More clues on emerging themes from Apple

Two bits of news yesterday which seem to reinforce what MacPredictions has been arguing for the past few weeks. Firstly, AppleInsider reports on a talk from Steve Cook, Apple's chief operating officer, at the Goldman Sachs Investment Symposium. According to AppleInsider, Cook referred to Apple's relationship with AT&T saying, "we're not married to any business model. What we're married to is shipping the best phones in the world." Implying that Apple might be open to offering contract-free or "SIM-free" iPhones in the future.

The second clue is MacNN reporting on Apple's new iPod Touch TV ad, which premiered on US prime time TV last night. Whilst this is hardly earth-shattering news, it is indicative of Apple's continuing redirection in focus towards the Touch.

If MacPredictions was working for Apple's marketing team, we'd be pushing for the unification of the iPod Touch and iPhone lines under a single moniker, with a premium sim-free iPhone option, a discounted network-locked iPhone, and an affordable phone-free option (the Touch). Apple could then run ads promoting the entire line, and avoid the confusion of marketing iPod Touch against iPhone. But what to call it... hmmm...