Here we go again. The Internets are buzzing with Apple Tablet and MacBook Touch announcement rumors. Could the rumors finally be true?
According to an article in the Financial Times, Apple‘s long rumored tablet is reportedly going to be announced as early as September and in stores in time for Christmas.
The Financial Times is quoting people ‘close’ to the tablet project who say the device would have the same capabilities as an iPod Touch but with a bigger screen. A larger screen could make the rumored device a competitor with the popular Netbook market as well as Amazon’s electronic book reader, the Kindle.
Analysts estimate that the gadget would sell between $600 and $1,000. Anything over $500 could make it difficult to compete with the Netbook market. Also, the Apple device must have a keyboard (unlike the iPhone) in order for it to be a viable alternative to similarly priced Netbooks, like the HP Mini.
Will we really see an Apple tablet in time for Christmas? Cross your fingers, but stay skeptical. MethodShop.com has been tracking the Apple tablet rumors since 2006. Here’s a time line of our reports:
- iTunes Digital Album Covers and MacBook Tablet Rumors (July 2009)
https://methodshop.com/itunes-digital-album-covers - Rumor: $800 Apple Tablet Due in October (July 2009)
https://methodshop.com/apple-tablet-rumor - Apple Plans MacBook Event as $800 Laptop Rumors Clog the Blogosphere (Oct 2008)
https://methodshop.com/apple-notebook-event - Rumor: MacBook Touch Coming in October (July 2008)
https://methodshop.com/macbook-touch - What’s Apple’s Big Surprise? A Tablet? (Feb 2006)
https://methodshop.com/what-is-apples-big-surprise - Touch Sensitive Apple Patent Pictures (Feb 2006)
https://methodshop.com/touch-sensitive-ipod-patent-pictures
im ready for a netbook but will wait and see what happenes with apple
The tablet form-factor has been the hardest to sell on the open market. No one has been successful with it, except as a niche market device. Apple must know this, so perhaps their new device will not be a tablet, per se. The reason that netbooks do so well is that their form-factor is usable (and that they are cheap). The fact that most of them are substandard products running a flawed OS doesn't seem to slow their popularity.