My predictions for 2008
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Jan 2, 2008 at 5:57am
Okay it’s time for me to stare into my crystal ball and make my top 10 predictions as to what Apple will do in 2008. So without further ado, here we go:
° Apple will indeed release a sub-notebook. It will be introduced at next month’s Macworld Conference & Expo, though it may not ship for a few weeks afterward. The “MacBook mini” will have a hybrid solid state/traditional hard drive, 12-inch screen and no built-in optical media (this will be offered separately). The price? US$1,499.
° Apple won’t release a tablet Mac. However, Apple will introduce a communications/entertainment device that’s sort of a cross between a subnotebook and a bigger iPod touch. And it will have a touch screen. (I think Daniel Eran Dilger has the right idea with his ideas for an “iPod slate”.
° The US market share for the Mac will top eight percent and the worldwide market share will top five percent.
° The Cinema Display line will FINALLY get built-in iSights and HDMI connectivity. They’ll also see price cuts—and Apple will introduce a 40-inch version.
° The Mac Pro will FINALLY ship with built-in AirPort and Bluetooth. There’ll be a slight tweak of the form factor, and both Blu-ray and HD DVD drives will be offered as build-to-order options (at a premium).
° The iMac will be updated with a built-in TV tuner and a built-in media reader, mainly due to threats from computers such as the Dell XPS.
° Apple stock will top $350 by mid-year.
° Version 2.0 of the Apple TV (as well as movie rentals from the iTunes Store) will arrive in the spring, if not sooner. With the Apple TV 2.0, you’ll be able to rent or buy video directly from the iTunes Store. It will also offer a networkable optical drive option.
° Contrary to some theories, the Mac mini won’t be discontinued.
° At long last, Apple will release an expandable, monitor-less tower (a streamlined version of the Mac Pro). Actually, I don’t think this will happen, but it would be nice, wouldn’t it.
Of course, there will also be updates to the entire product line (desktops, laptops, iPods, the iPhone), but those are no-brainers.
So how did I do in my predictions for 2007. Let’s see:
My prediction: Apple will unveil the long-rumored iPhone (thought it may have a different moniker).
Right or wrong: Right (though it did keep the iPhone name).
My prediction: The iMac will add TV tuner capabilities and be offered in a size even bigger than 24 inches.
Right or wrong: Wrong, very wrong.
My prediction: The Mac Pro will get a major upgrade, including a redesigned form factor and a Blu-ray drive (at least as an option)
Right or wrong: Wrong again.
My prediction: The 5G (video) iPod will evolve into a true Video iPod, with a bigger screen size. It will be a complementary product to the current iPod line, not a replacement.
Right or wrong: If you consider the iPod touch an evolution of the 5G iPod, then I was right.
My prediction: All of Apple’s software products will be upgraded, though iLife won’t get any new components. iWork will, however: a spreadsheet.
Right or wrong: Right (although to me iMovie ‘08 is really a new component rather than a true update of the long-running iMovie—but, at least in name, iMovie ‘08 is an update).
My prediction: Apple will refresh its display line, adding iSights to all models. It will also introduce a 17-inch display and a model even bigger than 30 inches.
Right or wrong: Wrong (sadly).
My prediction: Apple will continue to dominate the market for personal entertainment devices. Microsoft’s Zune won’t have much traction, gaining less than five percent of the MP3 market—and that at the expense of devices besides the iPod.
Right or wrong: Mostly right. The iPod still dominates, although the Zune percentage ranges from slightly under five percent to almost nine percent, depending on whom you believe (and how you define “personal entertainment devices”).
My prediction: The Mac’s US marketshare will rise above six percent (closer to seven) by year’s end, at least in North America.
Right or wrong: Right. It’s now at 6.3 percent, according to the IDC Research Group, 6.81 percent per Net Applications, and slightly more or less than these figures, depending on the research group.
My prediction: Apple will release a home XServe server.
Right or wrong: Wrong.
My prediction: There’ll be no tablet Mac nor 12-inch MacBook Pro.
Right or wrong: Right.
I was about 60 percent right. We’ll see how I fare for 2008.
The “Macsimum MWSF 2007 Coupon Book” is available for download. You can find it here and print it as a PDF. It has discounts, special offers and promotions in conjunction with the upcoming Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco.
rickag Says:
Hope you’re right about $350 AAPL share price, but I doubt they will get there this quick.
You’re definitely right about,"At long last, Apple will release an expandable, monitor-less tower (a streamlined version of the Mac Pro). Actually, I don’t think this will happen, but it would be nice, wouldn’t it.” It won’t happen, unfortunately.
Posted on January 02, 2008
David Says:
Sadly you’re once again right about the mini-tower. The thing about Steve Jobs is that he doesn’t care what you or I say we want. He doesn’t even care about the revenue that could be generated by introducing a mainstream tower to the Mac line up. Such a machine isn’t cool enough for him.
The only reason Apple still makes a tower at all is because Steve does care about creative professionals, but only because they produce cool stuff and don’t complain too much. It lets Apple get away with their treatment of Aperture customers and makes them think it’s OK to still charge full price for a computer that has remained unchanged since August 2006 (Mac Pro).
Posted on January 02, 2008
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
DAG Says:
Right now, staring at my otherwise great MacBook, all I want for 2008 is the return of the consumer’s option to order a Macbook or iMac without the god-awful PeeCee glossy displays with their narrow angles of view (probably polarization). Whoever suggested that Apple should change away from low gloss displays to this crap should be fired- many times over and over.
As to HW. my guess is that a Mac mini with an HDMI out and a REAL GPU (no vampire video) would make the best Apple set-top box.
Posted on January 02, 2008