The Yerba Buena Arts Centre in San Francisco is being transformed in to an Apple showcase. On Wednesday, March 2, a Cupertino exec will take to the stage to front a Media Event.
It's the usual venue for an Apple product launch, but what can we expect at this one?
1. A new iPad will certainly be announced. It'll be thinner than the current device and have front and rear cameras for video-calling and using it as a giant photo-snapper. There may also be a processor improvement and the screen may be glare-resistant for better use in sunshine, but this update is being looked on very much as iPad 1.5 and not iPad 2. The device may be updated twice this year.
2. It probably won't be Steve Jobs who gets on the stage. Of course, the Apple CEO is still on indeterminate sick leave, with increasing reports that he's making regular visits to a cancer treatment centre in California. So, it's likely to be the man he's left in day-to-day charge of the company, Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook.3. The release of an update to the iOS operating system for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch is imminent. It's nearly at the end of it's testing period and Apple could announce a release date. The update brings things like Personal Hotspot, to turn your phone into a WiFi hotspot.
4. There's a chance Tim Cook will also give us a preview of the next operating system up-date, iOS5. It would be a good trailer for an updated iPhone expected later this year.
5. For ages, we've been expecting Apple to drop subscriptions for its MobileMe wireless calendar and contacts syncing service. And it look like this could happen soon. Perhaps on March 2. And Apple may just...only just...go the whole hog and let you store all your music and video in its new data centre in North Carolina.
6. We're also expecting Apple to announce a new customer care service called Joint Venture. It's intended for small businesses and there'll be a yearly fee of about $500. For that you'll get direct phone contact with an Apple Store genius and also some form of on-site help as well.
It all starts on Wednesday, March 2, at 10am PST, that's 1pm ET and 6pm UK time.
Update: Apple is also hosting a simultaneous launch event at the BBC in London, possibly hosted by Stephen Fry.
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