Edible Apple

The keynote address at this years WWDC will be presented by Phil Schiller and an all-star lineup of other Apple executives.  Notably missing from the cast of characters, however, will be Steve Jobs.  And if you believe Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, Apple also won’t be introducing a new and upgraded iPhone model at this years WWDC.   

Rather, Munster believes that Apple will instead introduce new iPhone models at one of its dedicated “special events” later this Summer. 

In a note to investors, Munster writes:

While some investors may be expecting Apple to launch redesigned iPhones at WWDC, we do not anticipate the launch in early June. Rather, we expect Apple to host a special event in late June or early July to launch a family of iPhones.  We continue to expect multiple models, possibly a high-end iPhone with improved specs from the current version and a low-end version with lower capacity and fewer features along with a reduced pricing plan. Such a model could also be used in Apple’s launch of the iPhone into China as soon as the end of summer ’09.

DaringFireball weighs in on Munster’s prediction:

Last year’s iPhone 3G was announced at WWDC in early June, so why wouldn’t this year’s? Plus, if there are any new hardware features — like say a video camera or magnetometer — that means new APIs, and if Apple wants to have WWDC sessions for the new hardware-specific APIs, they have to announce the hardware first.

Makes sense.  We’ll give this round to Gruber.

via BusinessInsider