Crazy Consumer Electronics World: New Apple product categories are closer than ever, says Tim Cook

The interminable wait for new Apple product categories continues but judging by CEO Tim Cook's latest comments we could finally be in the finishing straight.

24-hours removed from the company's earnings report on Wednesday evening, Cook spoke with the Wall Street Journal to assure fans and shareholders that the eagerly-awaited fresh line-up is "closer than ever"

The firm's chief reiterated Apple's long-held mantra that it will not rush product launches in order to be the first to market.

He said: "You want to take the time to get it right. Our objective has never been to be first. It's to be the best. To do things really well, it takes time. You can see a lot of products that have been brought to market where the thinking isn't really deep and, as a consequence, these things don't do very well."

Attention to detail

"We don't do very many things so we spend a lot of time on every detail and that part of Apple isn't changing. It's the way we've operated for years and it's the way we still operate. I feel great about what we've got coming. Really great and it's closer than it's ever been."

Apple's results saw strong iPhone says, but falling iPad numbers suggested the time is right for Apple to reinvigorate its line of products is ripe for a shake up.

The clamour for an iWatch/iBand (or whatever it turns out to be) continues to grow, while speculations suggests Apple will attempt to make a splash in the television market with a revamped Apple TV set-top box offering more content.

While Cook's vow that those products may be are 'closer than ever' are likely to resonate with some eager fans, we're still no closer to knowing when they might actually arrive.