iPhone Frenzy

Since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, there has been an annual refresh of the product line in late June to early July. Each new iPhone release has been marked by initially scant supply, long purchase lines, and frustration caused by a lack of product availability.

Apple, a company known for a tight-lipped approach to new product plans, has endeavored to focus attention on the next commercial release of Mac OS X rather than the expected annual refresh of its popular smartphone. The lack of information on the next-generation iPhone and rampant speculation that the release might not occur in late June to early July have created a different form of iPhone frenzy. Rumor mills are running full tilt, fueled by hearsay and imagination. Not only does the iPhone create interest, but the lack of information on the forthcoming iPhone refresh also creates interest. Only Apple can generate press by saying nothing about new products.

WWDC

Apple’s effort to focus attention on the next commercial release of the company’s Macintosh operating system has merit. Content sells hardware devices. Operating systems are the conduits for content. Devices are the portals. Apple’s fast-paced revenue and earnings growth is sourced from the tight integration of hardware device features and proprietary content distribution systems.

The last feature-rich update to Mac OS X was in 2007 when Leopard (Mac OS X, 10.5) came to market. Snow Leopard, released in 2009, was trumpeted as a series of optimizations and performance enhancements and was made available for purchase for only $29. Lion (Mac OS X 10.7), scheduled for commercial release this summer, is being billed a major update to Mac OS X with new features such as full-screen apps and enhanced Multi-Touch gestures similar to what’s available on Apple’s iOS-based devices.

More information about Mac OS X Lion will be made available during Apple’s annual conference for developers. WWDC (Apple Worldwide Developers Conference) opens its 2011 session in San Francisco on June 6th.

The iMac for Content Creation and Consumption

In early May, Apple updated the popular iMac line of personal computers by adding faster quad-core processors, more powerful discreet graphics processors, and Thunderbolt ports for high-speed data transfers to and from attached peripherals. The new iMacs blur the barrier between pro-level personal computers and personal computers designed for consumers.

The iMac has become the personal computer of choice for many professional content creators seeking an attractive price/performance solution. For consumers, the sleek all-in-one design, large LED-backlit screen, and quad-core power make the iMac the perfect desktop for viewing and creating content at home.

For 20 consecutive quarters, the Macintosh line of personal computers has outperformed the overall PC industry. But sales of desktop Macs have lagged behind the sales performance of portable Macs. The refreshed iMacs will boost sales in the coming months.

At this month’s WWDC, we’ll hear more about how Apple is developing and designing products so that the worlds of content creation and content consumption continue to merge.

A Look at The Cloud From All Around

Apple’s new data center in North Carolina has captured the interest of product enthusiasts around the world. The 500,000 square foot facility is expected to come online sometime over the next few several weeks, and there’s land around this new facility to expand operations, if needed. We expect news about enhanced cloud-based services from Apple as early at next week’s annual conference for developers in San Francisco.

The company has stated that the new facility will be used at least in part for iTunes and MobileMe services. We look forward to the enhanced services this new facility will provide for MobileMe subscribers and the hundreds of millions of iTunes customers all around the world. Apple is the world’s largest music distributor and a global leader in software distribution through the iTunes and Mac app stores. The North Carolina facility will provide capacity for Apple to maintain its leadership and accommodate the content needs of the millions of new customers Apple acquires each calendar quarter.

Our June issue includes:

Bloggable

A monthly summary of Wes Meltzer’s blogosphere news, originating from his Pinboard feed. This month: Lodsys vs. App Publishers, the Little Platform That Could, iPad Competitors, Subscription-O-Rama, and more news from mobile space.

MacMuser: The Lion Wores

Mark Tennent tells his view of the new speech voices that are apparently coming with Mac OS X 10.7.

MacMuser: New Vistas on Lion

Is it possible that, with Mac OS X 10.7, Apple is facing the same mistake Microsoft did with Vista?

The iPad Chronicles: Why Time Machine Is a Mac Essential

In this month’s installment from the iPad Chronicles, Robert Paul Leitao talks about Time Machine as a Mac essential and a safeguard against lost content.

Desktop Pictures: Broomfield, Colorado

Michael Sitarzewski shares scenic photos shot in and around Broomfield, Colorado.

Out at Five

Matt Johnson’s new series, Out at Five, looks at the workplace and its boundaries from all angles, revolving around many of the same characters from his former series, Cortland.

The Spinning Beachball

In this cartoon by Grant Osborne, when it comes to iTunes technologies, one wonders whether Steve Jobs is a hoarder.

Review: Cartella

This case might be just what you’re looking for if you own a MacBook Air and are a fan of Moleskine notebooks.

Review: The Daily 1.0.6

This iPad app has the makings of merging the best aspects of RSS feeds and newspapers and providing an excellent daily source for news.

Copyright © 2011 Robert Paul Leitao. Robert Paul Leitao is a contributing editor at ATPM and is author of the Posts At Eventide and The iPad Chronicles blogs.