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With Macworld San Francisco (MWSF) quickly approaching, MacRumors provides this Rumor Roundup as a summary of major rumors circulating around the Mac Web before the big event. (Previous MacRumors MWSF roundups: 2006 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/01/20060105230546.shtml), 2005 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2005/01/20050110022542.shtml), 2004 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/01/20040101213714.shtml), 2003 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/01/20030104183532.shtml), and 2002 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2002/01/20020106151501.shtml).)

While Apple's popularity continues to rise, the media coverage for Apple rumors reached an all time high this year.

Apple Phone (or Not?)

The one rumor that has received the greatest exposure is, of course, the Apple branded phone (formerly the iPhone (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061218064022.shtml)). Talk of an Apple-branded cell phone has been ongoing for years, however.

In when asked directly (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2002/09/20020911210852.shtml) "Will there be an iPhone?", Steve Jobs replied "One never knows. We don't usually discuss products we haven't announced." In when questioned again about an Apple phone, Steve Jobs stated (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/05/20030529030024.shtml) that they did not "feel they could add much value to current cell phones."

The Apple Phone rumor flickered to life again in February 2006 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/02/20060203203837.shtml) when research group UBS said "not to rule out an Apple-branded cell phone later this year". PiperJaffray made a bolder statement (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/03/20060317152445.shtml) in March 2006 with a 75% chance of a iPhone in the next 12 months. Similar claims came from a J.P. Morgan analyst (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/03/20060319140832.shtml) that "chatter about the [Apple Phone] is all over the food chain".

What finally triggered worldwide attention can be traced back to this Commercial Times report (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/11/20061115090741.shtml) that Taiwan's Hon Hai has received a 12 million unit contract for the rumored Apple phone to be released in the first half of 2007. While regular MacRumors readers might realize that these Taiwanese supply reports have been wrong in the past, the proposed time-frame correlated (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060915182716.shtml) with an earlier ThinkSecret report also pointing to "early 2007" for the release. As well, a reliable MacRumors source provided a description (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060913215342.shtml) (and artist rendition) of what one of the existing prototype phones looked like at that time.

The first detailed specs came from Kevin Rose (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061203094854.shtml) who had been previously known (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/01/20060110081233.shtml) to have some inside information. Other (conflicting) claims/specs are also listed here:

- 2GB ($249), 4GB ($449), Slide out keyboard, "cool" OS, All Phone providers (Kevin Rose (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061203094854.shtml))
- 4GB ($599), 8GB ($649), Metal, Cingular Wireless, Full screen LCD, Virtual Click Wheel (Morgan Stanley analyst (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061213162456.shtml))
- GSM/EDGE device only (ThinkSecret (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061215091228.shtml))

While many news outlets are pointing towards Macworld San Francisco as the launch date of the Apple Phone, none of the more credible rumors have specifically pointed to Macworld as the launch day for the device:

- 1st half of 2007 (1 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/11/20061115090741.shtml), 2 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060915182716.shtml), 3 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061205105051.shtml), 4 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061213162456.shtml))
- Not at Macworld SF (1 (http://www.theage.com.au/news/phones--pdas/iphone-could-be-put-on-hold/2006/12/11/1165685598310.html?from=rss))
- January (1 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061203094854.shtml))
- Macworld San Francisco (0)

While nothing would preclude Apple from announcing a phone at Macworld for a later launch, the evidence for a Macworld launch remains mostly speculative.

Mac Pro

Appleinsider suggested in October (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/10/20061025231946.shtml) that an 8-Core Mac Pro was ready to launch as early as November 2006. While this did not take place, an upcoming 2.0GHz quad-core chip (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2326) due in January will be priced at a reasonable $690/chip, similar to the current 2.66GHz dual-core Woodcrest that is currently offered in Mac Pros.

A recent Macscoop report (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061229234528.shtml) claimed that the 8-core Mac would be on track for a January release.

iTV

Apple surprised many when they revealed the iTV in September (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060912161621.shtml) at the "Showtime" media event. The $299 device offers a living room appliance that interfaces your media content to your television. A brief overview was provided, but the final shipping product was not promised until the first quarter of 2007.

Many expect Apple will provide more details of the iTV at Macworld.

Leopard

Leopard was first previewed (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/08/20060807161421.shtml) in August, revealing Time Machine, Spaces, Core Animation, and more (http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/).

Over the following months, only a few additional features have been revealed (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/10/20061024174114.shtml), and no word of the "secret" features Apple has held back from their public preview.

