Analytics firm spots 50 suspected Apple tablets running iPhone OS 3.2
About 50 devices matching the characteristics of Apple's forthcoming tablet have been tracked from the company's Cupertino, Calif., campus, with the devices reportedly being used to test iPhone applications.
Mobile analytics firm Furry released new statistics this week on what it claims are approximately 50 devices that were "reliably" placed on Apple's campus. The company has alleged that the devices are pre-release tablets in testing, and that testing increased dramatically in January. Such devices were first spotted in October of 2009.
Flurry found that the unknown hardware was running iPhone OS 3.2, an unreleased version of Apple's mobile operating system. If the tracking proves accurate, it could mean that rumors of a tablet running iPhone OS 4.0 could be off the mark.
Peter Farago, VP of of Marketing with the firm, noted that Flurry believes the devices running iPhone OS 3.2 are tablets because the hardware, when asked via software, did not identify itself as an iPhone. He also said that some devices testing iPhone OS 4.0 have been spotted -- but they leave the Cupertino campus, while those running iPhone OS 3.2 do not.
In addition, Farago said the applications tested on the new device fell in line with what the tablet is expected to feature, with a strong focus on reading and news. Further details, including what specific applications were accessed, could not be share due to the company's terms of service.
"If you were able to see the data we see, at the level of granularity," Farago said, "it would be clear to you as well."
Flurry tracked which applications were downloaded and launched from the new, unseen hardware. Of more than 200 applications tested, the vast majority were games, the firm found.
"Historically, tablet devices have been considered substitutes for anything where workers use clipboards, note pads or day runners," the report said. "In more industrial settings, they could be used for inventory management, taking purchase orders or data entry. However, there was a surprising dearth of applications that support these use cases. Instead, the largest category was games. "
Following that, the most utilized categories were entertainment, news & books, lifestyle, utilities, music and photography. The firm noted that there was a strong trend toward news, books and media consumption.
For months, rumors of Apple's intent to have the tablet focus partially on e-books and news have persisted. Last week alone, multiple reports suggested the hardware maker was in negotiations with book publisher HarperCollins, educational publisher McGraw-Hill, trade book publisher Hachette Book Group, and potentially six of the largest trade publishers in the U.S.
Mobile analytics firm Furry released new statistics this week on what it claims are approximately 50 devices that were "reliably" placed on Apple's campus. The company has alleged that the devices are pre-release tablets in testing, and that testing increased dramatically in January. Such devices were first spotted in October of 2009.
Flurry found that the unknown hardware was running iPhone OS 3.2, an unreleased version of Apple's mobile operating system. If the tracking proves accurate, it could mean that rumors of a tablet running iPhone OS 4.0 could be off the mark.
Peter Farago, VP of of Marketing with the firm, noted that Flurry believes the devices running iPhone OS 3.2 are tablets because the hardware, when asked via software, did not identify itself as an iPhone. He also said that some devices testing iPhone OS 4.0 have been spotted -- but they leave the Cupertino campus, while those running iPhone OS 3.2 do not.
In addition, Farago said the applications tested on the new device fell in line with what the tablet is expected to feature, with a strong focus on reading and news. Further details, including what specific applications were accessed, could not be share due to the company's terms of service.
"If you were able to see the data we see, at the level of granularity," Farago said, "it would be clear to you as well."
Flurry tracked which applications were downloaded and launched from the new, unseen hardware. Of more than 200 applications tested, the vast majority were games, the firm found.
"Historically, tablet devices have been considered substitutes for anything where workers use clipboards, note pads or day runners," the report said. "In more industrial settings, they could be used for inventory management, taking purchase orders or data entry. However, there was a surprising dearth of applications that support these use cases. Instead, the largest category was games. "
Following that, the most utilized categories were entertainment, news & books, lifestyle, utilities, music and photography. The firm noted that there was a strong trend toward news, books and media consumption.
For months, rumors of Apple's intent to have the tablet focus partially on e-books and news have persisted. Last week alone, multiple reports suggested the hardware maker was in negotiations with book publisher HarperCollins, educational publisher McGraw-Hill, trade book publisher Hachette Book Group, and potentially six of the largest trade publishers in the U.S.
Comments
We also did not need anyone to tell us that the Tablet will run Apps. This was a given 1.5 year ago.
Say it ain't so!
P.S. But it's untrue. Top secret stuff with analytics hooks? You must be kidding me.
the 3.2 part makes me believe the entire thing is B.S..there's hell of a lot of people who are flat out lying in desperate attempts for attention right now. This tablet hype is unlike anything i've ever seen.
