14 DAY TRIAL // With an Apple event on the horizon, it’s always safe to put away your wallet and just wait for the announcements. And this year, Apple has promised to shake the ground with an all-new lineup of goodies. You want this to catch you with a fat wallet. Here’s what to expect.
Something or other has to come out at WWDC
Apple doesn’t have any more time to waste. Holding off any hardware announcement until fall will force it to cram all the announcements into a short timeframe, causing cannibalization of its own products, market saturation, and it will catch you off guard (not everyone is a millionaire). So expect at least a Mac refresh / price drop at WWDC. Other possible announcements include iPad Air 2, and why not even iPhone 6.
Thinner MacBooks, cheaper iMacs
Rumor has it that Apple is looking to make the MacBook Air even thinner than it already is, and it also wants to put a Retina display on the thing. If you’re out and about looking to get yourself a nice deal on a MacBook Air, wait until the June 2 keynote address to see what’s in the cards for the ultra-thin notebook. Even if you don’t want the latest one, you can be sure any existing model will be a lot cheaper starting on June 2.
As for the iMac, rumor has it it’ll be cheaper starting next week. Reputable sources within the Apple blogosphere say it’s actually not happening yet, but it’s worth waiting two more days to find out, isn’t it?
iPhone 6
Why not? Although everyone is singing the September tune, Apple loves to surprise its customers. In fact, they haven’t done it in a while, which is what got Tim Cook his sloth reputation. Maybe it’s high time they did something about it. And there’s also a rumor about the iPhone 5s getting an 8GB version, which translates into a cheaper top-of-the-line iPhone. Currently, it sells for $199 / €199 (on contract). Next week it could be just $99 / €99.
iWatch
The most anticipated announcement from Apple in 2014, iWatch could well make an appearance at next week’s event. Remember how Steve Jobs decided to lift the cloth off the original iPhone months before it would actually be available for purchase? Well, for a variety of reasons – including FCC approvals, marketing, and to scare competitors senseless before they roll out their smart-watches – iWatch could have the same fate. So if you’re thinking of getting a new iPod, for example, wait and see if the iWatch doesn’t already have an iPod built inside. Chances are Apple will ship some fancy headphones with it too.
iPad Pro
An all-new version of the iPad boasting a bigger display and a keyboard built inside its Smart Cover, the iPad Pro is expected to send shockwaves throughout the enterprise segment and in education environments. It could well become a laptop replacement, but some say we won’t be seeing this one until 2015. But it’s just hearsay.
New iPods
That’s right. You may have heard that Apple’s iPod business is dying, but that doesn’t mean Apple is killing it. It’s the consumer who is killing it by purchasing things that have iPods built in them, like the iPhone and the iPad. But ask yourself this. If WWDC yields an iPod so cool you can’t resist not having, will you still settle for the Music icon in your iPhone? Didn’t think so.
Disclaimer
This is a Personal Thoughts piece reflecting the author’s personal opinion on matters relating to Apple and / or the products associated with the Apple brand. This article should not be taken as the official stance of Softpedia on Apple-related matters.