Apple-Branded ISP A Reality?

On Thursday, Macs Only! suggested that Apple needed to reestablish itself as an internet service provider (ISP) to counter the "free PC" marketing efforts of Microsoft (via MSN) and AOL (via its recently purchased and still flagging CompuServe). Remember eWorld, Apple's neat AOL-based ISP that was knocked out of the box by a burgeoning AOL? Well, Mac users that "helped" its demise by flocking to the AOL stampede instead of the more expensive eWorld may get redemption. Our Thursday suggestion was followed Friday by a MacInTouch "anonymous reader tip" that Apple will announce an Apple ISP at Macworld Expo later this month...well, we certainly hope so. We suggested that ATT Worldnet, a highly rated national ISP (I use it for travel and backup to my cable service), might be the vehicle. Why? It already hosts other brands like Excite. As everyone should know, Apple's current "portal" is an Excite page so ATT Worldnet makes sense. The iMac is currently bundled with Earthlink but it's not free and it would not make any sense for Apple to offer a discount on the iMac to use it. Dana Baggett predicted that a resurrected Apple-branded ISP would be called "iWorld" rather than eWorld. That's a good bet.