Quiet before the storm?

This is sort of a slow time for concrete news related to Apple inc. 

The Beats acquisition has not yet materialized any new products or services. ITunes Radio is still plodding along. There have been a few boring product refreshes and price drops. 

Rumors are flying regarding the upcoming iPhone 6 and iWatch.  The only product that would classify as a new category is the iWatch. The clock is ticking for Tim Cook to show the kind of innovative "magic" that Steve Jobs brought to the company. (See earlier post). 

Tick, tock,

Tim Cook,

Tick, tock ...

It's hard to imagine what an iWatch could do for users that isn't already offered in some way. Will it be truly innovative or simply provide convenience by integrating several existing functionalities in a nice new package? Remember it was Steve Jobs who said you can't innovate through focus groups by asking people what they want- "people don't know what they want until you show it to them". 

I envision 2 possibilities regarding the iWatch 

1. Upon its announcement it is viewed as too expensive and not worth it (exactly like the iPod at its announcement). However, once people start using it they won't want to go back to the old way of doing things again. 

2. It will be viewed as very cool and look great, but have limited actual utility. User base will be limited to technophiles and fitness nuts initially. 

Time will tell. Looks while we will get answers around October if this year...

WWDC follow up...

I went out on a limb in my last post and predicted the release of the iWatch in tandem with the Healthbook application. Apple did announce the Healthbook portion but not the iWatch.  I guess the watch will be coming later this year. 

The announcements were still fairly significant with strong developer slant towards the software/programming side of the business. Remember though, Apple's strength is in its command of both software and hardware. I saw a lot of software...

Tim Cook is doing a great job with Apple, BUT I think isfSteve were still running the show there would have been "one more thing". Tim has yet to have a defining moment. He has less and less time to prove that his Apple can do what Steve's Apple did - repeatedly. Essentially he is still riding the wave that Steve Jobs created. He's riding it very well in fact. He's a skilled technician to be sure. But he's not leading Apple into new exciting territory with products that no one has ever seen before. 

By my calculations, he's got no longer than 6 months to prove me and the rest of the world wrong. I'm not saying that will the end if his term as CEO or that Apple while tumble back into near oblivion. But, after that, we'll just have to accept that the magic of the Steve Jobs era is gone forever. 

I've got to think that Steve would have gone ballistic at the idea of a keynote being streamed to millions of people around the world watching someone... wait for it... type programming code. 

WWDC predictions

Today is the big day... maybe. Tim Cook takes the stage this morning with what Apple is calling "exciting announcements". 

Here is my list of what I think we'll see

1. iOS 8 announcement with some tweaks. I am not expecting anything too radical except maybe Beats Streaming integrated. There are rumors we will see the new Healthbook app, BUT it would only make sense if it is released in tandem with the rumored iWatch. We'll touch on that later. 

2.  OS X UPDATE:  This will probably be code named Yosemite and should be mostly a cosmetic makeover similar to the shift from iOS 6 to 7. 

3. Beats update. No new news here. 

Here are some other things I think we will see at some point this year (maybe later today)

1.  New iPad with Touch ID

2.  Updated iMac 

3. New iPhone. 

4. iWatch. 

Of these the least certain is the iWatch. But, I'm gonna go out on a limb and predict it will be announced today. 

I picture Tim Cook pretending to wrap up the show ala Steve Jobs, then pausing before he says "there is just one more thing ..."

Check back later for my self critique.