Sources: Apple Newton-tablet not ripe for Macworld

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
An initiative on the part of Apple Inc. to develop a modern day successor to its now defunct Newton handheld device is not expected to play a role in next week's Macworld Expo.



The project, however, remains a work-in-progress, according to people familiar with the matter, who attribute its floating timetable to a number of challenges similar to those that threatened to plague iPhone in the months leading up to last year's expo.



In its current form, the Newton device -- sometimes dubbed a Mac tablet or slate -- has been described along the lines of a larger iPod touch or iPhone rather than an Apple adaptation of the modern day tablet PC.



When the project does come to fruition, it's expected to leverage a more advanced implementation of Apple's multi-touch technology, featuring concepts and functionality not yet available on the company's iPhone and iPod touch handhelds.



Apple is instead expected to use next week's Macworld Expo to focus on Mac notebooks, iTunes content distribution, and iPhone advancements.



Among the specific announcements believed to be on tap are a chic and ultra-lightweight sub-notebook, a new iTunes movie rental service, and an updated version of the iPhone software.



It remains unclear whether Apple will make any announcements related to its planned adoption of the Intel Silverthorne ultra-mobile processor, as that chipset is neither launched nor available in production quantities at this time.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 160
    flounderflounder Posts: 2,674member
    And a single tear slowly roles down Ireland's cheek...........
  • Reply 2 of 160
    shanmugamshanmugam Posts: 1,200member
    mac pro - out

    mac touch - not in



    xMac coming ...
  • Reply 3 of 160
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    This is the size product I'd like to see.
  • Reply 4 of 160
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shanmugam View Post


    mac pro - out

    mac touch - not in



    xMac coming ...



    I think you are correct
  • Reply 5 of 160
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    It is an expected move since MobBook have just been designated as Apple-authorized product. I prefer to see a multi-touch keyboard for MacBook and MacBook Pro where your keyboard is basically another screen that changes to whatever the active software want it to be including a custom keyboard or a touch surface.
  • Reply 6 of 160
    zunxzunx Posts: 620member
    Bring it as a handheld computer with FULL Mac OS X inside and full quality wired and wireless video out for NATIVE Keynote and PowerPoint presentations.
  • Reply 7 of 160
    I would really like to see a mac tablet....I own a Lenovo x60 and I like the tablet platform...apple would do it right.
  • Reply 8 of 160
    Misery.
  • Reply 9 of 160
    If true, this will be a big let down. At a minimum, Apple must talk to this lapse because I think a follow-on to the iPhone touch technology is expected at MWSF08. Many are now watching Apple to see how they capitalize on touch technology before others catch up. And they WILL catch up quickly! Apple must lead the standards race for this new UI. I know a lot of people that have made new investments in Apple because of the iPhone and the promise of touch technology for new exciting product growth.
  • Reply 10 of 160
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by spacevator View Post


    If true, this will be a big let down. At a minimum, Apple must talk to this lapse because I think a follow-on to the iPhone touch technology is expected at MWSF08. Many are now watching Apple to see how they capitalize on touch technology before others catch up. And they WILL catch up quickly! Apple must lead the standards race for this new UI. I know a lot of people that have made new investments in Apple because of the iPhone and the promise of touch technology for new exciting product growth.



    I'd like for Apple Insider to begin clarifying WHOSE sources these are for these pieces. I find it to be a little bit bullshit that all of a sudden before MacWorld and the biggest Quarterly earnings announcement in the history of the company there are suddenly reports of lackluster news and bummer information driving the stock down.



    Is this a private source of AI? If this "source" is tied to any brokerage or investment house...
  • Reply 11 of 160
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Flounder View Post


    And a single tear slowly roles down Ireland's cheek...........







    He'll be hitting the bottle hard tonight.
  • Reply 12 of 160
    I hope that, even if it isn't released on Tuesday, that perhaps Jobs will discuss it. You know, he will be just about to leave and say "Oh, one more thing...while this wont hit the shelves until May (pulled it out of my ass), here is something special the boys are nearly done with."



