[Aryugaetu]

Tossing my prediction into the ring...

IPHONE
"iPhone" will not be used. Apple will have a much cooler, monosyllabic, name.
It will be video-chat capable and iChat compatible. Remember, Apple applied for a patent for placing an image sensor behind a LCD screen; this makes it very Star Trek-ish. True video chat between phones and with Macs will be a huge leap in current telecommunications.
To spur rapid video phone sales, Apple will release a version of iChat for Windows, but due to XP/Vista's lack of a Core Video and Core Animation abilities, it will not be able to do the mutli-person video conferencing that is available on Mac OS X. Note: all of the participants in a conference initiated by a Mac iChat user will be viewed by everyone on their phones.

IMAC
The MAJOR announcement of the soon-to-be-released OS X's secret function will be its ability to fully utilize multi-core/processor hardware without special application coding for it. This will be the destruction of Microsoft's future as programmers for OS X don't need special abilities or knowledge to move their aps to multi-core speeds.; a huge advancement for gamers.
Just as OS X has Core-Video, Core-Audio and Core-Animation to handle those tasks internally, it will now feature something similar to Core-Core, an internal data traffic cop that auto-detects the CPU configuration and delegates data/instruction flow. It will have a generic/default mode to utilize the multi-cores in single-cpu aps as well as being able to be easily programmed for custom applications. For example, it can offer preset modes for data-intensive or floating-point-intensive situations without the programmer needing to do all of the necessary machine-level coding. Another mode could be set by the user via OS X for "Priority Ap" which reserves and dedicates one (or more) cores to a specific application, including the OS itself if the user wants.
With Core-Core, and drawing on Apple Server technology, OS X can now offer Protected Cores as well as protected memory, and hot-swapable daughter (CPU) boards.
But, Core-Core's most innovative strength will be its "Auto X-Grid" mode that utilizes Rendezvous for detecting other Auto X-Grid enabled Macs on the network and automatically establish a super-computer environment. No special aps or programming required. All of those wasted clock cycles in the other Macs in the office stuck doing email, could now contribute to the grid. For "flash and wow", a screen saver would graphically display the total grid traffic flow and how much that particular computer is contributing (not unlike the SETI project).
Auto X-Grid will also be able to create Network RAIDs for data safety, and have Macs baby-sit each other on the grid, detecting possible freezes and hard drive failures via individual behavioral changes, even automatically temporarily moving data to a safer hard drive if failure is imminent.
MS Vista's core-ignorance will soon be synonymous with making an 8-cylinder sports car run on 1 cylinder... with a flat tire... unless you have the specially designed fuel that can make all 8 cylinders run simultaneously.

These I believe are the breakthroughs in communications and computers that Apple has and the world needs.

[ddd1301]

This is not earth shattering, but, Apple and Apple will merge, thereby giving Apple Computer complete ownership to the Beatles library. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[erikneves]

If it's a tablet Mac I hope it comes with this type of interface. If you remember one of last years apple patent applications ("the alien thumb"), this could be possible. Add Core Animation to it and voil.
Will it change the way computing has been done in the last 30 years? Probably. But I'm not putting my money on this prediction. Unless Apple figures a way to get rid of finger smudging.

[MediaPhil]

My guess is that we will see Apple announce that the expansion into "the living room" and home will be more complete. Apple is becoming more of a consumer electronics company a la Sony, and will compete for the home consumer market more-- the big screen TV that integrates with the iTV, the new Apple Phone (MacPhone?), the new Apple home theater system, more wireless connectivity. We'll see the announcement of deals with the major movie studios for downloads, and a couple of devices to view the movies on, like the iPod with widescreen video and the home iTV with a big screen to view it on.

[leesmith]

1.) True 'instant on' functionality on every new Mac using built-in Flash memory.
2.) 30th Anniversary models in ALL BLACK with that crazy fast networking protocol (allegedly to be used in iTV)
3.) The new iWork Suite also includes a word processor. All apps are backwards and forwards compatible with MS Office.
4.) Apple acquires XM radio, plans first Satellite radio/wireless iPods. Napster replaced with iTunes.
and yes, I can see the acquisition of the Beatles library to give them a hedge against the Zune among baby boomers.

