What’s holding up the announcement of WWDC 2009?
3/26/09 UPDATE: Today Apple finally announced the dates for WWDC 2009: June 8-12. More information can be found on Apple's WWDC Web page.
By this time each year, Apple usually has announced the dates for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Why the delay, I wonder?
Two weeks ago I posted a prediction that WWDC would occur June 7-12, with the keynote – and the concurrent release of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Monday, June 8. Since then I haven’t found any evidence to the contrary.
While researching that post, I discovered that in the previous four years Apple has announced the dates for WWDC no later than mid-March.
Even in 2007, when Apple delayed WWDC until August to coincide with the release of new Mac Pro and Xserve models – which completed the transition to Intel processors – the dates were announced March 7.
Last year Apple announced the dates March 13, and we’re already a week past that.
What’s up with that?
Maybe Apple wants to keep up the steady drumbeat of positive news. Note how in the past several weeks Apple gave us Safari 4.0, a complete refresh of the Mac desktop line, a new iPod Shuffle and just this week the iPhone OS 3.0 beta.
Each announcement has come about a week after the previous one, usually on a Tuesday. It’s a clever way to reinforce the notion that Apple isn’t afraid to forge ahead with a barrage of new products despite the poor economy.
It’s possible Apple has saved the WWDC announcement to serve as next week’s news, unless it has yet another new product hiding up its sleeve.
Otherwise, I'm struggling to come up with possible explanations. Could it have something to do with the arrival of the third generation of the iPhone? Have unforeseen issues cropped up with Snow Leopard that might (gasp!) stall its release past the summer?
Beats me. Suggestions, anyone?
in Macworld & WWDC
| Permalink
| Comments (5)
Comments
If a lot of Mac users are like me, they're waiting for the release of "Snow (Slow) Leopard" before purchasing a new Mac
computer.
Posted by: James Stewart | March 20, 2009 9:57 PM
Could it have something to do with Steve Job's health and speaking at the event.
Posted by: Tony | March 20, 2009 10:45 PM
Its obvious to me: Steve Job's Medical Status. You know he wants to be there if he can and he may not at this time be able to commit to it. So, until he and his doctors feel he can "most definitely" be there, they (Apple) may be waiting a tad bit to announce it, etc.
Posted by: Larry Martin | March 21, 2009 3:38 PM
Waiting on Steve.
Posted by: Neil Anderson | March 22, 2009 11:17 PM
I think Apple has too many goodies to talk about in the near future that they are trying to position them at the best time and place.
New Xserves with the newest processors can be used for Final Cut Server, so that could be an NAB announcement.
But the Xserve has typically been a WWDC announcement, so that is cause for debate.
Snow Leopard would normally be a WWDC announcement during development, but if it is finished before WWDC, it can be announced when the timing is right.
Then there is the iPhone...MacWorld just happened, so all bets are off when a new one may be brought up.
And what about the secret 10 inch screen thingy (thingy is the code name right?), I want it whatever it is, but when will that be announced will depend on what the device ends up being...might be a WWDC thingy.
Posted by: Ken V | March 23, 2009 8:21 PM