Although it maintains a strict wall of secrecy about forthcoming announcements, <a href="http://mashable.com/follow/topics/apple/">Apple</a> hypes up its special media events with cleverly designed and worded invitations that get pored over and analyzed for clues.

Ahead of the "<a href="http://mashable.com/2011/09/27/apple-announces-iphone-event-for-october-4/" >Let's Talk iPhone</a>" special event on Oct. 4, 2011, we've rounded up 10 such invites. In addition to looking at invite design, we recall the development or device Apple actually showcased at each media presentation. 

<center><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/01/13/apple-keynote-remixes-videos/">Steve Jobs Remixed: 5 Creative Takes on the Iconic Apple Keynote [VIDEOS]</a> </strong>

</center>

Take a look through the image gallery below. Let us know in the comments your hype memories and speculation from Apple events past -- and what <em>you</em> think is due to be revealed on Oct. 4.


      <br/>
      <h4>2005: "1000 Songs In Your Pocket Changed Everything. Here We Go Again"</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281152005-1000-Songs-In-Your-Pocket-Changed-Everything-Here-We-Go-Again"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2005: &quot;1000 Songs In Your Pocket Changed Everything. Here We Go Again&quot;" src="http://6.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/1000.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>Back in 2005, Apple teased the press with a cryptic message superimposed over an image of a denim pocket. </p>

<p>The "1000 songs" reference can be traced back to the first iPod <a href="http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2001/10/23Apple-Presents-iPod.html" >press release</a> in 2001.</p>

<p>This line represented the tagline for this event's launch -- the first-gen iPod nano.</p>

<p>Beyond the nano, Apple also introduced the Motorola ROKR, which supported iTunes. While not a success, the ROKR was the creative seed for the iPhone.</p>

</p>      <br/>
      <h4>2005: "One More Thing"</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281212005-One-More-Thing"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2005: &quot;One More Thing&quot;" src="http://9.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/one.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>Later in the year, Apple referenced the theatrical with a stage curtain and a mysterious message that read, "One more thing."</p>

<p>As most of you will know, this is a reference to Steve Jobs' keynote tactic, in which he saves one announcement for the last minute. </p>

<p>That "one more thing" in this instance turned out to be the first video-playing iPod, known as the "iPod video."</p>
</p>      <br/>
      <h4>2006: "It's Showtime"</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281252006-Its-Showtime"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2006: &quot;It's Showtime&quot;" src="http://9.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/showtime.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>The simple "It's Showtime" invite suggested movie-related news. Jobs' "one more thing" was just that -- films available on iTunes from Disney, Pixar, Touchstone and Miramax.</p>

<p>iPods also got updates at this event, with a second-gen nano and shuffle. Unusual for Apple, Jobs previewed a product due the following year, a little something that went by the product code name of "iTV."</p></p>      <br/>
      <h4>2007: "The Beat Goes On"</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281192007-The-Beat-Goes-On"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2007: &quot;The Beat Goes On&quot;" src="http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/beat.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>As you'd imagine, "The Beat Goes On" event was music-themed -- an iPod special event held in September. The invite was styled after Apple's "Cover Flow" album display design, and featured a classic dancing silhouette.</p>

<p>"The beat goes on" line had folk speculating about a Beatles iTunes release. The fab four used the phrase several times in their own 1970 press release.</p>

<p>The Beatles news was not to be. As well as the "fatboy" nano and the iPod classic, Steve Jobs unveiled one of Apple's most popular products - the iPod touch.</p>


</p>      <br/>
      <h4>2008: "Let's Rock"</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281272008-Lets-Rock"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2008: &quot;Let's Rock&quot;" src="http://7.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/rocks.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>With an invite design resembling an iPod display, the event a year later introduced the fourth-gen iPod nano and the second-gen iPod touch (described as the "funnest" iPod ever) in time for the holidays.</p></p>      <br/>
      <h4>2009: "It's Only Rock and Roll, But We Like It"</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281232009-Its-Only-Rock-and-Roll-But-We-Like-It"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2009: &quot;It's Only Rock and Roll, But We Like It&quot;" src="http://7.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/rock.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>Held on 09.09.09 -- the same day The Beatles remastered studio albums were to be released -- this special event made the rumor mill go into overdrive.</p>

