Apple’s .Mac (Google) overhaul finally near?

Here’s an oldie but a goodie. Remember rumors last year that Apple’s .Mac was about to get a Google overhaul? It’s back with a bullet thanks to the latest 10.5.3 Leopard update. That iCal code snippet above replaces “.Mac” with the “%@” variable which Apple can fill-in later with any name it chooses. If that’s not enough of a hint then there’s always the text, “the new name of Apple’s online service (was .Mac).” This code change has also been found in the newly updated Safari and Mail apps and did not exist prior to the 10.5.3 update. So now the question: will the name change, presumably coming next week at WWDC, usher in Jobs’ promise to “make up for lost time” with the bealeugered service, or will it simply reflect the new semantics related to Apple’s Computer’s increased emphasis on iPhones, iPods, and other consumer level products? We’re hoping for the former but expecting the latter.

[Thanks, Supermario]