Banners cling at Macworld Expo on Monday read , “ 2008 : There ’s something in the air , ” hint wireless news to come in CEO Steve Jobs ’ keynote Tuesday break of the day .
Faster cellular service for the iPhone is already on its way later this year , AT&T ’s top executive director reportedly allege in November , but Apple could go beyond that architectural plan and extend high-pitched - speed wireless WAN ( wide - country connection ) capability to its MacBook notebooks and even a rumored “ ultramobile ” computer .
Many consumer have been clamor for more hurrying on the iPhone since it was denote a class ago with support only for Wi - Fi and bound ( Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution ) , a version of GSM ( Global System for Mobile Communications ) that generally runs below 200 M bits per second ( bit per second ) . U.S. iPhone attack aircraft carrier AT&T Wireless and other wheeler dealer around the world already have a circle of fast system called HSPA ( High - Speed Packet Access ) that can bear more than 1 M bits per second ( bits per second ) .
A banner at Macworld Expo, which opened Monday in San Francisco, hints that CEO Steve Jobs may announce wireless news at his keynote Tuesday morning. (Photo by Stephen Lawson)
At the same clock time , all-inclusive - area radiocommunication has been moving into PC notebooks and smaller PC - same machine . The full-grown notebook vendors , include Dell , Lenovo and Hewlett - Packard , have rolled out products with built - in 3G. And the Asustek Computer Eee PC and some other little UMPC ( ultramobile PC ) devices are slat to transport with WiMax .
A streamer at Macworld Expo , which open Monday in San Francisco , hint that CEO Steve Jobs may denote wireless news at his keynote Tuesday break of the day . ( picture by Stephen Lawson )
Apple has n’t made the leap . Mobile Mac owners can purloin up to Wi - Fi hotspots but have to bribe dongle or other add - on equipment from third parties to get fast radio elsewhere . put up a build - in 3 gravitational constant poster would give MacBook drug user entree to broadband in far more localisation .
However , that leaping would take Apple into a market that has n’t attracted a large percentage of notebook computer buyers , analysts say .
At least in the U.S. , 3 GiB radio are consort with a particular carrier and usually sold along with two - year data contracts . Users keep notebooks longer than they do phone and do n’t want to interlock them down to a finicky carrier , said Forrester Research psychoanalyst Charles Golvin . In summation , many notebook computer are purchase by enterprise IT section , which ask more flexibility , Golvin said . He does n’t anticipate to see another iPhone phenomenon .
“ I do n’t think that laptop computer user would be as concerned in aligning themselves formally with one particular carrier , ” Golvin say . One alternative would be to build in a chip that could handle more than one carrier and 3 G engineering , he added .
Avi Greengart of Current Analysis believes Apple ’s proven ability to streamline could change the picture .
Apple could also jump-start - start the market by offer an choice to the expensive monthly help simulation that carrier typically use , said Gartner ’s Ken Dulaney . Most consumers do n’t travel frequently enough to justify spending $ 30 or more per calendar month for cellular servicing on their notebooks , but they might be uncoerced to purchase a system with build up - in 3 G and pay for service as they need it , he said . Verizon has a little - known oblation like this , in which substance abuser can pay $ 15 for 24 time of day of religious service , according to spokesman Jeffrey Nelson .
Because of its greater mobility , a rumored Mac that ’s smaller than a notebook but bigger than the iPhone would be an ideal candidate for 3G. If the society unveil it on Tuesday , that product could conduct Apple ’s new wireless charge .
But that “ something in the tune ” could be a number of other things , too , analysts said . Apple is require to make its SDK ( software program development kit ) for third - party applications on the iPhone available next month , Greengart enounce . And the iPhone could win GPS ( Global Positioning System ) capacity , or some iPods could get Wi - Fi , he said . As always , it ’s all surmise until Jobs talk .
Macworldwill feature live insurance coverage of Tuesday ’s keynote .
