Foxconn rumored to manufacture Apple tablet for Q1 2010
Foxconn, the Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer who has partnered with Apple on numerous products, is now rumored to have secured the production of Apple's anticipated tablet device.
DigiTimes reported Wednesday morning that Foxconn, the trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry, will be the manufacturer for the device, citing "market sources." The device is expected to be for sale in the first quarter of 2010, with an alleged initial shipment of 300,000 to 400,000 devices. No price was given.
"The sources indicated they believe the tablet PC features will focus more on e-book functionality rather than music, and that based on Apple's marketing strategy, long battery life, quick Internet connectivity and an easy-to-use user interface will be key features of the device," the report said.
It also claimed that the device will sport a 10.6-inch display, and offered speculation that Foxconn would obtain panels for the tablet from its subsidiary, Innolux Display.
As Apple reportedly prepares to launch its own tablet, other hardware makers are allegedly doing the same as well. The report said that sources expect HP and other computer manufacturers to debut their own tablet-style touchscreen devices soon after, in the second quarter of 2010.
The report corroborates what sources have told AppleInsider -- that the still-unseen device will debut in the first quarter of 2010. The 10-inch, 3G-enabled device is believed to run on a custom chip from P.A. Semi.
The information regarding marketing the tablet as an e-reader would seem to bolster recent reports that Apple has reached out to publishers and gained their interest in reproducing content on the device.
Foxconn and Apple made headlines this summer, after a prototype 4G iPhone went missing from one of the company's factories. After an employee was questioned about the matter, he reportedly committed suicide.
DigiTimes reported Wednesday morning that Foxconn, the trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry, will be the manufacturer for the device, citing "market sources." The device is expected to be for sale in the first quarter of 2010, with an alleged initial shipment of 300,000 to 400,000 devices. No price was given.
"The sources indicated they believe the tablet PC features will focus more on e-book functionality rather than music, and that based on Apple's marketing strategy, long battery life, quick Internet connectivity and an easy-to-use user interface will be key features of the device," the report said.
It also claimed that the device will sport a 10.6-inch display, and offered speculation that Foxconn would obtain panels for the tablet from its subsidiary, Innolux Display.
As Apple reportedly prepares to launch its own tablet, other hardware makers are allegedly doing the same as well. The report said that sources expect HP and other computer manufacturers to debut their own tablet-style touchscreen devices soon after, in the second quarter of 2010.
The report corroborates what sources have told AppleInsider -- that the still-unseen device will debut in the first quarter of 2010. The 10-inch, 3G-enabled device is believed to run on a custom chip from P.A. Semi.
The information regarding marketing the tablet as an e-reader would seem to bolster recent reports that Apple has reached out to publishers and gained their interest in reproducing content on the device.
Foxconn and Apple made headlines this summer, after a prototype 4G iPhone went missing from one of the company's factories. After an employee was questioned about the matter, he reportedly committed suicide.
Comments
well, just like 2003, same story, no?
By the way... what is the appeal of posting first? I'll never understand that.
I remain unconvinced that this thing has a compelling purpose in life. The form factor would be nice for reading... but will people pay for magazine content I wonder? Most magazines have websites. We'll see I guess. At the very least... if it's a Kindle Killer... no one will do it better than Apple. But I sure hope it's more than that. Also, I think a true reader device should use eInk.
By the way... what is the appeal of posting first? I'll never understand that.
I could be wrong but I suspect SJ is going to do to publishing what he did to music. The iTunes ecosystem will become the place to get a magazine or a book if he does. No doubt at first to be laughed at and scorned just as the early days his forays into trying to enter the music business were. Time will tell.
I think the inquiries among eReader publishers may be real, but are meant partly as a decoy flare for the rest of the tablet computing industry. Or rather, gaming industry.
Because if you ask me, the tablet will be another sneak attack at the mobile gaming market.
Apple's acceptance of Flash as a stand-alone environment fits in that picture. This way, they may easily have lots and lots of free games for their device right away.
We should remember that the public conception of what the iPhone is, went through 3 stages:
1: Smartphone with iPod (expectation)
2: Surprisingly good internet browser (told by Apple)
3: Applications and gaming platform (surprise)
Just like that, the public conception of an Apple tablet could go through several phases. This is a possibility:
1: 10" iPod Touch, for music, gaming, web browsing and apps (expectation)
2: eReader (told by Apple)
3: Pretty good Mac (surprise)
I could be wrong but I suspect SJ is going to do to publishing what he did to music. The iTunes ecosystem will become the place to get a magazine or a book if he does. No doubt at first to be laughed at and scorned just as the early days his forays into trying to enter the music business were. Time will tell.
I think the issue here was nailed a few posts ago. What will compel people to pay for content which they can already get free?
Sure, mp3 can be gotten for "free", but reasonable quality magazine content is actually available now, legally, for nothing. That requires a slightly different approach to what has worked in the past with respect to musical content. Not only do you have to convince people to use this device to get content, but also convince people to pay for it. Perhaps this is where offshoots of the iTunes LP paradigm come in, rejigged for a magazine format.
Chances are, when it's unveiled, we'll all end up wanting one.
But underestimating Apple is fun, isn't it?
