The rumors fly and speculation rattles the browsers of readers around the world. Just what could possibly be at this years Macworld? The Macbook and Macbook Pro line have been updated. Not much going on for the Mac Pro. The iMac just had its huge shin-dig. The Mac mini was quietly bumped up a notch. The iPods re-pazzazed just before the holidays. Leopard finally hit the store shelves. So what could be left? iPhone 2.0? Yes, but it’ll only be an announcement (like last years.) The show won’t hold up on just that alone this year. So there’s got to be something more. But what?

Well, let me take a stab at it. See if you agree…and see in a couple of weeks if I’m right!

• iPhone Firmware Update (v1.1.3): It’s already leaked on the Internet and some of the features have been revealed. Better Google Maps with “Find Me” using cell tower triangulation that has been testing on other cell phones for the past few months looks to be one such feature. Since this Google Maps beta has been in the wild for some time, it was a given to find this in the next update.

  Copy and Paste. Probably the most requested feature since the release of the iPhone itself. While not found on the leaked 1.1.3 verision, MacScoop is reporting that it’s in there. Most likely, Gear Live’s 1.1.3 copy it has been showing the world is an early build (note it has covered up the build number with the users finger in the screen shot on Gear Live’s site.)

  Gear Live is also stating there is no Bluetooth 2.0 (AD2P) support. Thus, no stereo support. This has been another big request and I think it’ll be in the final release of 1.1.3.

  Also shown by Gear Live is a major update to SMS. With group messaging now available, mass sends will be made easier. But, no word on MMS support and I think it’s unlikely.

  Calendar Attendee Notification. Man, oh man, I hope this in the update. How can you have a calendar program and hope to be used in the enterprise if you can’t notify others in that enterprise of a new meeting? iCal has it, why not the iPhone calendar? Please Apple, give us something for the business world.

  While there’s speculation from the business community of Exchange Server support, truth is, Apple has little to gain to support Microsoft’s MAPI-based mail server. With the release of third-party application support, Apple will let another company do it. I’d say by summer it’ll happen and it will cost you about $50 to install it on your iPhone when it does.

  Cinema HD Display: With no major update to Apple’s LCD displays in quite some time and with the price drop last summer, I’d be surprised if this doesn’t happen. Maybe a bump up to 36″ screen (or maybe even 40″) to compete with Dell, Sony, and HP for the computer-slash-HD market. Difference will be that Apple’s HD sets will be true HD and beyond the other guys that only manage to squeeze 1080 lines of resolution out of its offerings. This may also be another way to give Apple TV a larger boost in some packaging deal as well.

  I’d be surprised not to see built-in iSight either. Given the iMac and both the MacBook and MacBook Pro have them in their screens, it just seems a given to find them in the updated Cinema HD Displays. The question will be if the next level has been taken in it and something new and special has been added to the mix like widescreen or higher resolution for LAN chatting.

  iTunes Movie Rentals: Leaks and speculation and just plain, “Apple has to support this eventually” logic seems to point to the fact that Apple indeed will embrace movie rentals via the iTunes Store. With many articles now all over the Internet relating to Fox’s 20th Century Fox inking a deal with Apple, I’d say expect some ability to rent a few Fox movies in January with more coming soon after.

  What’s interesting to note about the rental chatter is the lack of a certain other studio. One which Steve Jobs himself has a bit of some say with: Disney. I don’t think 20th Century Fox will get all the lime light at the Stevenotes come January 14th. I’m sure we’ll hear about the ability to rent High School Musical 2 along with all of Steve’s wonderful animation films from Pixar. I’d be surprised if only Fox was on the ticket when the horse gates opened. Don’t be surprised to find a third studio in the mix, too. Universal? Nah.

  High Definition Optical Drives (HD DVD / Blu-ray): All I have to say on this one is, “What’s the deal, Steve?” Now how can Jobs looks at the media with a straight face for the last couple of years and call Apple the digital hub and yet not offer support for high definition optical drives? Understanding that Sony has some pretty stringent requirements for its Blu-ray, there really isn’t a problem with HD DVD other than Microsoft’s in love with it. Is this going to turn into a one-button mouse thing, Steve? Come on, I want some high-def movies on my 30″ Cinema HD screen! Now I understand there is limited support for the drives through third-party hardware manufacturers such as the beloved OWC, but there still is no way to play those movies. Those drives are for mere data purposes only. I want my MTV…movie in HD!

  Those are my predictions. Granted, a couple are already seemingly strong rumors due to leaks, but I would have had them on the list without those leaks. I’m sure there’s something I’m missing, as are we all, since Steve loves to through curve balls all the time. I’m looking forward to that pitch.