The latest minor feature revealed has been the use of XAR (http://macgeek.freeflux.net/blog/archive/2006/12/30/macos-x-10-5-new-package-format-xar.html) for Leopard's package format.

Apple would likely demonstrate Leopard again at Macworld San Francisco, but the final release is not expected until "Spring 2007".

New Displays

Some sporadic reports (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061222114846.shtml) of new displays have been distributed, but have been tainted by claims that they represent efforts to intentionally spread false information to rumor sites. As such, these rumors should be viewed with skepticism.

iLife '07

Unlike most Apple updates, the iLife suite has seen regular yearly updates released at the Macworld San Francisco expo. iWork '07 has been said to include (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/10/20061011213410.shtml) significant updates to Keynote and Pages as well as the introduction of a new spreadsheet application code named "Lasso".

Video iPod, and Others?

Surprisingly, little attention has been given to the rumored full Video iPod despite clear evidence (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/10/20061026073133.shtml) that Apple has been considering such a form factor. The latest word has placed the device in the early 2007 timeframe (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/10/20061018143033.shtml).

Three new iPod models were said to be in the works (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/12/20061207145756.shtml) for but not necessarily at Macworld.

Summary

Surprisingly few Macworld San Francisco specific rumors have emerged this year in the months leading up to the event. This final week, however, always represents a busy time for rumors with last minute leaks common.

If you would like to meet up with other MacRumors members, this thread (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=256873) lists others going to the event.

No live Quicktime stream is typically available for the keynote event. Instead, we will provide live coverage of the event at MacRumorsLive.com (http://www.macrumorslive.com/). The keynote takes place at 9am Pacific time on January 9th, 2007.

[[ digg this (http://digg.com/apple/Macworld_San_Francisco_2007_Rumor_Roundup) ]]

I could see this as a concern for politicians and celebrities whose locations might be used as fodder for tabloid gossip. Maybe a couple going through a divorce could use the data to substantiate an affair.

Or you could use this information to supply an alibi... just leave your iPhone at home while you go to (distant Location-Y) to perform (nefarious Activity-2)... or lend it to (good Buddy-Beta) who testifies you were with him and the iPhone information supports this alibi.

It helps to know the information is being collected... it even helps those who are not so innocent.

Not "debunked." More like "skirted."



Nonsense. I dare you to develop and release a word processing application for Windows called "Mattie Num Nums Word" and see how long it takes before Ballmer is on the phone with you.

Google Word? Apple Word? These would never fly and you know it. Your argument holds no water.

It's already been done.

OpenOffice

http://www.thestreet.com/_mktwrm/markets/activetraderupdate/10330882.html
look at number one. if this is true, could this mean that macworld is possibly steve's last keynote for a good while? IF it is, then we could possibly see more than we thought this time. But who knows, at the moment its just a rumor

Why does the banner have to reference only one product or service? Perhaps it refers to a theme shared by all introductions at MacWorld.

What is the best case right now? I want one that covers everything but the screen. Something in the clear plastic type thing.

Or a leather case type thing with a screen cover :apple:

the object (tank?) could have exploded from the inside out.Please cite an explosion which happens any other way than from the inside out.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

I used to think just like you until I sat down and used it. You should give it a try. It is a very powerful editor.

I think it will have to be a rental or stream service. There is no way I would pay $14.99 for a lower quality movie at the same price I would pay for a DVD at circuit city or best buy. I know Steve Jobs has been fighting with the movie companies to have a uniform price. Unfortunately, these companies get pretty greedy and don't see the big picture.

I also don't think apple would put out an option, like $14.99 downloads, when that doesn't make sense.
-Chuck

Not sure. I do however, find it funny, that some of the major case manufacturers take so long to release cases. I realize the understanding is that Apple doesn't leak the specs until the day of the Keynote announcement. But, there were eBay sellers with silicone cases available the day of the Keynote (they may have even been up before, I didn't look) that fit perfectly. I bought some of them. So there ARE leaks in China, and the cheap case manufacturers get their hands on them successfully, so I don't know why the major manufacturers aren't privy to the same leaks.
I find it depressing. :( Sorta. I would like more cases out sooner, at least from major case manufacturers. (Especially Switcheasy. :() I however think I'm gonna get a Griffin Reveal (Case with clear backing) so I can have the durability of a case and the customization of a skin. (For the most part.)

Do people seriously have that many songs?!!! seriously?!!!

220gb = 50,000 songs?!!!!! That is totally not necessary.



Totally necessary...You never know when you are going to want to listen to that random Engelbert Humperdinck song that's been stuck in your head