It's official: Apple event set for 09/09/09

As expected, Apple has officially confirmed that it will host an event next Wednesday, September 9.

Invitations went out Monday. The music-themed event in San Francisco will be held at 10 a.m. at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, which is next door to Moscone Center, where Apple's much-larger Worldwide Developers Conference takes place every June.

Apple's invitation for next week's event.

(Credit: Apple)

Based on the image of the classic iPod advertisement art and the tag line, "It's only rock 'n roll, but we like it," this will be the company's annual music-focused event. Apple has hosted a new product introduction of its iPods every September for the past few years, and this year doesn't look to be any different. Besides new iPod Touch models, Apple is also expected to discuss its new interactive album format, known as Cocktail.

Because the date is a Wednesday, as opposed to Apple's traditional preference for events on Tuesdays, it's possible there could finally be an announcement regarding a Beatles catalog coming to iTunes. September 9 is also the day The Beatles' remastered digital albums and Rock Band video game will be released.

CNET News will be live-blogging the event, so be sure to come back for our full coverage.

[Gold_Storm_Mac]

finally its official. everyone knew it was coming.

[EarthToApple]

Yawn...... The Beatles
As for the new iPods; excellent I can not wait to order up a new one !

[lilymae44]

Yawn? The Beatles? The Beatles revolutionized music. Just because the music being produced today can't hold a candle to their artistry, does not mean they should be tossed under the bus. You are fishing from the shallow end of the pond. Pull your head out of it's dark place, and go buy Abbey Road.

[Zoobie]

Not to discount the Beatles music revolution, but I don't understand the excitement of them on iTunes. Hasn't every Beatles song been released in every format imaginable and remastered multiple times? I expect I could go to eBay or Amazon today and get some used Beatles CDs for less than $5 each. Why would I pay to download those songs for $1.29 each? Is having them on iTunes just viewed as a way to keep their music relevant to younger generations?

[frankz00]

Those are Stones lyrics, dude...

[hankthedwarf]

@Zoobie

No, other than Beatles 1, the Yellow Submarine Songbook from 1999 and Beatles Love, none of the Beatles music has been remastered since 1987 when the original CDs came out. The CD you buy today in a store is the exact same version that was released in 1987. Digital mastering from back then is considered crude at best today. The 9/9/09 remastered versions will be only the 2nd time the albums have ever been remastered for CD in their entirety and not as part of a compilation.

[Renegade Knight]

@lilymae44

They made albums worth buying. That was their 'revolution'. Other than that, they had a lot of hits and had a rare staying power across albums even as they changed styles. Rare for a band but not revolutionary. Their other contrubution was inspiring a lot of other singers even as they were inspired by others themselves.

As a band they deserve a place in rock history, but without them rock would still be here as it is now.

[TechSlap]

I wish I was around for the beatles... They may have revolutionized the industry but for me... There just some band. I guess that could be the same for when I get up to 50 and kids think the same for Michael Jackson.

[eltoro2827]

yawn....the ipod
as for the beatles i cant wait for them to be available for all.

[Grifter02]

lol, nice ;)

[Bubba_Satori]

I miss Apple Computer.

[BogusBasin]

You can pick one up at your local Best Buy

Amen

[Mr. Dee]

Save some cash, buy a PC, get a free upgrade to Windows 7 and have lots of money left over to buy a new iPod or Zune HD.

[ckh1272]

"by Mr. Dee August 31, 2009 1:08 PM PDT
Save some cash, buy a PC, get a free upgrade to Windows 7 and have lots of money left over to buy a new iPod or Zune HD."

More free advertising for your favorite company??

[cgallaway]

so what does "it's only rock n roll, but I like it" have to do with the beatles? That was a Rolling Stones song......

[ApplerPS3]

"It's only rock and roll"? You can't decipher the message behind it vis-a-vis the Beatles? That it took Apple years to include their music catalog in iTunes? Afterall, its only Rock and Roll, but its The Beatles Rock and Roll no less. Although Im not a diehard fan, I do appreciate what The Beatles, and especially Lennon did to music.

[druble]

9/9/9 eh? strange. You would think they would have opted for a Saturday to allow people to travel to and from the event without having to take off work. Why make this event in the middle of the week, so it can be on 9/9/9?

[cvaldes1831]

In the technology industry, product announcements are frequently made on weekdays, tending toward the earlier part of the week to accommodate deadlines for weekly periodicals.

Holding a product announcement on a weekend makes no sense as most technology publications don't publish that much on weekends.

This is a media event. They aren't taking time off work to go to this event. This is their job.

