Source: YouTube / Every Steve Jobs video.
"One more thing ..."
The three famous words Apple (AAPL 1.62%) co-founder Steve Jobs uttered on special occasions were reserved for surprises at Apple product launches. Will Apple have a "One More Thing" next week at the company's Sept. 10 iPhone media event?
Unlikely any hardware surprises
Unfortunately, Apple's massive globalized supply chain has made it basically impossible for the company to prevent hardware leaks. The headline-hungry Apple rumor mill eats up every leak that surfaces.
This played out last year. Every single aspect of the iPhone 5 was leaked ahead of the launch.
Rendering of Apple's rumored lower-cost iPhone. Source: MacRumors.
With hardware leaks hitting the interwebs in droves, this year's iPhone launch looks to be another show with no hardware surprises. Rumors are detailed: The high-end 5S should maintain the iPhone 5's form factor, it should be offered in a new champagne color in addition to the current black and white versions, and it should boast a fingerprint sensor as a key differentiating feature. Apple should also launch a lower-cost iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 5C, in a different form factor and available in an array of candy-bright colors.
What about services?
It's slightly different on the services side. Although still difficult to hide from the rumor mill, secrecy on this front is possible.
For instance, Apple was able to keep much of its iTunes Match service under wraps until it was officially unveiled at an Apple media event. The scan-and-match technology, among a few other features of the service, was a surprise.
What about next week's event?
AdAge asserts that iTunes Radio will make its debut in September, but that's about all we know as far as a launch timeframe. How quickly after the event will it be available? If iOS 7 isn't available immediately, could iTunes Radio at least be available on Apple TV on the day of the event?
The Apple TV is also rumored to get a software update -- but specifics of the update, for the most part, remain a mystery.
Probably the biggest possible surprise would be a payments service that ties in with the fingerprint sensor. The consensus is that the sensor will at least be used for unlocking purposes, but it's still a mystery as to whether the company will launch a payment system that uses the fingerprint sensor.
What do you think?
Will Apple have a "one more thing" next week? Or has the rumor mill discovered it all?
