Apple rumor mill gets going

Apple Computer is getting ready for its Worldwide Developers Conference next month, and bloggers are already abuzz about what will be announced.

The only official conference news is that CEO Steve Jobs will demonstrate Leopard, Apple's next-generation operating system. But Jobs is known for bringing out new toys during his keynotes.

Rumors that seem to be generating the most interest include movie rentals on iTunes and new iPod Nanos. Can Apple make the rental model work online?

Blog community response:

"Movie rentals, combined with new iPod hardware designed for watching video, would undoubtedly unleash another portable media player-buying spree for Apple Computer. Would it really make sense not to do a tandem announcement? Then you have the fact that WWDC is all about Leopard, not to mention new Intel Pro Macs, and it all seems like too much to be true."
--Infinite Looop

"I think this can only further Apple's lead with iTunes as the multimedia king. This also opens the door for a more advanced video iPod. If people are going to start watching movies on their iPod, and not just music videos, Apple will probably respond with a 16:9 aspect wide-screen video iPod."
--PaulStamatiou.com

"Assuming this rumor is true, and I seriously have doubts, if the rentals are priced like Movielink, CinemaNow, etc., it's going to tank. Nobody wants to pay $3 to $5 per new movie rental online, even through iTunes (which this name continues to sound bizarre for nonmusic media, when are they going to change it?). Haven't enough netizens voted with their wallets on pricing? Movielink has been up for sale for a while, and there doesn't appear to be flocks of interested suitors."
--Things that make you go hmm