apple will be without a doubt a Netbook.

 

[SkeffMBP]

Interesting topic. My friends and I debate quite a bit about the future of Apple, it's nice to see other's opinions outside of our little circle.

As for my two cents, here we go:

1. I think that Apple will be ramping up the iTunes store in a big way within the next twelve months - streaming media that you own. Instead of you having to download everything to your computer's hard drive, Apple will store it on their servers for whenever you would like access it, ala Netflix. This way, instead of you having to pre-load you iPod or iPhone with pre-determined music & movies, you'll be able to stream anything that you've purchased over-the-air (similar to how podcasts work now on the iPhone).

2. I am still not convinced that Apple is releasing a Tablet. Sure, this may go against the grain considering the rumors out there, but I just do not see the point of it in the market. For everything that people want a Tablet for, they have the iPod Touch. Do not get me wrong, though - I would be just as excited as the next guy if Apple did release it.

3. The future of Mac OS X - Touch? Maybe. Gesture? More likely. Our bodies are not made for reaching out and touching screens to control computers. But, considering how many of us 'talk with our hands,' I think that may be the next step of computing. Will it replace the mouse? Eventually.

Thoughts?