蘋果新iPhone能否滿足期待大綱

When the company introduces its latest device Wednesday, everyone will be watching to see if it can maintain the place it has long held as top-selling smartphone in the U.S. Months of purportedly leaked parts and images have generated enthusiasm, driving up Apple's stock price.

該公司週三推出最新款手機的時候，所有人都會留心，看它能不能保持住長期以來作爲美國最暢銷智能手機的地位。幾個月來，據稱是提前泄露出來的手機零部件和照片已經點燃了人們的熱情，推動蘋果股價走高。

But speculation about whether the iPhone─introduced in 2007─can measure up to new devices is brewing. Some bloggers are whining about iPhone fatigue. It will have to be 'a major step up' to keep up with expectations in the media and among consumers, says Rajeev Chand, a managing director at investment bank Rutberg & Co.

但已經有人在猜測，2007年首次面市的iPhone還能否比得上其他一些新手機。一些博客作者在訴說他們對iPhone的審美疲勞。投資銀行Rutberg & Co.的董事總經理昌德(Rajeev Chand)說，要達到媒體和消費者的期望，就得實現重大飛躍。

pple also will be looking to beat back Samsung Electronics Co., which took the top spot in overall global smartphone shipments in the second quarter.

蘋果還將想辦法對競爭對手三星電子(Samsung Electronics Co.)作出還擊。三星電子第二季度全球智能手機發貨量升至第一。

The next iPhone, which has been referred to internally by the code name N41, has been in the works for more than a year, a person familiar with the matter said. Apple is expected to tweak the smartphone's shape with a slightly larger screen and a different shell, and it will work with wireless carriers' fastest LTE networks and run new mobile software. That software, iOS 6, includes improvements to voice-activated assistant Siri, a new digital-coupon-and-passes service called Passbook, and new call-blocking features, among several others.

一位知情人士說，新一代iPhone在內部的代碼爲“N41”，研發工作已經進行了一年多。預計蘋果將調整手機的外形，略微增加屏幕尺寸，改變手機外殼。新手機將兼容無線網絡運營商速度最快的LTE網絡，並安裝新的手機操作系統iOS 6。新系統將包括改進後的Siri語音助理、新的電子優惠券服務“Passbook”，以及新的呼叫屏蔽功能等。

Consumers have been holding out for the new device, so much so that Apple's last quarterly results disappointed investors. Some economists are predicting sales could even bump up the U.S. economy

消費者一直在等待這部新手機，以致於蘋果最近一個季度的業績令投資者感到失望。部分經濟學家甚至預計新手機的銷售可以對整個美國經濟起到提振作用。

But whether Apple will satisfy expectations is hard to tell as are the consequences if it doesn't. Almost a year ago, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook introduced the iPhone 4S to a lukewarm reception. Yet the gadget went on to be wildly popular and drove Apple's sales and stock to new heights. Apple recently became the most valuable U.S. company in history.

但蘋果是否能滿足人們的期望卻很難講，如果達不到期望會產生什麼後果也很難預料。將近一年前，蘋果首席執行長庫克(Tim Cook)推出iPhone 4S，反響平平。但後來這部手機大受歡迎，將蘋果的銷售額、股價都推向新的高度。前不久，蘋果成爲美國曆史上市值最大的公司。

Further muddying the picture: Apple's shares often dip after product announcements, losing some of the gains they make in the frenzied lead-up. 更加難以捉摸的是，發佈產品之後，蘋果股價常常下跌，部分回吐發佈前熱炒過程中的漲幅。

Tim Bajarin, president of research firm Creative Strategies, said competitors will be watching closely for new hardware and software since they will face pressure to match it.

研究公司Creative Strategies的總裁巴扎林(Tim Bajarin)說，競爭對手會密切留意蘋果新推出的硬件和軟件，因爲它們將面臨追趕蘋果的壓力。

'They'll be holding their breath,' he said.

他說，它們會摒住呼吸。