Lest we forget, tomorrow is the big day for Apple’s annual fall event. If that guitar-laden announcement is any indication, then this event will focus on the music-oriented offerings that pepper Apple’s hardware and software lineup. The rumor and speculation surrounding this event has been building over the past few weeks and we are here to sum up what we expect to see announced tomorrow by Jobs et al and a few items that we do not.
Let’s start off with the topics that we expect to see announced tomorrow. These items have received the most attention from the press recently and fit in nicely with the theme of the event. These hot new hardware and software offerings may include:
- iOS 4 on the Apple iPad: Apple confirmed that iOS 4 will roll out this Fall and the September event is a perfect time to make it official.
- An iTunes revision that will feature more social crap: Apple is always looking to expand iTunes and set it apart from the competition. We would expect to see iTunes get a bit more social, offer some improvements in the Genius area, and add in support for the iPad with iOS 4.
- New iPod Touch: We have seen a continuous stream of hardware parts that suggest the iPod Touch will receive a front-facing camera. Coupled with the camera, we would expect to see FaceTime support, a built-in microphone, and an iPhone 4-like hardware design.Fingers crossed that we see GPS and a rear-facing camera as well.
- New iPod Nano and Shuffle: Leaked case designs and circulating rumors suggest the fourth-generation Shuffle and the sixth-generation Nano are also slated to receive the official nod.
- AppleTV version 2, also possibly known as the iTV: With the debut of a mysterious Apple device, all fingers have been pointing to an updated Apple TV that is powered by iOS 4. Picture a set-top box that runs all your iOS apps including Netflix and ABC player, integrates with your iPad and iPhone, and connects to your HDTV. Sounds like a winner that may fit in the multimedia theme of this event. Fingers crossed on this one, too.
- 99-cent rentals from iTunes: Rumors suggest that Apple’s top brass have been wrangling with Hollywood over Apple’s push to offer 99-cent rentals of television episodes as part of a six month trial. Negotiations may have to come down to the wire on this one and we cannot predict whether Apple will be able pull this all together so quickly.
- iTunes in the Cloud: Apple bought LaLa earlier this year and has since shuttered the online music service. Thus far, LaLa has remained under the radar. We are hoping it may re-emerge as an Apple-branded offering that grabs your iTunes library and drops it in the cloud. A few months may not be long enough to integrate LaLa seamlessly into iTunes but it would be an exciting announcement for this music-themed event.
While one or more of those above items may take center stage tomorrow, these next items fall into the “possible but not likely” category. Though we do not expect these items to make their official debut just yet, we would be pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong and see one or more get confirmed.
- iPad Mini: Apple is rumored to be producing a 7-inch iPad to compete with the plethora of Android tablets hitting the market. This small-sized iPad may get the official nod tomorrow but it is equally likely to make its debut in early 2011, perhaps on or around the anniversary of the first iPad announcement.
- CDMA iPhone: It is all but a given that Apple has a CDMA iPhone under production. Whether it is slated for Verizon Wireless, Sprint, or some other global CDMA carrier remains to be seen. While confirmation of this device would put a welcome end to these seemingly endless rumors, we do not expect to see such an important iPhone announcement at this event.
- Antenna hardware revision: A rumor fresh out of Mexico today suggests that the iPhone is undergoing a hardware revision to address the antenna issue that has plagued the handset. The rumor points to the September 30th deadline that ends the free case giveaway as confirmation that Apple has a trick up its sleeve. Some may be sadly disappointed as that trick may be new packaging designed to hold a free case instead of a new antenna-friendly hardware.
- White iPhone information: The white iPhone is still MIA and Apple has not disclosed the precise reasons for this delay. We do not expect to hear any solid information on this handset, though a passing reference may be possible.
That’s all folks. That is what we expect to hear tomorrow. Do you agree or disagree? Anything we missed or anything you would like to add to our list of potential announcements? Use the comments to chime in and let us know what Apple-related information is headed our way tomorrow.