Predictions for Apple Event on January 27, 2010

Tomorrow's Apple event is definitely going to be the announcement of the Apple Tablet; it's been confirmed since McGraw-Hill made an appearance on CNBC this afternoon. What still remains in contention is all the finer details -- how big the screen is, what kind of processor is under the hood, and who will be publishing content on the device. If McGraw-Hill is in fact one of the publishers, Apple has scored a major win in the educational market, as McGraw-Hill is a major textbook publisher, and was one of the few companies who did not publish on the Kindle DX. If they are in fact publishing with Apple, this event should also send shivers down Amazon's spine.

Amazon and Apple have been competing against each other for some time now in the music/video-on-demand market, and I suspect that this competition will carry over onto the tablet as well. A look at Amazon's selection of e-readers, for instance shows only the Kindle being carried by Amazon directly; other e-readers are available through third-party sellers only. I suspect that Apple, in a bid to gain market share from Amazon will allow book publishers to set their own prices, much like the way the iPhone App Store works, with a similar split on revenue.

The Kindle will likely retain a solid advantage over the Apple Tablet in one major area: free wireless connectivity. I suspect that this new tablet may come with wireless service but that it may be an additional service fee, much like a wireless modem or data tethering plan. While e-books are relatively small in size and do not constitute major bandwidth usage, if the Apple Tablet is as versatile as the iPhone, I don't see how it would be possible to offer free wireless on the device, especially considering how utilized the iPhone is.

Multifunction is good, and I suspect that the Tablet will be more than just an e-reader. My guess at the price point is going to be $799, with a data service contract on top of that.

Other possible announcements? iPhone exclusivity over, and perhaps a painting program for iLife '10? The MacBookAir and MacBook Pro may get a refresh, but announcements of new laptop products may be further downstream, as I suspect that Apple will want to focus on the new product.

Just 10 hours to go. Can't wait.