Apple invitations to major product unveilings are short, cryptic messages, stingy with words and visuals, but if you read them correctly, rich with meaning. The emailed invite to Apple’s Oct. 22 event in California is no different. Read carefully: It’s a veritable font of information.
Obviously, the invite comes after months of rumors about what Apple will do and just more than a month after Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced two new phones, the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. All of that informs a good part of what we intuit from the invite.
In other words, though the invite never mentions the iPad by name, we know it's primarily an iPad event. On the other hand, I think it may end up being about so much more than just the iPad. Let's dive into the digital missive and dig out the hints.
Starting from the top, Apple has fallen in love with color. I guess this goes back to the iPod mini, one of Apple’s first mobile products to ingest a rainbow and spit out a dizzying variety of color options. Last month, we saw the company turn out five iPhone 5C body colors (and three more austere 5S options).
This invite features the top edge of a white Apple logo (an indication that at least one product will be all white) and at least a dozen Apple logo-style leaves in eight or nine different colors. From this, I glean two things: Whatever Apple introduces next week will arrive in at least five color options, and the existence of so many leaves could be a nod to the number of products unveiled — but more on that later.
This is the core messaging on the invite, and many took it to mean that the product rollout would have something to do with colorful product covers. I see it differently — in fact, I'm fixating on the words “a lot.”
Apple does not use words lightly, so I take these two words as a clear sign that this event will feature at least three new products: a redesigned full-size iPad, a Retina iPad Mini, an updated Apple TV and ... something else.
I think the use of the word “still” has two potential meanings. One is that Apple is delivering on its promise of a busy fall. The other less likely option: Apple may unveil even more products this year after the Oct. 22 event.
I also think there is some hidden meaning in the word “cover.” My guess is that the new iPad covers will offer far greater functionality than simply turning into a foldable stand and acting as a device sleep blanket. Apple has patents for all sorts of cover ideas, including expanding the screen real estate to the cover, adding a battery to it and even turning the cover into a keyboard.
"Cover" could also be a winking reference to wearables. Clothes cover our body, as do smaller items that we might wear on, say, our wrists. Mark my words: “Covers” will play a role next week.
Below the imagery comes the details of the event. There’s not much to parse here except for one key element: the location. Apple chose the spacious Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco for its launch. The space is a favorite of the company's, but Apple didn’t use it last month to introduce the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. That event was held in the Town Hall on Apple’s own corporate campus in Cupertino, Calif. It’s a truly intimate space and better suited for occasions where only one or two products will be announced. It’s also where Apple typically introduces variations on a theme, as opposed to products in new categories.
The selection of Yerba Buena means Apple has big plans for this event. It’s further proof that will we see not only at least three new products, but also some surprising innovations — perhaps, based on this and other tea leaves parsed above, the entry into the wearable technology category. I do wonder whether Tim Cook will walk on stage wearing an iWatch. (I’ll watch for that.)
The Apple invite may contain other hidden messages, too. I have not tried reversing the art (ok, I have, but I didn’t find anything) or reading the text backwards or looking for anagrams and hidden words diagonally and horizontally (ok, I did that, too — nothing). Regardless of what you do or don’t see in the invite, Apple's next product unveiling promises to be interesting. Mashable will be there to deliver the play-by-play. Will you be watching?
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Obviously, the invite comes after months of rumors about what Apple will do and just more than a month after Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced two new phones, the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. All of that informs a good part of what we intuit from the invite.
In other words, though the invite never mentions the iPad by name, we know it's primarily an iPad event. On the other hand, I think it may end up being about so much more than just the iPad. Let's dive into the digital missive and dig out the hints.
Starting from the top, Apple has fallen in love with color. I guess this goes back to the iPod mini, one of Apple’s first mobile products to ingest a rainbow and spit out a dizzying variety of color options. Last month, we saw the company turn out five iPhone 5C body colors (and three more austere 5S options).
This invite features the top edge of a white Apple logo (an indication that at least one product will be all white) and at least a dozen Apple logo-style leaves in eight or nine different colors. From this, I glean two things: Whatever Apple introduces next week will arrive in at least five color options, and the existence of so many leaves could be a nod to the number of products unveiled — but more on that later.
“We still have a lot to cover.”
This is the core messaging on the invite, and many took it to mean that the product rollout would have something to do with colorful product covers. I see it differently — in fact, I'm fixating on the words “a lot.”
Apple does not use words lightly, so I take these two words as a clear sign that this event will feature at least three new products: a redesigned full-size iPad, a Retina iPad Mini, an updated Apple TV and ... something else.
I think the use of the word “still” has two potential meanings. One is that Apple is delivering on its promise of a busy fall. The other less likely option: Apple may unveil even more products this year after the Oct. 22 event.
I also think there is some hidden meaning in the word “cover.” My guess is that the new iPad covers will offer far greater functionality than simply turning into a foldable stand and acting as a device sleep blanket. Apple has patents for all sorts of cover ideas, including expanding the screen real estate to the cover, adding a battery to it and even turning the cover into a keyboard.
"Cover" could also be a winking reference to wearables. Clothes cover our body, as do smaller items that we might wear on, say, our wrists. Mark my words: “Covers” will play a role next week.
Location, Location, Location
Below the imagery comes the details of the event. There’s not much to parse here except for one key element: the location. Apple chose the spacious Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco for its launch. The space is a favorite of the company's, but Apple didn’t use it last month to introduce the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. That event was held in the Town Hall on Apple’s own corporate campus in Cupertino, Calif. It’s a truly intimate space and better suited for occasions where only one or two products will be announced. It’s also where Apple typically introduces variations on a theme, as opposed to products in new categories.
The selection of Yerba Buena means Apple has big plans for this event. It’s further proof that will we see not only at least three new products, but also some surprising innovations — perhaps, based on this and other tea leaves parsed above, the entry into the wearable technology category. I do wonder whether Tim Cook will walk on stage wearing an iWatch. (I’ll watch for that.)
The Apple invite may contain other hidden messages, too. I have not tried reversing the art (ok, I have, but I didn’t find anything) or reading the text backwards or looking for anagrams and hidden words diagonally and horizontally (ok, I did that, too — nothing). Regardless of what you do or don’t see in the invite, Apple's next product unveiling promises to be interesting. Mashable will be there to deliver the play-by-play. Will you be watching?
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
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