Jobs is back: with a new iPhone
The tension is palpable. Apple is preparing to kick off its annual conference next week and the internet has been buzzing with speculation that the company will unveil the next generation of its iPhone.
There is much riding on this unknown bit of kit as the group looks to expand its mass market appeal as well as face down a host of rivals, one of which has today launched what some believe could be the first "iPhone killer". Adam Leach, an analyst at the research group Ovum, said: "Apple has established the product in people's minds, but they have to prove they can keep innovating to stay out ahead. This is an important release for them."
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco kicks off on Monday, hosting more than 1,000 Apple engineers, and acting as a forum for developers and IT professionals who use the company's technology. For the past two years it has been the launching pad for new iPhones. There was good news for the group yesterday as it emerged that its founder, Steve Jobs, had recovered sufficiently from his recent ill health to return to the company sometime this month. He coule even present his traditional keynote at the conference, but currently his lieutenant Phillip Schiller is expected to announce the latest step forward in iPhone technology.
