This article was first published in October 2006, before the iPhone announcement in 2007. Seven years have passed since then and the disruption to the mobile phone industry have been massive.

What’s the next new thing?

iPod and iTunes Store is a great success for Apple. The question is now What’s the next new thing from Cuppertino? Is it possible for the company to create a product and service with as great potential as iPod and iTunes.

Think if the information in your computer at home or at work also is available in your pocket. And you would not need to think about how to do to retrieve the information or share it with someone else. It would be as simple as making a call.

What would happen if Apple enters the mobile market to compete head to head with Nokia, SonyEricsson, Motorola, Samsung and others? They have the preconditions to offer user- friendly services and acquire large groups of consumers, using more services than calls and SMS. Rumours from a number of sources reports that Apple will launch an iPhone next year.

Why should I buy a new mobile? To play music is my answer. I can do it with my iPod or SonyWalkman is your reply. You are right. It takes more to have a consumer to buy a new mobile phone.

How about a mobile with a delicious design and an integrated camera? A camera with a simple interface that makes it easy for you to write your blogg and publish new pictures or videos wherever you are.

The new version of Apples e-mail service .mac will make it even easier to have e-mail, calendar, address, document storage and backup available everywhere. You can have your own calendar and addresses in your phone as in your computer at home and on the Internet. When someone books a meeting, you will directly see it in on your mobile phone.

All information will be available in both your mobile phone and your Apple-computer. If you are using Windows XP or vista will you have access to all information via a Web 2.0 interface and your documents via a network disk, (WebDav). You will always be able to communicate with your friends and business contacts.

3rd part developers can then create Widgets as in OS/X (Tiger).

Bu this is nothing new. Everything is available today. Yes, it may work with products and services from different suppliers. You will need both computer and Telco-experts and development resources to have a working solution.

If you buy a new mac will everything work out of the box. If you don’t buy a new computer can you still use your old PC and have access to everything via Web and your iPhone, without using Microsoft applications. Do you see the similarities with the iPod and iTunes strategy?

The future offering from Apple could the look like this:

My iPod

Listen to music and watch TV-programs or movies. You’re your own pictures, Look in your calendar and address book

My future iPhone

Buy and listen to music. Use e-mail, calendar and address book. Share documents. Make voice and vide calls. Take pictures and show pictures. Write a blogg and publish our pictures and videos. Send messages. Search information on your computer and on Internet, (Spotlight/Google.

iTunes Store

Buy music, TV-programs and movies.

Future .Mac

Use e-mail, calendar and address book. Share documents. Make voice and vide calls. Take pictures and show pictures. Write a blogg and publish our pictures and videos. Send messages.

My Mac

Whatever you want.

Future iTV

See TV-program, movies and pictures.

What do you wish from Santa next year?

Disruptive architecture

What’s the next new thing?