So Apple is holding a big media event tomorrow and word on the street is that this will be a real humdinger, with all signs pointing to new iPhones, the imminent release of iOS 8, and a new “wearable” product category, probably a watch.
As a longtime professional Macadmin, I am contractually obligated to follow the media frenzy in the runup to this event, and to watch the presentation itself. Unlike a couple of my fancy-colleagues who scored tickets to see it live in Cupertino, I will be with the other plebes at work, coffee in hand, streaming the show to a conference room. The morning will be full of rampant speculation, oohs and ahs, nods of approval, headshakes, gasps of disbelief, general mockery, and live-tweets galore, and the joke’s on those other guys, because at least I don’t have to wake up at 5:00 am to get to Cupertino!
Anyway, I won’t rehash the all-but-certain rumors that have been making their rounds for weeks now. Instead I’ll lay out a handful of my own out-there predictions for you to digest.
- There will be a watch, but it won’t be called iWatch. There will be multiple sizes and prices. The entry level price point will be $299.
- There will be another, more affordable wearable of some kind, maybe like a FitBit, or Care Predict Tempo. This would not have all the features of the watch, but would be more of a health and/or fitness device.
- The wearable(s) will be branded Beats instead of, or in addition to, Apple.
- There will be at least one woman on stage during the event, which is notable because these things are usually sausage-fests. Maybe Angela Ahrendts?
- Siri will be featured and a major highlight of the new watch/wearable(s). I think the “Wish We Could Say More” text on the media invitation alludes to this, though I haven’t seen anyone else pick up on it.
- Apple will announce a mobile payments system and it will allow payments from the watch without carrying your phone.
- In the wake of the celebrity picture hacking scandal, Tim Cook will discuss upcoming iCloud security measures.
- CarPlay will not be discussed
Okay, that’s all I got. I’ll see you and the rest of the Internet tomorrow at 10:00 am PDT to see how I did. Even if I’m wrong about everything, I expect to come out of it pleased!