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Dear Aunt TUAW: Where's my product transition?

by Erica Sadun Sep 12th 2008 at 3:00PM

Dear Aunt TUAW:

Where's my September surprise? Weren't we supposed to get new hardware at Tuesday's event? Did anything in that underwhelming "Let's Rock" intro match the margins-munching product transition promised in the last financials call?

Love,

An anonymous but affectionate nephew



Dear AABAN,

Although some say that the cheaper iPod touch is the "product transition", Auntie TUAW isn't buying it. Like politicians, I think we're looking more at an October Surprise rather than a September one. (The Apple financials call talked about the September quarter, which includes bits of October. ends September 30th.)

As Cousin Christina puts it, "The way Cook and Oppenheimer were talking about huge products, it was very clear that it wasn't just a cheaper touch -- it was some sort of new product." She, along with Step-Brother Mike, thinks the other shoe has yet to drop, or as Family Friend Dave puts it, "the other iShoe."

Uncle Victor thinks this is pretty typical Apple behavior for the autumn -- using an iPod event to build up interest again, then uppercut with something spectacular the following month.

iPhone HiFi? Oh yeah!

So does Auntie TUAW know what's on that horizon? Er, no. Much as Auntie longs for her Mac touch tablet, we're more likely to see some laptop refreshes and maybe that long overdue Mac Mini upgrade path. (That is, if mean Cousin Steve doesn't kill and field-dress the Mini for good.) Given that pretty much everything at Tuesday's launch was thoroughly leaked, Auntie hopes that we'll soon be hearing juicy rumors about an October event.

Hugs and kisses,

Auntie TUAW

p.s. Cousin Cory sends his best!



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Dear Aunt TUAW: Where's my September surprise? Weren't we supposed to get new hardware at Tuesday's event? Did anything in that...
 

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23 Comments

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duro

BTW the new Nano doesnt have the Nike+ module built in, thats the Touch. I am hoping for aggressively priced 13inch MacBook Pro's and doing away with the current 13inch models. We could all use the power and graphics capabilities.

September 23 2008 at 2:24 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Fozzy Bear

I guess, um, well... I 'appreciate' Christina a bit much to feel okay hearing her referred to as a cousin...

Am I the only one that feels that way?

I can't be... I just can't be...

September 13 2008 at 4:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Abhimat Gautam

Please give us new notebooks, cousin Steve!

September 13 2008 at 11:17 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andy

Wasn't the new iPod nano that 'product transition'?

- It has a new shape, i.e. is a completely new product rather than the iPod touch which is pretty much the same
- It comes with curved aluminium and curved glass, which are surely more expensive to produce than the old nano (even if only a little)
- It comes with a Nike+ bluetooth module
- It has a cheaper price than the old iPod nano with the same capacity

Surely this must be the one 'new' product where they cut their margins a bit, no?

September 13 2008 at 8:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rego

It would have been helpful to have the exact quote from the conference call included in this article.

I was left with the impression (after listening to the call, originally) that the September transition could be a manufacturing transition that occurs in the quarter ending 9/30/08- resulting in new product or products in October-November 08; to catch the holiday buiing season.

September 12 2008 at 11:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
namdnal siroj

I'm quite sure that Apple is behind many of the rumors, to build up press-coverage for new releases.
So, that makes me doubt that there's really one-more-thing.
We would have heard about it already.
But if there IS, I expect it to be more consumer-oriented than "pro"-oriented...
I think gaming will have to wait a bit, because they're approaching that market slowly and carefully.

Display update.
MacBook Air storage bump and/or price drop.
13" Pro.
Revival of the HiFi.
Any of those will mean MY money in Apple's pocket.

September 12 2008 at 7:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Scott

Product transition is taking the iPod touch from a media player to a total media + GAMING device.

I think, sadly, that we have seen the transition. The Software has spoken. . . .

September 12 2008 at 5:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
3 replies to Scott's comment
nbidgood

according to Wiki, the September quarter ends on September 30th.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiscal_quarter

but, i still also hope the other iShoe has yet to drop.

September 12 2008 at 5:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to nbidgood's comment
ars_workerbee

careful, now, by bringing fact checking and other sane and rational points into this, you might get banned for talking back to the Almighty Erica.

September 12 2008 at 6:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
smak

You want some cheese with that whine?

somebody call the whaaaaaambulance.

September 12 2008 at 5:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rickumus

FFS: Will you update the Mac mini Steve? There are a ton of us waiting!!!!!!!!

September 12 2008 at 5:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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