Some interesting rumors about the Apple event later this month are making the rounds today. It started with a blog post by Clayton Morris who shared some insights on the upcoming event. This event won’t be about new products, e.g. iPad 3, Apple TV or a new iPhone but about education and iTunes.
According to Morris the event was already planned for late 2011 but then got delayed. You might remember the rumors about Steve Job’s plan to disrupt the textbook industry next which came up with the release of the Isaacson biography in October. Morris also states that the project which is going to be announced is in the making for years and that
“Steve Jobs was intinimately involved with this project before his passing.”
The event will take place in New York which is closer to the big publishers than Silicon Valley.
Other parts of the puzzle have now been delivered by 9to5Mac who have heard that the iTunes team is on “lock down mode”, the same team also responsible for iTunes Store, the App Store and the iBookstore.
MacRumors reports that “Apple has filmed promotional interviews with executives from the textbook publishing industry”.
ArsTechnica reports that the event will be about a new standard for eBooks and Goodereader goes into the same direction with its report of a self publishing platform.
If this event really is about a partnership between Apple and major textbook publishers we can assume that the model will be similar to what Apple offered the music industry. If you take a look at the supporters of SOPA you will find most of the big publishers on the list. Apple might be a good ally in their fight against piracy offering them the same safe and controlled environment as for the music and movie industry.
But then again, these are all rumors and we will know for sure by the end of this month.
