Things We Know for Sure About Apple's Upcoming Media Event

Rebecca Greenfield

Before we get carried away with 2012 Apple rumors, let's get the facts straight about what the Apple media event later this month entails. Two sources have now confirmed that the tech company will hold an event at the end of January, according to respectable bloggers AllThingsD's Kara Swisher and TechCrunch's Alexia Tsotsis. As with all things Apple-related, for this super-secret event the company has teased the press with just enough information to churn the rumor mill. But before the gossips start talking iPad 3s and TVs of the future, let's parse through the facts. 

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What We Know For Sure About Apple's Media Event

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  • Apple will hold a media event later this month, multiple sources confirmed this to both Swisher and Tsotsis. 

  • The event will be in New York, not Silicon Valley. Notable because a big hardware announcement would more likely happen closer to Apple's headquarters. 

  • Apple will not unveil any hardware, including the anticipated iPad3 or Apple TV, both of which have rumored releases for sometime in 2012. 

  • It will involve iBooks and publishing -- not advertising, as Swisher as surmised.

  • Eddy Cue will run the event. Cue, Senior Vice President of Internet and Software Services, headed up iTunes and the App store, leading many to believe he will woo cable companies into signing with Apple as he had done with music labels. After a promotion earlier this year, he is now in charge of Cloud services, iBookstore, and iAd, and will also have something to do with Apple's TV projects. 

  • The audience will consist of publishing industry executives, rather than consumers. 

  • The sources call it "important" but not "major." A slight distinction, which we guess means the difference between new magical gadget and everything else. 

As with all Apple events though, as Swisher notes, all and any of this could change at any moment. So really, we know nothing for sure about the upcoming Apple event. We'll keep you posted with any new or changed information that comes trickling through.