<p>Instead, iTunes got a huge update, the third-gen touch was introduced, the nano got a redesign (complete with a camera) and the shuffle went button-free.</p></p>      <br/>
      <h4>2010: "Come See Our Latest Creation"</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281092010-Come-See-Our-Latest-Creation"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2010: &quot;Come See Our Latest Creation&quot;" src="http://8.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/creation.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>January 27 2010 was a big day in Apple's history. Invites were sent out over a week prior to the event, so there was plenty of time for fanboys and pundits to analyze every detail of the paint splat graphic.</p>

<p>It was expected that Jobs would finally unveil the Apple tablet, and he did, calling the iPad "magical and revolutionary" when he revealed it to the world.</p></p>      <br/>
      <h4>2010: No Text</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281172010-No-Text"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2010: No Text" src="http://9.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/guitar.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>Apple's September 2010 invite design was a no text teaser - just an image of a guitar with an Apple-shaped soundhole.</p>

<p>According to Jobs, this event saw the "biggest change" ever in Apple's iPod line-up with revamps across the gamut.</p>

<p>The shuffle got its buttons back, the nano went square, and tiny with a touchscreen and the fourth-gen touch featured cameras.</p>

<p>Jobs' "one more thing" (or as the presentation slide read, "one more hobby") was a new, smaller design for the Apple TV.</p>

</p>      <br/>
      <h4>2011: "Come See What 2011 Will Be the Year Of"</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281072011-Come-See-What-2011-Will-Be-the-Year-Of"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2011: &quot;Come See What 2011 Will Be the Year Of&quot;" src="http://6.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/apple-ipad2-main.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>Apple was pretty blunt about the subject of its March 2 event. The second-gen iPad was revealed on the second day of the month.</p></p>      <br/>
      <h4>2011: "Let's Talk iPhone"</h4>
      <br/>
              <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/04/apple-event-invites/#281132011-Lets-Talk-iPhone"><img width="400" style="border:none;" title="2011: &quot;Let's Talk iPhone&quot;" src="http://7.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/apple-invites/iphone-5-invite.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>
      <p><p>This brings us up to the Oct. 4 "Let's Talk iPhone" event invite. While it's clear what the event will be about, broadly speaking, the invite has led to all manner of speculation.</p>

<p>Will the iPhone 5 be revealed? Or will Apple play it safe with an <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/02/iphone-4s/">iPhone 4S</a>? Are there any clues in the invite's design?</p>

<p>Have <em>your</em> say about what you expect Apple to unveil at this special event in the comments below.</p></p><p style="margin-top:10px;"><i>For more <a href="http://mashable.com/dev-design/">Dev & Design</a> coverage:</i><ul style="margin-top:0;" class="xoxo"><li><a href="http://twitter.com/mashdevdesign"  rel="nofollow">Follow Mashable Dev & Design on Twitter</a></li><li><a href="http://www.facebook.com/mashable.devdesign"  rel="nofollow">Become a Fan on Facebook</a></li><li><a href="http://feeds.mashable.com/mashable/dev-design"  rel="nofollow">Subscribe to the Dev & Design channel</a></li><li>Download our free apps for <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/08/02/mashable-android-app/" rel="nofollow">Android</a>, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mashable-for-mac/id412390413?mt=12" rel="nofollow">Mac</a>, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mashable/id356202138?mt=8"  rel="nofollow">iPhone</a> and <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mashable-for-ipad/id370097986?mt=8"  rel="nofollow">iPad</a></li></ul></p>
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