Macworld Expo in San Francisco will be a time for the whole world to see new releases from different companies supporting Apple's Mac, including announcements from Apple itself.

This year, expectations are high, as they were last year when Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone during the event.

The release of iPhone helped Apple's stock to double in 2007. It also led to growth in its market share, fostering increased consumer trust and love for other product lines, including iPod media players.

Speculation is running high about a movie rental service possibly being added to the Apple online iTunes store, an ultra portable laptop and maybe an iPhone with a faster connection to the Internet.

Apple has already forecasted 10 million iPhone sales by the end of 2008 which could account for 1 percent of cell phones sold all over the world this year.

Last year, Apple sold 2.16 million Macs, up 34 percent from the year before and more than double the overall worldwide PC growth rate of 15.5 percent.

Since the release of iPod in 2001, more than 119 million have been sold, helping to increase Apple's market capitalization from $6 billion to $155 billion.

The movie rental component of iTunes which launched at last year's Macworld is expected to boost sales for Apple TV, a device that delivers video and other video content from the PC to a television.

Apple's iPhone partner, AT&T Inc., revealed last month that there are plans to release a 3G iPhone in 2008, although Apple has declined to comment, leaving many with high expectations at this Expo. The event runs from Jan. 14 to 18.

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