Mac Planet: Eyes on September 11th

That's when Apple announces to the world some new, colourful spots. At least, that's all I can glean from the invitation that certain journalists are getting (and no, not I).

There are lots of interpretations on The Loop link, above, in the comments. Some are informed, many just funny. Of course this Special Event is September 10 as far as Cupertino California is concerned: Apple will hold the special press event at its Cupertino headquarters on September 10, 2013 starting 10am US Pacific Time, so for us NZers that's our 11th. The Intel Developer Forum, 360:iDev, Mobile Future Forward and the TechCrunch Disrupt events are all also scheduled for September 10, so expect floods of general tech news on New Zealand's 11th.

It's widely expected Apple will introduce a new iPhone at the event. The coloured dots on the invite resemble iOS 7's default wallpaper, so perhaps there will be something concrete about its release, which has been developing, as well.

Although this has only just been announced, the event's date has been so well known I even put it on the cover of my own free Apple-centric monthly tips 'MagBytes' newsletter last month. That's showing no prescience on my part - the date's been all over the 'net for weeks.

Which makes you wonder about Apple's security. There were leaks in the time of Jobs but there have been a lot more since he passed from tenure.

Anyway, as for what type of iPhone, the rumours have concentrated on two: a new top-line model and a 'cheaper' model to appeal to big markets in Brazil, India and China (and, let's face it, to people everywhere).

It's not like Apple to make a cheaper anything, but there's sense to the notion. Benedict Evans has a good assessment of exactly why - Android engagement with apps is improving (it was the big strength of iOS). "If you have 5-6x the users [on Android] and a quarter of the [Apple's app] engagement, you're still a more attractive market [to developers and end users]."

He thinks it would change the Apple's virtuous circle of 'best apps therefore best users therefore best apps'. The wide array of Android devices at every price point would be much more likely to erode the iPhone's appeal. "Part of the reason for spending $600 on an iPhone instead of $300 on an Android is the apps - that cannot be allowed to change."

This all comes back to a general discussion of 'Is Apple losing it's edge?' Of course I'd say no.

"No."

See? I did. That's because for long term users like myself, Apple was never about 'edge' but about usability allowing greater productivity and creativity. We've had Windows (and other) PC users shouting at us for years 'My whatever has much better specs than your Mac but it's a lot cheaper'. OK, we get it. We got it then, too. So why did we stick with Apple? That's the point you've been missing.

But longer term users are a dwindling minority in Apple's constituency.

There's also the financial side. Apple is a public company, so in financial markets Apple is judged by financial analysts purely (well, impurely, really) on its ability to maintain and improve unit volumes and revenues, market share and margins. This logic cares nothing for what the product is, or what the product or does. As far as the financial market is concerned, Apple keeps missing shipping dates for its watch and TV. Of course, as far as we know, these products don't actually exist, may never have and may never ever, but Wall Street wants them to, because this means new sales to new markets.

Longer term users would prefer Apple stay focussed on improving the products we already know and love, and only introduce new things when the design, build and capabilities are up the class to which we have become accustomed. However, the pressures Apple faces daily don't come from us LTUs (although internally Apple has largely the same agenda, thank goodness). The far greater pressures, whether Apple chooses to heed them or not, come from the financial markets and that much wider (and usually much shallower) base of iDevice users, not to mention media representatives after sensation at any cost, whether that be innovation or profit driven.

iPads? New ones are surely due before year's end, in both full-size and mini.

Apple could, should and most likely will release Intel Haswell-equipped Macs (including iMacs) since the new MacBook Air has it. An updated AirPort Express is surely due to match the new 802.11ac wifi chip in Apple's latest Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme.

The new Texas-assembled Mac Pro tower should go on sale before the end of the year - at least, that's what was promised at WWDC. It's unlikely everything would get released at one Special Event on the 10th, but it is all, nevertheless, to a greater or lesser extent imminent. And that's all without considering the mythical (perhaps) 'iWatch' and the 'Apple Television'.

At the very least, the release of iOS 7 will add a fillip of excitement to users of iDevices and to developers. For iDevices users who also have Macs, the release of Mac OS 10.9 'Mavericks' will integrate their devices to their Macs even more seamlessly, and improve the capabilities of each.

So let's see.