Commenting on Apple’s latest, greatest, beat-all-estimates financial results Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in a press release that “we have several more extraordinary products in the pipeline for this year.” What might they be?
One, of course, is the next version of the iPhone. New Macs will doubtless see the light of day. Perhaps with USB 3.0 or Light Peak technology. And maybe with Blu-ray playback as an option, though I’m not holding my breath for this.
After all, a “9to5Mac” reader sent Apple’s head honcho an email (http://www.9to5mac.com/Steve-Jobs-BluRay-3490436) asking if if future Macs would support BluRay. While not flatly denying the possibility, Jobs certainly didn’t give out much hope in the form of his famous “stay tuned” responses. He noted that YouTube now supports HD video and seems content with that as a distribution channel for HD video.
I also hope that we see some sort of update to the Apple TV, though Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook still classified it as a hobby this week. In speaking with the press and analysts, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said that the Apple TV’s niche simply isn’t comparable to the big computer, MP3 player and smartphone markets in which the Mac, iPod and iPhone compete. That said, it’s still doing well relative to its size, he added.
On a brighter note, “a number of us love the Apple TV and use the product, and believe there’s something there,” Cook added.
And Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster still thinks Apple will offer television-related products, perhaps this year. “For the next two years or so it’s going to be the iPhone and iPad, but in terms of big picture pockets they aren’t tapping, it’s television,” he told clients.
— Dennis Sellers
