(from thinksecret.com)

With Macworld Expo San Francisco 2006 set to kick off Tuesday, Think Secret presents a compilation of information we have received and reported over the last number of months concerning Apple's anticipated announcements.

read spoilers in the comments..

Intel and New iBooks

Hot on the heels of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which saw Intel introduce its new Core Duo processor (code-named Yonah) and Centrino Duo platform, Apple is poised to deliver its first Intel systems a full six months earlier than first expected. Think Secret was first to report in November that an Intel-based iBook would see the day of light for the first time in San Francisco. Since our initial report, sources have added that the new iBook will apparently be equipped with a 13.3-inch widescreen display, replacing the current 14.1-inch model. A 12.1-inch model is expected to remain as well. While unconfirmed, it is widely expected that the iBook will receive a significant design revamp with the new model, including a thinner enclosure.

Although Apple watchers have rightly pointed out that a dual-core Intel iBook would outperform Apple's current PowerPC-based PowerBook line, Think Secret sources have yet to disclose any substantial information regarding the company's PowerBook plans. In a more recent report, Think Secret exclusively revealed that Intel is planning two versions of its Core Duo processor, as well as two versions of a single-core processor based on the same architecture. This processor road map suggests that faster Core Duo PowerBooks with the "performance" variant of the Yonah chip could appear at Macworld Expo or later in the first quarter.

Media Mac mini

The Mac mini will be refashioned as the centerpiece of the digital hub, Think Secret first disclosed in late November. The reborn Mac mini appears likely to feature DVR functionality and revamped Front Row software.

Intel's new Viiv platform, which packs a Core Duo processor and is optimized for handling digital media, is expected to find a home in some capacity in this new Mac mini. Central to Viiv, however, is Microsoft's new Media Center Edition operating system, so it's unclear how Apple intends to leverage Viiv.

Digital Content Partnerships

At CES, Intel announced a number of prominent partnerships with content providers for its Viiv platform. It appears that Apple, however, will likely chart its own path as far as partnerships are concerned and not align itself with any established Intel agreements.

Apple, which made buying television episodes for $1.99 popular last year, is expected to announce numerous content partnerships at Macworld Expo. So many, in fact, that sources report CEO Steve Jobs' keynote will run longer than normal—90 minutes or more—with several industry figures taking the stage to co-announce their commitment to Apple's digital media strategy.

In early December, Think Secret reported that Apple will deliver a brand new media experience at Macworld Expo, one that will deliver digital content partly through Apple's iDisk service of .Mac, including possibly feature length films. Further evidence that Apple may be preparing to offer films through the iTunes Music Store can be found in a recent Neilson survey, which asked respondents whether they would be willing to pay $3.99 to purchase movies through Apple for playback on a video iPod.

Several components of .Mac are expected to receive upgrades at Macworld Expo. Apple recently increased the bandwidth limit for .Mac accounts and a message on the .Mac home page reports that services will be unavailable the first day of Macworld Expo from 7:00 a.m. to noon PT, overlapping the keynote.

iLife '06

Apple is expected to release all-new versions of the iLife components, along with a new member of the product family, iWeb, sources have said. iWeb will facilitate putting content online, but details beyond that are uncertain. Both iWeb and iLife '06 were publicly revealed last week when links referencing the products were inadvertently posted to Apple's Web site.

iPod shuffle

The iPod shuffle, first introduced last year at Macworld Expo San Francisco, will receive its first update this week. Exact details are unknown, though sources report that at least a black version, and possibly other colors, could be available to customers. The new shuffle may be marginally smaller and could pack a single line screen, although Think Secret has been unable to confirm either of those details.

Other Announcements and Internet Buzz

In recent days, the Web has been abuzz about the possibility of Apple Plasma TVs following a report on O'Grady's PowerPage. While similar rumblings reached Think Secret's ears about a week ago, we have been unable as of yet to firmly substantiate and confirm the suggestion of Apple-branded televisions.

Several prominent analysts and industry watchers contacted by Think Secret feel that televisions do not fit into Apple's current strategy and would be surprised to see the company enter an increasingly competitive marketplace that has seen profit margins fall substantially over the previous 12 months.

Other Web sites have suggested that a new iMac will be introduced as part of Apple's new Intel-based hardware offerings. While Think Secret has been unable to confirm nor deny these rumors, sources have consistently reported that they expect the iBook and Mac mini to be Apple's first Intel-based systems. Given the recent—and not insubstantial—update the iMac received, a new Intel-based iMac system would seem premature.

While logic would suggest that Apple will introduce iWork '06 at Macworld Expo, as iWork '05 was unveiled last year, Think Secret has yet to hear so.

Perhaps most important to keep in mind, we would not be surprised to see at least a handful of announcements that as of yet have not been reported. While on some occasions Think Secret nails virtually all of Apple's announcements in advance—such as last year—a few announcements each year usually fly under the radar. If you know something that we might not as the keynote nears, please send us a note or use our anonymous email form.