As speculation surrounding Apple’s upcoming media event continues to swirl, several noteworthy new reports are offering potential insights into the company’s upcoming announcements.
Beyond inviting several iPhone game developers to the January 27th event, as it has for past iPhone OS-related events, Apple has also interestingly invited gaming sites Kotaku and IGN to attend. Though it is possible that the invitations are designed merely to encourage the sites to cover gaming improvements to the iPhone OS for current and future iPhone and iPod touch devices, the invitation’s focus on Apple’s “latest creation” increases the likelihood that the company intends to push gaming as one of the new “creation’s” features.
iPhone OS 4.0 has been rumored to make its debut at the event alongside or as part of the tablet unveiling, and Boy Genius Report claims to have been briefed on several aspects of the new software by a “trusty Apple connect.” The report states that iPhone OS 4.0 will support multi-touch gestures OS-wide, will offer a “few new ways” to runs applications in the background, will feature many graphical and user interface changes to make navigating through the OS easier and more efficient, and will boast a “brand new” syncing capability for contacts and calendars.
The report also states that the update will be available only for the iPhone 3G and 3GS—no mention of the iPod touch is made—but states that it will “put them ahead in the smartphone market because it will make them more like full-fledged computers,” adding that everyone is “really excited.” Although several of the enhancements listed in the report seem likely to be part of iPhone OS 4.0, it is worth noting that Boy Genius Report has a spotty track record when it comes to Apple-related announcements, incorrectly calling for Blu-ray support in iTunes 9, posting faked iTunes 9 screenshots, and predicting deeper social networking integration prior to iTunes 9’s official release last September.
Finally, new evidence suggests that Apple is considering naming its tablet device “iPad.” Slate Computing, the same company Apple supposedly used to acquire iSlate trademarks in the U.S. and European Union, was discovered to have applied for an “iPad” trademark in Canada in July 2009. This date is far more recent than the prior iSlate trademarks, which date back to 2006-2007.
Similar trademark applications were filed in July in Hong Kong and Europe, by a Delaware-based company called IP Application Development (“IPAD”) and a UK law firm, respectively. Based on a source claiming to have knowledge of Apple’s plans, Mac Rumors discovered that this same company has filed for new “iPad” trademark applications in New Zealand and Australia within the last week, and while no direct link has yet been made between IP Application Development and Apple, the matching timing of the trademark filings by it and Slate Computing in July 2009 is suggestive.
It is worth noting that companies, including Apple, sometimes attempt to secure rights to several potential product marks before finalizing a name. Also noteworthy is the fact that Fujitsu appears to control the U.S.
