Apple prepares for Tuesday Showtime

Apple may be considering an expanded video download service

With Apple's 'Showtime' event in San Francisco less than 24 hours away, the usual buzz surrounds what will be unveiled and where Apple plans to take it. 

Rumours have already surfaced of a full-length movie download service, but the introduction of wide-screen iPods or even the long awaited iPhone are less certain.

If a movie download service is on the cards, it could signal a much more ambitious strategy for Apple, according to Joe Wilcox, a senior analyst at Jupiter Research. 

"It is quite possible that Apple is sitting on something big. It could easily be part of a bigger strategy," said Wilcox, alluding to last week's low-key release of the 24in iMac.

The analyst believes that the bigger strategy could include a move towards the living room. But this would mean overcoming several technological hurdles, according to Wilcox, the first being the way Apple formats its media.

"Right now, the content it downloads is generally formatted for the iPod video. If Apple wants to do bigger and bolder things, there is the question of how it will handle content for potentially different devices," he said.

"If Apple is thinking about the living room, then it becomes an issue. But, again, that is qualifying whether Apple is ready to move into the living room."