Leopard Coming Sooner Than Expected?

. Jesse is an analyst for Prudential and something of a Mac fanboy, or so it seems, as he’s always upgraded Apple’s valuation and is contact with many nebulous “inside sources” that even we corrupt bloggers can’t get our vodka-scented hands onto. So it comes as no surprise that he’s a source of many of the fun Apple rumors we find and relay, deliberately or not.

The latest wisdom from high on top Mount Tortura is in regards to the ship date for Leopard, the latest rendition of Apple’s OS X. While most analysts and developers are expecting an early Summer/late Spring launch, perhaps around mid-May, Tortora sees it happening much sooner, perhaps as early as this month. His argument is that as Adobe is launching CS3 a couple months early, it makes sense for Apple to launch its flagship product at the same time. And with new Macs due at NAB this year, it makes sense for Apple’s pro gear to be upgraded across the product spectrum, from hardware to software.

We like the idea, as we’ve been with Tiger for so long we’ve forgotten what the touch of another OS is like. In addition, many of the features in Leopard are drool worthy indeed. Once you’ve used the tabbed Finder, you’ll wonder how you ever navigated your Mac before.

Tortora’s track record is so-so on Apple rumors, however, so we’re carving out a nice, big grain of salt to serve with this rumor. We recommend you take it.

Ahead of the Bell: Apple [Business Week]