Beginning Monday June11, thousands of very technically talented people will descend into San Francisco for the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2007. The conference runs through Friday June 15. There are over 100 separate and distinct technical presentations and mini-lab sessions on the schedule. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) will use the opportunity to make sure everyone in attendance gets a beta-copy of the new Leopard operating system, due out in October, and of course the buzz will be the new iPhone.
Apple has been strategically advertising the iPhone on television and other media with the final message "due out June 29." The early adopters will sing its praises and the various media representatives will be there to capture every word. But what else does Apple have up its sleeve?
I wrote on May 31 that Apple and Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) have emerged as the two distinguished leaders in the technology sector. Both have hit new 52-week highs and the momentum in their respective earnings and revenues is compelling. They have taken over from the old guard.
Rumors have been circulating that Apple and Google will formalize a strategic relationship. Basically, Apple has grown weary of its dependence on Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Office Suite, and Apple CEO Steven Jobs has indicated that Mac needs to "catch up." If Apple decides to include the Google suite of internet applications, it could be a blockbuster union of these two titans and a serious blow to Microsoft. Google's suite would include e-mail, spreadsheets, maps, and general document management.
Whatever comes of it, the tone for Apple is one of progress and moving forward. Apple has the news and the noise surrounding the new iPhone, but the Mac has been quietly revamped and gaining greater acceptance in the technology world. The Mac also helps drive very high margin software sales.
So, expect a lot of news coverage this week on Apple. This developers conference may be quite technical in substance, but there will be a lot of flair and sizzle as well.
Georges Yared is the CIO of Yared Investment Research. For more growth stock ideas, visit his website.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-09-2007 @ 7:29PM
John said...
The timing of the conference and the iPhone release provide a great platform for the release of the iphone and other initiatives.