More on Apple Computer and a Video IPod

Will they or won't they? Bloomberg offers up more industry speculation on next week's Apple announcement. Ross Rubin at the NPD Group said, "The portable video market is somewhat similar to what the portable digital music market was like before Apple entered -- a couple of different players, relatively low volumes, a plethora of different formats. There's an opportunity for someone to tie it all together -- the software, the hardware, the services, which Apple has shown they are able to do on the music side."

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster commented in a recent report that "We would expect a video iPod to have a material `wow' factor. A first step into portable video would open the door for future product innovations as the company continues to branch out into more of a central player in digital and mobile convergence."

MENAFN carries a Chicago Tribune article that finds analysts are just as in the dark about the announcement as anyone else. Van Baker at Gartner Group said "I've learned not to speculate with Apple," noting that the nano took everyone by surprise. He thought an "Apple video player would have to have a high-resolution 5-inch screen and cost less than $500."

"If they bring all that to market, they stand to be successful," he said.

Ross Rubin at NPD Group countered, "There are questions about the amount of free time people have during the day to watch portable video. It's not the sort of thing you can easily use while you're walking." With that said, Rubin declined to predict what Apple would announce next week. "It really could be anything," he said.

Over at the Los Angeles Times, Mike McGuire at Gartner said, "I'm not sure what the level of demand for portable video really is. It's questionable."

Noting the "One More Thing" on the invitation, Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch said, "When Steve Jobs says 'one more thing,' that's usually when the bombshell drops."

Roger Kay at Endpoint Technologies Associates added, "If Apple is true to form they'll have a tightly integrated hardware, software and services offering that will be a better experience than people have gotten to date on portable media players."