Latest Apple tablet rumor: Feb. 2010 launch for $800-$1,000
A new report on Apple's long-rumored tablet device cites Taiwanese suppliers with a number of alleged specifics, including price, launch window and parts.
Steve Chuang of Taiwan Economic Times has cited "a couple of Taiwanese suppliers of PC parts and components" in a report that claims the device will debut in February 2010 with a price between $799 and $999. The rumored device is alleged to have a 9.6-inch touchscreen, a chip from Apple-owned P.A. Semi, built-in 3G HSDPA, and a "long lasting battery pack."
"Outbidding its Taiwanese counterpart Simplo Technology Co., Ltd., DynaPack International Technology Corp. has been exclusively contracted to supply up to 300,000 units of long lasting battery packs a month for Apple`s newest tablet PCs," the report said. "Bearing higher gross profits than conventional models, the long lasting battery packs are expected to serve as a profit booster for the firm in the future."
The report said all of the suppliers have alleged that they will provide the necessary parts to Apple in December for assembly, paving the way for a February 2010 launch.
The inclusion of HSDPA would suggest that the device would work with the AT&T 3G network in the U.S., much like the current iPhone. If true, it would seem to debunk earlier speculation that the device would run on Verizon's network.
In addition, Chuang states that Wanshih Electronic Co., Ltd., has won the contract to supply "mini coaxial cables" for about 70 percent of the tablet supply. The device's "power supply chokes" will come from Mag. Layers Scientific-Technics Co., Ltd., and Wintek Corp. will provide the touchscreens.
"Noteworthy is that Wintek's touch panels have been used in Apple's iPhones for awhile, while Mag. Layers has effectively squeezed into Apple's power (choke) supplier list," the report said.
Much of Chuang's report seems to corroborate with what sources have told AppleInsider, namely that the device would launch in 2010 and sport a custom processor from fabless chip designer P.A. Semi. People familiar with the matter have told AppleInsider that the device will sport a 10-inch touchscreen, though the latest rumor has a relatively negligible difference of four-tenths of an inch.
Steve Chuang of Taiwan Economic Times has cited "a couple of Taiwanese suppliers of PC parts and components" in a report that claims the device will debut in February 2010 with a price between $799 and $999. The rumored device is alleged to have a 9.6-inch touchscreen, a chip from Apple-owned P.A. Semi, built-in 3G HSDPA, and a "long lasting battery pack."
"Outbidding its Taiwanese counterpart Simplo Technology Co., Ltd., DynaPack International Technology Corp. has been exclusively contracted to supply up to 300,000 units of long lasting battery packs a month for Apple`s newest tablet PCs," the report said. "Bearing higher gross profits than conventional models, the long lasting battery packs are expected to serve as a profit booster for the firm in the future."
The report said all of the suppliers have alleged that they will provide the necessary parts to Apple in December for assembly, paving the way for a February 2010 launch.
The inclusion of HSDPA would suggest that the device would work with the AT&T 3G network in the U.S., much like the current iPhone. If true, it would seem to debunk earlier speculation that the device would run on Verizon's network.
In addition, Chuang states that Wanshih Electronic Co., Ltd., has won the contract to supply "mini coaxial cables" for about 70 percent of the tablet supply. The device's "power supply chokes" will come from Mag. Layers Scientific-Technics Co., Ltd., and Wintek Corp. will provide the touchscreens.
"Noteworthy is that Wintek's touch panels have been used in Apple's iPhones for awhile, while Mag. Layers has effectively squeezed into Apple's power (choke) supplier list," the report said.
Much of Chuang's report seems to corroborate with what sources have told AppleInsider, namely that the device would launch in 2010 and sport a custom processor from fabless chip designer P.A. Semi. People familiar with the matter have told AppleInsider that the device will sport a 10-inch touchscreen, though the latest rumor has a relatively negligible difference of four-tenths of an inch.
Comments
Killer app: total sync with home computer and mobile me every time it's within range of its "home" wifi LAN.
The big question now is operating system - will it run an expanded version of the iPhone OS or something closer to 10.6? If it's a slimmed-down 10.6 then that means many standard desktop apps might run on the thing (Office, iLife, Firefox, etc.) But if it's iPhone OS based, then it'll only run apps from the apps store. So, will it be like a really big iPod Touch or a shrunken down MacBook Air? Hmmm...
Otherwise I think you'll have an extremely large majority who don't want two 3G contracts with AT&T. Let's be honest here, the vast majority of people who are possibly going to buy this tablet are likely to have or eventually buy an iPhone. If Apple makes this thing so that people with iPhones are less likely to buy them, its destined to fail.
