Apple Inc. today announced a press event for Dec. 2 in New York City “honoring our favorite apps and games of 2019” at which it could reveal a new product.

Or not. The best guess at this stage — and guessing is where the tech press is at as the announcement was completely unexpected — is that maybe it’s simply a ceremony where Apple gives awards to popular apps and games. Apple has traditionally given awards to the most popular iOS app and game developers.

But it usually doesn’t hold a mysterious Steve Jobs-style press event to announce them. As 9to5Mac pointed out, “the most interesting part about all this is it’s the first time Apple will hold a live event dedicated just to apps and games.” The publication added that Apple “opted to skip an October event this year and debuted AirPods Pro and the 16-inch MacBook Pro with press releases.”

Apple is certainly a different company since the death of Steve Jobs in 2011, but it’s still a company that has kept up the Jobsian “one more thing” announcements in most of its major events. Surprising announcements are Apple folklore, so it’s odd that the December Apple event may not have a surprise reveal.

This is unexpected. Apple Event. December 2 in NYC. pic.twitter.com/ok4UtcAylC

— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) November 18, 2019

In March, Apple announced Apple Arcade, a subscription service that allows iOS users to gain access to more than 100 exclusive mobile games. The service was launched in September at $4.99 per month with a one-month free trial for new users. It’s unlikely, having already gone down the launch path, that Apple will have anything new to add in terms of games at the December event.

New hardware being launched or previously announced hardware being given a date at the event is not impossible, however. The new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR are due to be released in December, so the event may include both. The question remains whether Apple will have Christmas surprise.

The event is currently not even scheduled to be livestreamed as most Apple events are.

Image: David Steadman/Flickr