Alive and Well Apple Chief Prepares for Big Announcement

Not long ago I reported on a Bloomberg news wire stumble that led to the publishing of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' obituary. Just to prove he's alive and well, the Apple chief is now provoking the media with hints of major music news -- perhaps even a new iPod MP3 player.

Apple, like any successful company, is considered a master of hype. In order to rouse much speculation about an upcoming announcement on Tuesday, September 9th, the company has organized most of the world's press in a number of major cities for a still-unknown unveiling. Journalists invited have been lured with a not-so-subtle, "Let's Rock".

With that said, it's now up to the gadget media to destroy itself in desperately searching for an answer to Apple's big riddle. In the past, September has been the month for iPod announcements, and most expect -- especially considering that invitation -- that 2008 is no exception. Jobs' visual for the invite -- a picture of a change pocket, the kind that could fit snugly a small digital music player -- is also leading speculators down that particular road. (Source: businessweek.com)

However, it hasn't been very long since Apple revealed its latest Nano and Touch designs, meaning we could all be jumping the gun by assuming the news is iPod-related.

So, what else could Jobs be up to?

Many journalists believe the announcement may also have something to do with an iTunes subscription plan, a demand of music listeners around the world for some time now. Rather than download songs on a per song or per album basis, users could simply be allowed into the iTunes factory sans limits for all the downloading they can handle. (Source: guardian.co.uk)

Still, that's an extraordinarily complicated system that could muddle an already popular iTunes model. Just because it has long been a wish does not mean it will be granted.

Unfortunately, it's just speculation until next Tuesday (at about 10am Pacific) when Jobs saves us all from the clutches of ignorance.