Another possible option I could see is not having a model that's WiFi only, but givng a very very large 3G plan discount to those with an existing iPhone data plan. Somethinig in the neighborhood of 5-10 more per month.
Tablets have failed in the Windows world for many, many years now. Personally I believe that's simply due to the entire tablet concept being pointless.
While they are at it, spend another dollar and put in a 900MHz one, so Australia and New Zealand (and a few other countries) can use it in their rural areas on more networks at faster than EDGE speeds.
I'd love one, but I don't want a second 3G contract. I hope Apple release a version without built-in 3G, as I already pay for a 3G USB dongle that I can use on the go.
Inside your dongle is a SIM card that you would simply push into the tablet.
I think built-in 3G is a given. The whole point of a tablet is instant on, always connected.
Best,
Daniel
And not so good for Redmond either.
And when it comes out everyone will say "Apple blew it on the price, it's way too expensive, and only meets a small niche of early adopters," and then it will sell 10 million units in the first two years and redefine the market and people will say, "Oh, we knew apple would do that."
Killer app: total sync with home computer and mobile me every time it's within range of its "home" wifi LAN.
the iphone was a loser phone until the price was cut, exchange was added along with an sdk
i remember when it first came out everyone was saying how cool it was that you could finally pay full retail price for a phone without a contract and only the fanboys bought it. and not all of them either. for the first year it was just an overpriced phone that couldn't do things cheapo phones could
ipod and iphone were hits because they were priced at the price everyone else was charging. maybe a little more. Apple's computers are still niche devices because no one wants to pay the ridiculous price
I still can't see why this device needs to exist. Is it just to browse the web from my sofa? If so, the price is hilarious. If it's a portable media player then it's far too bulky. Then what? A computer with no buttons? Count me out.
Tablets have failed in the Windows world for many, many years now. Personally I believe that's simply due to the entire tablet concept being pointless.
it's supposed to compete with netbooks in the simple carry around with you computer space that does limited things and is dirt cheap. so cheap that if you break it, you don't care and just buy another one
that price range is too much for a tablet the most expensive ipod touch is 399 and the macbook is 999 so I'd position it within the range of 599-799
If it costs 799-999 with a required cellular data contract, then the price is too high for me.
If it only runs iPhone apps, and doesn't run Mac apps, then again the price is too high for me, unless Apple unleashes iLife (reduced capability obviously) and iWork suites for iPhone OS.
If it runs iPhone apps, and runs iLife/iWork-like apps (whether Mac OS or iPhone OS based), and the cellular contract is optional, then I think the price is good. And if a contract gets me a $400 carrier subsidy, then the price is good, though I really don't want an additional contract. If it is just a $20 add-on to my current iPhone's $30, then maybe I'd go for it. But I highly doubt it would be priced so low.
A new report on Apple's long-rumored tablet device cites Taiwanese suppliers with a number of alleged specifics, ...
I know it's just a rumour, but nothing about this sounds very good if what you want is a portable tablet you can do work on.
- The way the "battery pack" is talked about here it sounds like a separate (i.e. removable) battery product, which sounds awful.
- The "mini-coaxial" cable sounds like it's supposed to be a portable cable TV?
- The emphasis on cell networks sounds like it needs a contract.
All of this is bad news for a simple portable device you can type parers on, read books, and casually browse the web which is how most pundits have presented the tablet so far. Bad or garbled IMO.
Edit: If you go looking for the original source of this rumour, you find out that this article repeats a of of stuff that originates in just a very bad translation of the original Chinese. "Battery Pack" is just a bad translation of "battery" and "mini-coaxial cable" is a bad translation of the internal cable assembly that all devices like this have so most of what I was surmising above is wrong and just because of the bad translation that this article replicated in full from the original notice.
I'd love one, but I don't want a second 3G contract. I hope Apple release a version without built-in 3G, as I already pay for a 3G USB dongle that I can use on the go.
I also already pay for a 3G USB dongle and then my iPhone gets tethering (at no additional charge below a data limit where I live). That's live, eventually the USB dongle contract will expire and not be renewed by me.
that price range is too much for a tablet the most expensive ipod touch is 399 and the macbook is 999 so I'd position it within the range of 599-799
Netbooks are $300-$400 and are everywhere. On my subway this week the students had them in droves. A mother even asked one where she bought hers and how much- she said her son wants one. The reason they're wanted is that they are so light to lug around in addition to their text books. I guess Apple has given up on this market.
So glad they decided to go after the Flip market instead. That's just so much more important.
it's supposed to compete with netbooks in the simple carry around with you computer space that does limited things and is dirt cheap. so cheap that if you break it, you don't care and just buy another one
Not at that price.