Macworld 2007: We SHOULD expect something spectacular

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Sunday, 07 January 2007 06:17

Opinion and Analysis

Playfuls.com is trying to advise us all not to expect something spectacular at Macworld 2007. Um… hello? It’s Macworld. It’s Apple’s BIG year that they’ve hyped up themselves. Why wouldn’t you expect the most amazing Macworld ever?

The media aren’t the ones who promised 2007 would be Apple’s most incredible year ever. Who did? Apple and Steve Jobs. Even Apple’s own website has a massive teaser image on the front page, telling us that the first 30 years were just the beginning, and welcoming us to 2007. So Playfuls.com telling us not to expecting something spectacular only makes me laugh!

Apple has set the bar for themselves very, very high. The public, Apple employees (most of whom are kept in the dark about new Apple developments until the public knows), the media, analysts, Wall St, and all those aliens who are secretly keeping tabs on Planet Earth to see if we are advanced enough yet to join the Intergalactic Federation of Planets are all expecting great things from Steve Jobs and Apple.

I mean, seriously. Who isn’t expecting to see a new iPod, or an iPod phone, or one of a dozen new products? No matter what Apple launch, if there’s no iPod phone, Apple can rightly expect to be crucified in the media and in online forums. After which the speculation will start again and only get worse.

iTV, 8 core Macs, the Mac Tablet and more. Apple are selling more iMacs and iPods than ever before. They are big competitors with all those companies exhibiting at CES, and they hold their own show for a reason: because they’re big enough that they can hold their own show and make their own noise. They don’t need CES to get the public’s or the media’s attention. We’re talking about Apple, after all.

2007 is the year that Apple lays it all on the line. If Apple screws up 2007, it could be the beginning of the end for Apple. Despite Apple having survived for 30 years, there are several times when it has only survived by a thread, despite incredible support from die-hard Apple fans.

Even Microsoft had to pump in US $150m into Apple several years ago. Let’s not forget that. But that said, it’s all in the past, and the Apple of today is the strongest Apple has ever been. I don’t want to see Apple disappear – I want them to succeed beyond all of our wildest dreams.

I like the iPod and own three of them along with a stack of accessories. A MacBook of some kind is something I will be purchasing this year, come what may. And I’m very keen to see what else the incredible mind of Steve Jobs is yet to dream up and unleash onto the world. If Steve Jobs is still going to hang around, that is - after all, you've probably already read the rumour that Steve Jobs might be taking some leave from Apple for a while for reasons that no-one is clear on just yet. This Macworld could be Steve Jobs' swansong (for a while) - and if that's the case, I'm sure he'll go out with a bang!

I don’t want to see the iPod become the mp3 player that was – just as happened to the Apple ][. It once was THE computer, then the IBM PC came along and while Apple created the superior Mac, it suffered with less than 10% market share while IBM’s and clones enjoyed the rest.

So… this Macworld is THE most important Macworld there has ever been. You can expect AMAZING developments, pronouncements, announcements and performances from Apple, Steve Jobs and all of the associated companies. Apple is betting the company this year, and I for one, am expecting them to deliver BIGTIME. Aren’t you?