[MediaPhil]

Wouldn't it be interesting if Apple actually made an announcement at the CES to further tease the announcements at MacWorld?
Darned work conflicts. REALLY wish I could get out to this show.

[hagen]

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To read what may come next, don't watch Steve's other hand.
<cut>
I think Tuesday's news might underwhelm some of you at first, but fast-forward one, two, even five years, and it will start to make sense. <cut> you railbirds will be the first to complain on Tuesday that you were underwhelmed.

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I strongly agree with Tidwind. The single common factor in all the posts in this thread related to hardware? Thes eare all things YOU want, not what is "the next big thing". Since it's based on what YOU want, you'll all probably be dissapointed. Tidewind's comments are very insightful.

[kfbeau]

The graphics suggest the dawning of a new day (Apple). It also looks like an eclipse but I don't think so. I expect Leopard to be the biggest news next tuesday with it's hidden features revealed and how they integrate with new (and old) Apple products. The first iPod was announced in a special event held in October in timing for that coming holiday season. There will not be any iPod announcements just after the holidays. The iPod mobile will have a similar announcement in February of this year is my guess. I think iTV with more movie studios on iTunes will be important announcements. Apple's new dawning is its expansion into more consumer appliances with the help of Mac OS X 10.5.

[Schneb]

...or better yet, McCartney-fly!!

[tmedia1]

Quote:

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I think we are going to see a complete refacing of Apple's Web Site that will reflect the new look of Leopard. Gone will be bubble buttons (finally). I see a tablet with lighter, yet durable structure. A phone that will charge only for usage, breaking the monthly cost to sub-$10. I see a nano-sized iPod that looks exactly like todays iPod, only turn it over, and the back is a widescreen for movie watching. Finally, I see the following offerings...
http://www.mediamax....e/ijukebox.html
http://www.mediamax....c/Apple/crs.jpg
Of course, one can dream. sigh...

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Love the jukebox idea! I currently use an old Powerbook hooked up to my hi-def TV for this purpose, but would love a dedicated device to do this.

[drummstick]

> Next up will be the revised iWork suite, now featuring
> a spreadsheet and a database application, based on a
> simplified version of FileMaker Pro.
In the beginning, Steve said, "Let there be Keynote." And there was Keynote. And it was good. (But presentation software has no place whatever in my business. Yawn.) And then Steve saw that Keynote was lonely, and he took a rib from Keynote and created Pages. And henceforth Keynote and Pages became united and ventured forth upon the earth as what we now knoweth as "iWork." (But I have about 4 long-in-the-tooth but still perfectly effective AppleWorks templates that handle all of my meager word processing needs. Again, yawn.)
While my presentation/word processing needs are near to non-existent, I DO crunch numbers fairly often. I've been grinding my teeth waiting for a spreadsheet app that was actually designed in this millennium and that has improved AppleScript support over AppleWorks. Two of my word-processing templates include spreadsheet frames in them (my invoice form, for instance), so iWork would be just the ticket for this IF it had a spreadsheet. I recall Steve referring to iWork as the "replacement" for AppleWorks. Not without a spreadsheet it's not!
So I really hope Mr. Griffiths is correct on this particular wild guess. However, my wild guess is that Apple will NOT cannibalize any sales from Filemaker by including a "Filemaker lite" database app.

[Miche]

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this, Apple's 30th year in business

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Erm, that ended eight months ago.

[Philip Michaels]

Quote:

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Quote:

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this, Apple's 30th year in business

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Erm, that ended eight months ago.

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No, it began eight months ago. Apple's 30th year in business comes to a close on April 1, 2007.

[griffman]

Yep -- and for the record, the 20th Anniversary Macintosh was released almost a full year after the start of their 20th year. Nice synergy for an Expo announcement of a 30th Anniversary Mac, no? /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
-rob.