NYT: Steve Jobs "Extremely Happy" with iTablet, Surprising Interaction Method?

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

And the iTablet Saga continues today, with the New York Times blogging that, according to an Apple employee:

"I can’t really say anything, but, let’s just say Steve [Jobs] is extremely happy with the new tablet.”

It's long been known that Apple has had a tablet in the labs for years, and that the iPhone was a result of leveraging technologies experimented with for a "Safari Pad", but Steve Jobs and Apple didn't see a mainstream market for the device and so never released it in its own right. Arguably, they've been just fine with the iPhone and iPod touch filling that niche.

Moreover, the NYT post adds that former Apple employee has told them:

“You will be very surprised how you interact with the new tablet.”

Would that we could stare into its black gloss and will it to do our bidding. Is there an app for that yet?

Anyway, if these rumors have any substance to them, what's changed in Steve Jobs' and Apple's minds? The App Store? The maturing of digital media content so that an iTablet could become the iPod of the next decade?

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.