We also did not need anyone to tell us that the Tablet will run Apps. This was a given 1.5 year ago.
there was a rumor that iphone OS 3.2 was delayed due to a lot of shared code with the new tablet and it would give the tablet away if it was released early.
and it's very easy to know if the IP address belongs to Apple or not. Apple has owned a huge class A block of IP's for decades
If apps are being downloaded, aren't they coming from the Apple iTunes store to the Apple campus?
And what, besides serving a web page, lets you determine the type of device that's downloading something.
Also, if there are indeed new business/productivity apps for these devices, where on the net are they going to be downloaded from? For example, if there is multitouch iWork, wouldn't that be preinstalled on the test devices?
And I love how the site that claims to be giving a detailed breakdown of the whole marketing focus of the tablet refuses to release the screen resolution because they feel it's sensitive information. It couldn't be that it's easily verified as wrong if they give the wrong resolution, could it?
The observation (if true anyway) suggests new product is powered by ARM processor. Nothing else.
Nothing else? I beg to differ greatly. If this is true, which I don't presently believe.
If the Tablet, even just for in house demoing, is running 3.2, then shoot me sideways because its just a big iPod touch.
Many of us were holding hopes that 4.0 was a substantial upgrade that the Tablet would be based off of.
Maybe its capable of running 3.2, but I see almost no reason for 50 devices to be running the current iPhone OS if the key features of the Tablet are 4.0 connected.
In other words we''d better hope this is fake.
so how does a 3rd party firm track what applications are being downloaded to these devices and what API are they using to ask what kind of device it is?
That confused me as well. Would be interesting to know how they even obtain such an info.
That confused me as well. Would be interesting to know how they even obtain such an info.
Ads in apps. The ads in free/lite versions of paid apps will report back to base each time an ad is shown, detailing the device it was shown on, and the app it was shown in.
Hrrmmmmmm.....A big iPod Touch? No thanks.
Say it ain't so!
Apple's invite says "new creation" so I wouldn't think it's just a big iPod. There's gonna be a twist, but heck if I know what.
Many of us were holding hopes that 4.0 was a substantial upgrade that the Tablet would be based off of.
Maybe its capable of running 3.2, but I see almost no reason for 50 devices to be running the current iPhone OS if the key features of the Tablet are 4.0 connected.
You never know. When Tiger (maybe around 10.4.4 or 10.4.6?) came out it was a HUGE update to the Mac OS X platform. A "key feature" (as you put it) of it was something called a universal binary. Around that time Apple also released 10.3.9 which gave Panther the ability to run that key feature. Therefore, there's nothing to say that the "key features" for the tablet aren't included with 3.2. It could very well be that some of 3.2's features are coded in that they'll only work on the tablet.
Stop trolling, pmz. I don't bother to read what you write.
Excuse you, rude bastard.
Ads in apps. The ads in free/lite versions of paid apps will report back to base each time an ad is shown, detailing the device it was shown on, and the app it was shown in.
if that is the case, the report is worded poorly since it says it's tracking downloaded apps, and the conclusions are more a reflection of what kind of apps would have an ad rather than the makeup of apps running on the tablet.
For example I'm pretty certain that iWork touch, if it exists, wouldn't have embedded ads.
there was a rumor that iphone OS 3.2 was delayed due to a lot of shared code with the new tablet and it would give the tablet away if it was released early.
and it's very easy to know if the IP address belongs to Apple or not. Apple has owned a huge class A block of IP's for decades
Equally, it's very easy for Apple to hide their IPs by proxying them through another provider (or just buying another block of IPs under another name).
if that is the case, the report is worded poorly since it says it's tracking downloaded apps, and the conclusions are more a reflection of what kind of apps would have an ad rather than the makeup of apps running on the tablet.
For example I'm pretty certain that iWork touch, if it exists, wouldn't have embedded ads.
to reply to my own post. it's not tracking ads, but rather flurry had analytics that developers can ad to their own apps that reports back to flurry as the apps are launched. This is for developers to track the usage of their own apps, but certainly could tell Flurry about new devices running those same apps.
But, again, this tracking would be limited to the existing apps this analyltics is installed on, thus their tracking wouldn't tell you anything about new apps, like a potential iWorks touch.
to reply to my own post. it's not tracking ads, but rather flurry had analytics that developers can ad to their own apps that reports back to flurry as the apps are launched. This is for developers to track the usage of their own apps, but certainly could tell Flurry about new devices running those same apps.
But, again, this tracking would be limited to the existing apps this analyltics is installed on, thus their tracking wouldn't tell you anything about new apps, like a potential iWorks touch.
Correct. And again, I really believe this company just made it up. Everyone is doing it attitude, for a little publicity.
He also says his terms & conditions prevent them from providing any actual evidence, just their word should good enough.
Good grief.