    I hope I hope I hope I hope! If not...well, Ireland's got a drinking buddy!
  • Reply 13 of 160
    g3prog3pro Posts: 669member
    The Newton was not a mac tablet or slate in the least sense. It was a PDA.



    Apple still has not released a Mac Tablet or Mac Slate, or Mac Touch.
  • Reply 14 of 160
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    You know why it's not ready for MacWorld. It's a freaking prototype that is going to the prototype junkyard just like hundreds of other prototypes. It's needs to be totally re-thought, and redesigned. It may never even see the light of day.
  • Reply 15 of 160
    tx65tx65 Posts: 31member
    hmmm,



    While the movie rental stuff and probably a new Apple TV are welcome,, but a lot of eyes are looking to Macworld Expo next week and if all Steve goes through is information that is already leaked out,,, it will be a anti-climatic keynote.



    We will see what Tuesday brings
  • Reply 16 of 160
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by onlooker View Post


    You know why it's not ready for MacWorld. It's a freaking prototype that is going to the prototype junkyard just like hundreds of other prototypes. It's needs to be totally re-thought, and redesigned. It may never even see the light of day.



    Only hundreds?



    This is quite possible. The last time Apple worked on a tablet they released a phone.
  • Reply 17 of 160
    I'm always checking Intel's roadmap to devine potential product timelines at Apple. It's evident that the ultra low power chip suitable for a full OS X small tablet will not debut until Q2 at the earliest. I believe it's coming; but I never held out hope for Macworld.



    The patent showing a small tablet docked to a display could portend one convenient manifestation. It could be a big seller for Apple's school portable program as well. We might come away from the keynote happy with how Jobs has reworked Apple TV and Mini products in unexpected ways. I know I'll be disappointed by the lack of a headless Mac in the iMac price range.
  • Reply 18 of 160
    Lmao!
  • Reply 19 of 160
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shanmugam View Post


    mac pro - out

    mac touch - not in



    xMac coming ...



    I really think the xMac folks should just let that rumor die. The future is portables. Apple isn't much concerned with mid-range desktops.



    While I agree that some would like to see a "headless iMac" mini-tower, I think the product would ultimately have limited appeal. And it would be a step backwards in terms of progressive innovative thinking.
  • Reply 20 of 160
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TX65 View Post


    hmmm,



    While the movie rental stuff and probably a new Apple TV are welcome,, but a lot of eyes are looking to Macworld Expo next week and if all Steve goes through is information that is already leaked out,,, it will be a anti-climatic keynote.



    We will see what Tuesday brings



    And yet again, the same old pattern persists. Rumors arise. Rumors are repeated time and again by devoted Mac fans. Keynote is given. Few rumors come true. Mac fans talk about how "boring" the Keynote was. Mainstream press picks up on disappointment. Apple gets slammed. Stock goes down.



    The only difference this time is that people are ALREADY disappointed in a Keynote that hasn't even happened yet.



    If you expect every rumor reported here to come true, no matter how ridiculous, you're going to be disappointed. Personally, I think iTunes rentals, a software update/announcement about SDK and third-party app sales for iPhone, and a sub-notebook (all the well-substantiated rumors) are plenty exciting news for one day at Apple. Even though some of those things are products I have little or no interest in, I still think they'd all be good news for Apple. And there's bound to be a twist or two in there along the way.



    But who knows if even that much will happen? What exactly is the measure of a good Keynote? I think people generally judge Keynotes by how many products actually interest them personally, instead of looking at the overall picture of how the announcements impact the company. Last year was a great example. If you were drooling over the possibility of the iPhone for years before that day, you thought the Keynote was a barn-burner. If you didn't much care if Apple made a phone, you probably thought the Keynote was a one-trick pony. In either case, it's hard not to admit objectively that last year's Keynote was one of the most significant ones in Apple history. The iPhone's impact on the future of the company and its direction, not to mention the entire telco industry, is incalculable.



    I think the iTunes rental store has the potential to be almost that important to Apple's future.
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