Jimmie Geddes email: j.geddes@mobilenapps.com
Apple had an amazing year in 2012. Whether it came to breaking numerous records with product launches or reporting financial earnings, Apple was a big winner. Apple also overtook Exxon Mobile by becoming the World's most valuable company, not bad for a company that got its start in a garage. Will 2013 be an even bigger year for the tech giant? Let's take a look at 5 Apple products that are rumored to launch this year.
1. iRadio or Apple Radio is expected to be a free streaming radio service that will be ad-supported and be built into iTunes. The service will rival Pandora while offering more advanced features. It will allow iOS users to create, share, and subscribe to stations based on artist, song, genre, etc. According to rumors the service could possibly launch in March.
2. iPad mini with Retina display could make its appearance in March on the same day iRadio or Apple Radio launches. The iPad mini, while small in size, turned out to be a huge hit for Apple. With expected sales between 8-10 million iPad minis in 2012, it contradicted Steve Jobs' statement that "7-inch tablets are dead on arrival." In fact, the iPad mini seemed to take more life out of Apple's own fourth-generation flagship iPad that launched on the same day. However, there was one feature that the iPad mini lacked and faced major criticism for, and that was Apple's much loved Retina display. Apple will right its wrongs when it unveils an iPad mini with Retina display.
3. iOS 7 could be unveiled to the world in June and might get a new look due to the firing of Senior Vice President of iOS Software, Scott Forstall, in October 2012. With Jony Ive taking over Interface Design, we might finally get a much needed UI update to iOS, which has remained pretty much unchanged since it launched in 2007.
4. iPhone 5S might also see an appearance in June alongside iOS 7. Some believe Apple might be returning to a June launch of its mobile OS and smartphone. If you were expecting an iPhone 6, don't get your hopes up, Apple likes to add an "S" on to the successor of its iPhone before moving on to the next number. iPhone 3, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, I'm sure you get the picture. Apple will probably add the usual upgraded camera, upgraded processor, and another feature that will tempt iPhone 5 owners to upgrade just like it did by dangling Siri in the face of iPhone 4 owners.
5. Apple Television not the Apple TV, the actual Apple Television, like the kind you're already used to watching in your living room. Expect the Apple Television to try and reinvent the television just like Apple reinvented the phone with the iPhone. It will be one of many magical devices that have been born in Cupertino and will probably shake up the television industry. This television has been rumored to be coming for some time now and hopefully we'll finally get to see it this year.
These are all rumors and dreams at this point but isn't that how we get most of our information on unannounced Apple products these days?
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