[monkeywife]

Number nine, number nine, number nine...

[solitare_pax]

Well, I'll be off watching the movie "9" coming out that day.

I suspect its a movie about a world where Apple failed, and the world is run by Windows 7...

[Kev_Orng]

When has Apple ever had an event on a weekend?
Their product events are invariably on a Tuesday, except when an inconvenient holiday pushes it to a wednesday.

This isn't peculiar to Apple either, anyone who understands news and gossip and word-of-mouth will see to it that their event/product launch/whatever is on a tuesday. Most of the people who took a long weekend will be back at work, and they have all the rest of the week to talk about it. Monday, people are still too weekend-weary to care, and thursday or friday, there's not enough week left for the buzz to build.

A weekend product launch is right out. The people who are going to travel to an iPod event are going to do it regardless of the day of the week, and everyone else in the world has something better to do on saturday.

[shycelticwitch]

LOL @ Solitaire...

Sorry, that world exists only in YOUR mind!

[jumpjetta]

@monkeywife... that was my thought, too.

[TJ Spyke]

Some ****** stole my iPod Touch today, so hopefully the rumored iPod Touch with camera will be announced (and that I can get a loan from my school). As for The Beatles, I couldn't care less if they get added to iTunes.

[SpecVSnowman]

When will we get MMS.....iPods are nice, Beatles are cool.....but getting what other countries already have 2 to 3 months later.....there is nothing " rock and roll" about that!

[cvaldes1831]

MMS on your iPhone has nothing to do with Apple. 29 international carriers enabled MMS when the iPhone 3.0 software shipped in June.

The lack of MMS on your iPhone is solely the carrier's fault (I'm guessing you're American and using AT&T).

[lazycat202]

Ipod will have a camera. So what? you still pay for a new ipod. Next 3 month: new ipod with wings? you still have to pay. So what?? same design and functions!! Waste of $$!

[cvaldes1831]

No, new functions since the current and previous iPod touches do not have cameras. The original iPod touch did not have Bluetooth, a volume rocker, speaker. Plus, Apple increased the storage capacity and bumped the CPU speed with the 2nd generation iPod touch.

True, it should be a similar design. Perhaps next year they will change it.

[kelmon]

With all due respect (and that is to say, not very much), perhaps you should wait to see what is announced before pronouncing judgement. Remember, rumour is not the same as fact.

isnt it kinda obvious that its the "company's annual music-focused event" because theyve had it for the past few years so they'll do it again whey do they have to say it

[Daniel-Castaneda]

Cool I'm looking foward to next week, not so much for the new ipods, but for the 3.1 hopefully its realeased with the new touch....that way my Iphone 3gs can update to it and get MMS!

[mathmeister]

Your iPhone doesn't need any additional software to do MMS. There are people around the world who are happily using MMS on their iPhone right now. The only reason you can't use MMS is because AT&T hasn't joined all the other carriers around the world in turning on the feature.

[technewsjunkie]

How could Apple announce a "Beatles" addition when the advertisement for the event is the Stones?
A lot of people consider the Beatles and Stones to be rivals. Like Windows vs Macs...

[jimandsherri]

Lets See.....The Beatles digital remasters catalog is going to be released on Sept 9. Could it be that an announcement will be made of the official downloadable release in the works?

[jimandsherri]

I Pod...........YAWN...............Beatles, well thats just cool!!

i got my itouch 2g from sams in april so the 6 months doesnt end until october ill return my touch 2g and buy the highest memory itouch 3g ihave 32gb version now hehehehehehe. :D

[EvanSei]

ah that is awesome makes me wish I waited to buy mine but I got excited and could only hold out till december.

[etiahwhite]

I'm hoping for a nano with a larger memory...my ipod video died a few months back and I've been missing having an ipod for exclusive use in my car. I have an iphone but when I'm in the car I don't like to use it for music...not enough distractions I suppose I need to be shifting talking and listening to music. So I'm hoping for a nano in 30gig range...I've been so patient resisting just going out and buying an ipod so I hope to not be let down.

[projectbull]

9/9/9 inverted? sign of the beast, hehe

[kelmon]

I'd be very happy if they invite Iron Maiden on for a couple of tracks - Apple's normal music selection isn't usually to my taste.

[EvanSei]

I can't wait they need to do it now! want to see big changes in the iPod touch I am thinking camera with video recording as well as dropping the shinny backing, HD screen and audio would be sweet to, as far as the beatles go I would love to see them on iTunes I just could not wait so I went and purchases many of their songs on cd but not all of them.

[wag093]

I can't wait for the new ipod touch 3G.