Five things Apple didn't announce at Macworld

Macworld 2009: Rumour mill it seems got carried away

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6 January 2009 23:50 GMT / By Stuart Miles

The rumour mill, as always, got very excited about a number of new products created from Chinese whispers ahead of the keynote speech at Macworld 2009. Here are five that we are still going to have to wait for:

iPhone nano
Case manufacturers in the Far East claimed that Apple was about to launch a smaller version of the iPhone. Why? Nobody knows but spy shots and details of cases for a new handset turned up and got fanboys excited. With Phil Schiller opening the keynote with the words "it's all about the Mac" this wasn't going to be on the cards.

Probable appearance at future event: 6/10

Apple MacBook netbook
After Apple CEO Steve Jobs said Apple had some "interesting ideas" on a MacBook netbook many hoped a credit crunch and the popularity of the small netbook would force Apple in to releasing a 12-inch or small laptop at Macworld 2009. It might have been "All about the Mac" but this time Apple went in the opposite direction - a 17-inch monster with an 8 hour battery life. It's not the end of the road for a possible MacBook netbook, but it's clear Apple is still working on those "interesting ideas".

Probable appearance at future event: 7/10

Mac mini
The one that most people expected as it hasn't had an update for so long. Talk of bigger storage, new designs, dual monitor support dominated the rumour mill in the run up to the conference in San Francisco, but like everything else here it failed to materialise. With a shift towards notebooks over desktops perhaps the Mac mini rebirth will never materialise.

Probable appearance at future event: 5/10

iPhone updates and tethering
Bigger storage and the ability to use it as a modem with your laptop all surfaced and all went unfulfilled. Macworld might be dominated by iPhone apps and accessories but the keynote certainly wasn't. Apart from some references to using it as a remote control for your keynote slideshows and the ability to download songs on iTunes over 3G, the iPhone didn't really make the running order.

Probable appearance at future event: 8/10

Snow leopard
With Windows 7 expected to be announced at CES on Wednesday, many were expecting Apple to try and steal the show with details about its latest OS version - Snow Leopard. Not even a mention in the keynote. It's coming, but clearly it's not quite time for the Apple fan base to get too excited.

Probable appearance at future event: 8/10