I think they should just make the macbook pro a convertible notebook to tablet device
I love the stylus as an optional input device, but as a primary interface device it's terrible. Anyone who doesn't absolutely need pen-drawing and handwriting recognition avoids convertible tablets for damn good reason.
It should be its own device and live or die on its own merits.
I remain unconvinced that this thing has a compelling purpose in life. The form factor would be nice for reading... but will people pay for magazine content I wonder? Most magazines have websites. We'll see I guess. At the very least... if it's a Kindle Killer... no one will do it better than Apple. But I sure hope it's more than that. Also, I think a true reader device should use eInk.
By the way... what is the appeal of posting first? I'll never understand that.
Steve Jobs: "I'm thrilled today to announce that Apple is not revealing not one, but three amazing new products."
"First a revolutionary new eBook." (iTunes for PDF books)
"Second a breakthrough location based computing device" (Mapping software based on Placebase)
"Third, an amazing mobile productivity tool" (iWork tablet edition)
I think a true reader device should use eInk.
Couldn't agree more. Actually personally I think the display this device really needs hasn't been invented yet. Colored e-ink with as good response times and color to OLED.
I could be wrong but I suspect SJ is going to do to publishing what he did to music.
You mean he'll do to magazine and newspaper websites what he did to podcasts. Create the market.
Just like that, the public conception of an Apple tablet could go through several phases. This is a possibility:
1: 10" iPod Touch, for music, gaming, web browsing and apps (expectation)
2: eReader (told by Apple)
3: Pretty good Mac (surprise)
1. 10" ultra-portable Mac with an industry changing user interface. (reason)
2. Modern digital content companion. (digital magazines and digital newspapers etc.) (conscious additional application, via iTunes and Apple mag-API.)
3. Excellent games machine (surprise).
Could you imagine Scrabble® on this thing? Spellings would automatically be checked, no one could cheat, and putting away the game would simply require one of two taps. The irony of all this is I'm listening to Ray Charles in the background right now.
OK, I'm holding my breath until they annouce it.
/Daniel
Colored e-ink with as good response times and color to OLED.
At that point it's easier just to say "this device shouldn't exist".
Luckily, it won't be, or be sold as primarily being, an eReader. So the lack of eInk won't be a problem and the ability to actually show color, animation and video will be there.
I remain unconvinced that this thing has a compelling purpose in life. The form factor would be nice for reading... but will people pay for magazine content I wonder? Most magazines have websites. We'll see I guess. At the very least... if it's a Kindle Killer... no one will do it better than Apple. But I sure hope it's more than that. Also, I think a true reader device should use eInk.
What if the tablet had 12-15 hours of battery life for watching videos or playing games, and much more than that for reading or listening to music? Remember it'll have instant-on like the iPhone, and run the iPhone apps. And it'll probably have touch-based Pages and Numbers variants.
If these new "magazines" are more interactive like the iTunes LP material (and not just a rehash of a website article), I think people would pay $.99 at a time. But there won't be enough paying people to keep the newspaper/magazine industry the way it is today.
When I opened my old MBP, I noticed that the motherboard had the Foxconn label stamped on it all small like. There was an Apple logo too, but it said "Designed by Apple". I open my PC, and there is a Foxconn motherboard.
Anyhow, I figured Apple would use them.
I think they should just make the macbook pro a convertible notebook to tablet device
IMHO the point of the tablet will be to run a slightly different OS X ... more of an expanded iPhone OS not the traditional Mac OS X. Thus it will be a very different piece of hardware from any MacBook. We will have to wait and see but that is my take. I suspect as I mentioned before, it will be, over time, fundamental in altering the publishing industry just as iPods and iTunes altered the music industry.
I could be wrong but I suspect SJ is going to do to publishing what he did to music. The iTunes ecosystem will become the place to get a magazine or a book if he does. No doubt at first to be laughed at and scorned just as the early days his forays into trying to enter the music business were. Time will tell.
I agree with your comments, at least that what I looking for, since iTunes I have not bought a physical CD for long time. I love reading and physical books are becoming hard to store and keep. Amazon Kindle looks promising, BUT it is not launched in India. Even if the Apple tablet is not launched in India (which very much doubt it would not be), I would go to USA or Australia and buy one, since I could store all my books and not worry about space. Since it is internet based and my iTunes account is located in US (never gave up my credit card/bank account), I would still be able to buy my favourite books.
With a nice 10" screen, it would be worth the money and I could probably do lot more than just reading books, which Kindle, I think is not worth its price tag.
I have a strong feeling that e-reading is *not* going to be the main selling point.
You're right, the UX will be what sells it.
You mean he'll do to magazine and newspaper websites what he did to podcasts. Create the market.
Kind of, that's my guess. I think, just as SJ went to the music titans and persuaded them to embrace downloading music from iTunes, he is already out there doing that to publishing companies. Nothing is new, there was plenty of downloading going on before Apple's iTunes obviously, it was SJ's overall eco system that changed everything and remember Apple are now #1 in that field. So I am suggesting the same for magazines and newspapers and books. I simply can't see SJ putting out a revolutionary piece of hardware without the need for it. He will create the need with the new publishing paradigm ... this is what i am suggesting.