Robert Cringley broke some interesting news last night:
iOS 7 has, for the first time, support for not just Bluetooth keyboards but Bluetooth mice as well.
Really? This is the first I've heard of it. If anybody has more information about this I would really like to see it.
He also has some interesting speculation regarding Apple's next product category:
A growing emphasis from here on out will be the role of iOS on the desktop.
I see the iPhone 5S and whatever follows as logical desktop replacements. They, and phones like them, will be the death of the PC.
Jump forward in time to a year from today. Here’s what I expect we’ll see. Go to your desk at work and, using Bluetooth and AirPlay, the iPhone 5S or 6 in your pocket will automatically link to your keyboard, mouse, and display. Processing and storage will be in your pocket and, to some extent, in the cloud. Your desktop will require only a generic display, keyboard, mouse, and some sort of AirPlay device, possibly an Apple TV that looks a lot like a Google ChromeCast.
This is a chance for Apple to reinvent the desktop exactly as they reinvented the music player, the mobile phone, and the tablet. For those who say Apple can’t do it again, Apple is already doing it again.
I expect Apple to build for road warriors a new class of devices that have the display, keyboard and trackpad of a notebook but without the CPU, memory or storage. Call it a MacBook Vacuum, because it’s a MacBook Air without the air.
I do believe Apple is planning a move to more aggressively move iOS upmarket into the desktop replacement space. iPad is able to replace a laptop for some users, but it still has weaknesses for heavy productivity users. Apple's aggressive, unexpected move to 64-bit with the A7 as well as the 17-watt power supply they are developing. Both seem to indicate that we may see Apple release such product.
Where Bob loses me is when he describes the “MacBook Vacuum”. I do not believe Apple would ship a device with a display and input that cannot function on its own. Remote display and input may be a feature, but not the only feature. I believe we're much more likely to see something along the lines of an iPad Pro.