Apple Special Event - February 28

A number of sources including Bloomberg, CNNMoney, and the San Francisco Chronicle are reporting that Apple will be holding a special event on February 28, 2006 during which a number of products may be announced. This event may also commemorate the download of the one-billionth song from the iTunes Music Store, that occurred today, February 23.

Some reports indicate that several additions to the line up of ITMS video content may be on the list for this Tuesday event, including feature films and new television series titles.

Apple sent out an email invitation on February 22, claiming that a “fun” product announcement would occur on Feb. 28 at its Cupertino, California headquarters. The invite is an iCal-like calendar image that reads: “Come see some fun new products from Apple. The special event begins at 9:00 a.m. [PST] at Apple Town Hall, Building 4.”

Speculation on what products might be included in the announcement has varied from a boom-box for the iPod, a 13” “widescreen” sub-$1,000 iBook, a consumer version of the MacBook Pro and updates to the iPod itself.

Talk of a DVR enabled Mac Mini has also surfaced, with a remote and Front Row pre-installed. A release of such an offering would make the Apple roadmap strategy for the Mac as true “Digital Hub” more cogent, particularly at the low-end of the market.

Additionally, Apple recently filed several patents that described a tablet-like device with a touch sensitive screen and iPod-like control wheel. While Apple has filed patents before with no product release immediately following, an Intel-based Mac tablet release with a modified Apple OS X, built-in Bluetooth, WiFi and iPod type docking if well executed would draw a lot of attention.

A Universal Binary version of several popular Pro Apps, including Final Cut Studio and Aperture may also be announced as shipping ahead of schedule.

A Cult of Mac blog posting, now no longer on the site, shortly after Steve Jobs’ January 10 MacWorld keynote claimed that a highly-placed member of the Apple team had indicated several products didn’t make the cut that day for launch.

Apple has seen a 19% decrease in market capitalization since a mid-January high of just over 70 billion dollars. Releasing additional Intel-based products ahead of announced production timelines might be an attempt to stall further slides in value. Apple closed trading yesterday, February 22, 2006, at $71.32 up $2.24 from the open.

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