Tinfoil Hat Patrol: Why weren't the new iPhones announced at Macworld

If Steve had mentioned the new capacities for the iPhone and iPod Touch the same time as the new software, people would get pissed about being early adopters that got screwed "again".

As two separate announcements, the upped capacities may instead grow their userbase by getting people who were previously turned off by the lower capacities to buy the new higher capacity products.

Personally, I'm waiting for the 3G network models to come out.

If they'd announced 16GB at MacWorld, it would have pissed off everyone who'd just received an 8GB for Xmas. After waiting for a respectful number of days to pass, they ship.

Take care of your customers and don't piss them off.

End of story!

Katanna: Microsoft is trying to come out with patches every week.

I'm not going to read all the comments to see if there's an answer just like mine because there probably is and I'd rather not waste time commenting on such a ridiculous post. Apple is a business that sells a lot of products around Christmas time and they have a 30 day return policy. What would happen if they announced that they'd just added memory to a product that was effectively the same as the old one? They'd get a million of the old ones back. When this happens a month out (and this happens every year, haven't you noticed), the returns don't happen. Also, the Apple TV with rentals was a huge deal. Just because you aren't interested in it personally doesn't mean that it's not a huge coup d'etat.

By the way, just wait 'til you see a MacBook Air in person. They are spectacular!

A couple comments here:

Did anyone else notice that February 5th is exactly 5 months after iPod Touch was introduced? This will boost sales and put some media light on the iPod line.

As for MWSF, you don't put all your eggs in one basket. The keynote highlighted the new MBA, but if they put everything out then, the rest of the year would be boring.

Does anyone else get the feeling that when Steve kept mentioning that it was the first 2 weeks (at Macworld) and they still had 50 more weeks of the year to go, that Apple might be trying to release something new every week? I mean, last Tuesday it was the Pink iPod Nano , this week the new iPod touch and iPhone sizes. Oh, and the MacPros came out on a Tuesday as well, right? If so, Tuesday is looking to be my new favorite day of the week. I mean, for February, Apple could release a new Aperture, or Mac OS X 5.2, iPhone SDK, MacbookPro updates, etc. I mean these are all the "little" big announcements that Apple could make every week to keep people on their toes. How amazing would that be?

Oh whoops, i just read the comments above me, looks like everyone else is thinking the same thing, but this is instantly what I thought of.

Now, this is a real Super Tuesday!

Apple, Inc. has so many new products and upgrades in the pipeline that it is going to be extremely difficult for them to release each new item - or upgrade - without cannibalizing the sales of the just previously announced new - or upgraded - product. It is a matter of timing and sales cycles. One of the fascinating things to watch this 2008 FY will be Apple's product introductions. They seem to be "rounding out" their "integrated lifestyle" approach through new/upgraded products while at the same time creating alliances/partnerships that further enhance that concept. Next will be "Enterprise lifestyle" . . . first in the the home, next through small business . . . and finally corporate.

IT'S THE INVENTORY, STUPID!

It's hard to sell 8GB iPhones after you have announced the 16GB version is around the corner, so you must sell down your inventory before you announce the new product.

Am I really the first one to catch onto this?

Seems pretty obvious to me...announcing it on January 17 would have meant Apple dealing with a lot of customers taking advantage of the 30 day return policy on the iPhone they bought in mid-December for Christmas...

the Wharton School hath spoken

Easy explanation: MacWorld comes too soon after Christmas to announce incremental updates like we saw today. If they were introduced only 3 weeks after Christmas, it would really torque me off if I had bought or received a gift. As it is this Feb. 5 date is too close, but a bit easier to swallow. MacWorld is better suited for the game-changing announcements.