Rumors Return: iTablet to Launch in February 2010
iTablet rumors, paused for a week to allow some Apple Music Event rumors, are returning full force with a fresh batch straight from Taiwanese suppliers, who say the device will launch in February 2010. According to Taiwan Economic News:
The tablet PC features a 9.6-inch screen, finger-touch function and built-in HSPDA (high speed download packet access) module, and adopts a P.A. SEMI processor chip and long lasting battery pack, selling for between US$799 and US$999.
Given that Apple has a fairly regular product calendar, with iPhone OS Beta in March, WWDC and iPhone release in June, iTunes and iPod in September, and Mac events scattered in-between when new designs are ready, and especially considering Macworld in January is no longer on Apple's calendar, but we've all gotten used to giant product events at the beginning of the year... a February date makes some sense.
Not being locked to Macworld also means no firm date for the rumored release, so Apple can wait until the last minute and, venue availability not withstanding, hold it whenever the product is ready. Meaning, even if the February rumor is solid now, it's a moving target.
As to the specs, sounds like the rumors we've heard to date, though HSPDA does conflict with previous Verizon rumors (which still runs EVDO rev-A). It would be nice to finally see those Apple-spun PA Semi systems on a chip, however...
Enough of our rumor ruminations, what do you think? Sound plausible?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Editor-in-Chief of iMore, Executive Producer at Mobile Nations, co-host of Iterate and ZEN and TECH, cook, grappler, photon wrangler.
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Very pausible to me but I"ll pass....
Luis - "pausible" - is that the ability to pause? You'll pass on the ability to pause???
We're back to the giant iPhone again? No more 15" with OS X?
Fail.
A part of me is freaking out and saying I want one RIGHT NOW!
The sensible part of me is thinking about it and has to consider function first.
This is already been advertised in South Africa by Vodacom. But this is what makes me bitter, the South African market is good enough to purchase Apple hardware but when you look at the iTunes store we are given you would realize that it's overwhelmingly pathetic to say the least. For one you can only purchase app (no music, no video), the apps for sale have no content for South Africa and to make it worse there are no games. When you email Apple and ask all you get is that there are no plans as yet
Louis..plausible.
I'm starting to hope they release this thing just so the Apple/tech blogs stop wetting themselves with posts speculating about this goddammed device.
Who can afford a $999 companion device to their own computer. I can't imagine very many students or even most working people would be springing for a device like this. Steve is really going to have to wow people for this to take off.
Hahaha, this is not coming. Enough with the iTablet rumors. Apple is NOT making a tablet.
I will spend 400 on a Dell mini or it's equivilent. Then save the other four hundred for the next 64gb iPhone. Sound like a good plan...I think so
Sounds like people would be happier with a mac air with a touch screen that could spin 180 and close, creating a tablet like device with much more functionality.
@jvrandonof:
Well said.
I follow this blog for iPhone news. Not to be fed a steady diet of fanboy pablum.
Meanwhile TiPb totally missed the story about t-mobile potentially buying Sprint and becoming bigger than ATT. A possibe future home for iPhones?
If I could use it as a drawing tablet along the lines of a Cintiq, this would be perfect for me.
Al, I don't think they will market a $999 'companion device'. They may add touchscreens to their laptop line, marketing those new devices as replacements at $1000+, and they may also introduce a lower-priced, smaller form factor without a physical keyboard for something like $500-799. That smaller form factor would likely be a niche product like the Macbook Air. The real splash, I predict, will be adding touchscreens and perhaps Tablet-like swivel forms to the Macbook line, which will take the touchscreen interface they're probably working on now into the mainstream. You're right, most people won't pay $999 for another device in addition to their laptop.
Right in time for the holiday season...oh wait no.
For around $500 I'd be interested but not double that. Then again maybe it will have magic powers or something that will really excite me.
same here I would pay $650 tops but no way for 1000. Personally I think apple will push it out at 700 and people like me will just not be able to resist it.
Check me out: http://f1nbar.wordpress.com
You know how apple just some how makes nearlly everthing work, you can't help but to fall in love with some products, tablet may be the same? http://F1nbar.wordpress.com
I'm sure this will be a beautiful, elegant piece of hardware, but as with the iPhone and many Apple devices before it, Apple will need to do something really special and unexpected to make this device worth the price. I expect they ARE working on something special, but none of the rumors give us a hint. Perhaps a new and innovative input method? Voice recognition that "always works"?? It can't just be an iPod with a bigger screen, or it will be relegated to a niche like the Apple TV. Steve knows this. The rest of us will find out in February.
hmm. HSDPA would imply AT&T exclusivity in the US.
I agree with what you're saying: Looking at what was said at WWDC ’09 and also taking into consideration that both the iPhone and Macs run OS X - the iTablet will run OS X. It will retail for somewhere between the cost of an iPhone and a MacBook. We should see it in about January- March 2010.
@Al I believe that this is a full computer, not a tablet accessory like the Wacom Bamboo or similar. This is meant to function like a full service computer, not a peripheral.
This rumored device has a lot of potential. With an HD OLED screen, not only the obvious video playback capabilities, but consider the e-magazine market, e-comic books, e-text books, and the fast growing e-book market. It's going to be a kindle killer, students will no longer need to carry heavy back packs. Plus the apps that will follow. With the wireless keyboard and mouse currently available and a iTablet stand you will pretty much have a netbook. Wirelessly connect to airport express for printing. Yeah it may be a bit pricey, but so was the iPod when it first debuted. And that changed the way music is sold. I'm looking forward to a new toy.