Leopard Released Solo on Oct. 26th - No Other Products Announced

Those of us hoping for additional products and services to share the spotlight will probably be disappointed, as will those who were hoping for more Leopard surprises. Given that the release date is just 2 months shy of Christmas, it's fair to say that this will be the last major product introduction until January's Macworld.

The roll-out of Leopard would be the best time to introduce any other products and services of significance that have been waiting for the Leopard release. If this were to happen, Apple would be staging a product demo at HQ or Moscone Center the Tuesday before the Friday release in order to get these rumored products into journalists hands for a Thursday/Friday article.

This is Apple's pattern for significant new products that don't warrant a Macworld intro like the iPhone or a plain old bump in specs of the hardware. These events give Steve the stage to demo new product features and journalists time afterward playing with them in the lobby so they can write a 5 star review later in the week.

What this means is no 3G iPhone, no new .Mac, no Mac Tablet or MacBook Nano, and probably no Mac Nano (replacing the Mac Mini). I say probably on that one because it still would be in Apple's interest to get that out the door for gift buying season even without a special event.

It also means no new mind blowing Leopard features. When I wrote about the lack of "Secret Features" in WWDC demo, some responded that maybe they were keeping them super-double-secret and would announce at release time. Well, now's the time and they are nowhere to be found.

The last troubling aspect to this is there is no confirmed "Golden Master" for the Leopard release. A GM means that Apple has settled on the version that is going to the disk manufacturers and will be arriving on the 26th. I see three possibilities here:

1. Apple has a stealth GM and we just don't know about it.
2. They don't need as much time as most to get it into production and get it in time.
3. They haven't finished it yet. That could be trouble.

So while I'd love to report a special event that rolls out Leopard, the MacBook Nano and new .Mac services all at the same time, I think we are just going to get the OS we saw 15 months ago at WWDC '06.

And from looking at the 300+ features, I have a hard time advising someone that there is something in there worth $129. I still have that feeling that Leopard is our Vista. I hope firsthand experience proves me wrong.


What do you think? Is Apple still hiding something for 2007 release? Should we just be happy with Leopard and shut up? Let us know in the Comments section below!

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Your Comments:

Apple introduced a GM Candidate last week. I'd assume it was declared GM or will very soon be.

 Adam F
 10/16/2007  at  02:34 PM

Also, while it may not warrant $129, there are many great new features among the 300 listed. Some of which I am amazed they haven't advertised more.

 Adam F
 10/16/2007  at  02:36 PM

It is unlike Steve not to trumpet Leopard, he could do so along with the non-DRM iTunes tracks... ssshhh... Anyway looks like Leopards secret features are very well named!

 Bart Hanson
 10/16/2007  at  06:07 PM

One thing to keep in mind about new OS releases is that unlike that other operating system, Apple manages to somehow improve the overall performance for all but the oldest of machines. That in and of itself may be worth the upgrade.

 Chuck Konfrst
 10/16/2007  at  09:08 PM

I just pre-ordered the new OS. Not because of the new "top" features but because I like some of the less advertised features like 256 bit AES encryption, danish spellchecker (usefull if you speak danish) and self-tuning TCP. Those features made me buy a copy of Leopard. All in all I think the value of Leopard is vastly greater then buying a copy of Windows Vista. I totally agree with Adam F. - Leopard is filled with new features that are very useful.

 Johnny
 10/20/2007  at  09:48 AM

Leopard's not worth $129? Then just buy a new Mac and get it for free.

 Neil Anderson
 10/20/2007  at  12:17 PM

I don't think I'll buy a Mac that I don't need for $1199 just to get a $129 OS

 Adam F
 10/20/2007  at  12:22 PM

Chris ,how about a MFM article on how to install Leopard for those us who wish to waste our money.I understand that there are three variations with different degrees of safety and complexity."upgrade","archive and install" and "erase and install" I have read other forums and as usual have come scurrying back here as I don,t understand what the grown-ups are talking about.

 stephen saxon
 10/21/2007  at  09:23 AM

Stephen: It's in the works!

 Chris K
 10/21/2007  at  02:52 PM

I read somewhere else about the reason Leapord IS worth the money, at least to some.
This version has new core animation, so it should be VERY cool to see what the mac developers come out with in a few months, and it's entirely 64 bit compatible. Apparently, apple developed a new way to do this, which is much different from how the old OSs did it, so 64 bit and 32 bit applications can interact.

Plus, many people will enjoy spaces, time machine, and the fact that most new applications will only care about working with leapord now... The mac community isn't very backwards compatible (after a few months).

 Mat S.
 10/21/2007  at  05:24 PM

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