Apple tablet could have 'imminent' Jan. 2010 debut - report

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
As Apple reportedly pushes to launch a subscription television service, the company is also rumored to unveil its long-awaited tablet device in January, a new report states.



Without naming a source, the Financial Times said that Apple's touchscreen device is "expected to launch imminently." The publication also reiterated much of what was said by The Wall Street Journal Monday: Apple has had discussions with Walt Disney Co. and CBS Corp. about offering subscriptions for TV shows through iTunes.



"Apple is preparing an announcement next month that many anticipate will be the official unveiling of its tablet, but the company has so far declined to confirm the existence of the device," the Financial Times reported. "Wall Street analysts expect mass production of an Apple tablet to begin as early as February."



It noted that magazine publishers Time Inc. and Condé Nast have created prototypes of digital editions of their magazines. The concepts shown were device-neutral and publishers intend to offer them on a variety of tablet devices expected to arrive in 2010.



A consortium of publishers have also agreed to open standards for a new digital storefront that will offer users media content on portable devices. The publishers intend to create a reading application that can render the "distinct look and feel" of specific publications. It would allow for devices to be viewed on a variety of hardware, including Apple's potential tablet.



In July, AppleInsider reported that Apple's rumored tablet device would arrive in early 2010. The 10-inch, 3G-enabled touchscreen device is said to have been crafted under the watchful eye of co-founder Steve Jobs.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 46
    It it doesn't have a screen that also servers as a camera, I'm not interested! http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...tos_video.html
  • Reply 2 of 46
    Why, Apple, why're you so hard to me??

    I'm not at all interested in TV and can't make me watch it more than for one evening a year. I'm not at all an artist myself and can't make simplest sketch out of what my eyes see around...

    So, this shiny amazing product is useless for me.



    BTW, isn't that letting go 3GS here and there making room for Leonardo?
  • Reply 3 of 46
    icyfogicyfog Posts: 338member
    If I have to run to a communications for connectivity, I don't think I'll have much interest in it.
  • Reply 4 of 46
    Here's my current guess on what the device will be like:



    1) 10" LED-backlit LCD panel with touchscreen features.



    2) ARM11 CPU with PA Semi technology to keep power consumption down.



    3) Unknown GPU technology to allow smooth 720p HDTV playback.



    4) 2 GB of system RAM.



    5) 240 to 320 GB 1.8" dual-platter hard drive for local storage. (Don't laugh. Given Apple's success with the iPod classic running for long periods of time with a single-platter 1.8" hard drive, not to mention a lot more space for a much bigger batter pack on the tablet, such a method for local storage actually makes sense, especially given the current steep prices for SSD storage).



    6) 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity.



    7) Maybe Bluetooth connectivity for external keyboard/mouse pointing device.



    8) Possible 3G GSM HSDPA/HSUPA cellphone network connectivity.



    8) iPod dock connector and Mini DisplayPort connector, with optional adapter for Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 1.3 connections.
  • Reply 5 of 46
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SactoMan01 View Post




    5) 240 to 320 GB 1.8" dual-platter hard drive for local storage.



    never
  • Reply 6 of 46
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    I've got $300 in credit card reward points waiting to be used on this thing



    Only problem is, I'm going to have a hard time explaining to my wife why I need a MacBook Pro, iPhone 3GS AND an Apple Tablet
  • Reply 7 of 46
    timontimon Posts: 152member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SactoMan01 View Post


    Here's my current guess on what the device will be like:



    1) 10" LED-backlit LCD panel with touchscreen features.



    So you agree with everyone else.



    Quote:

    2) ARM11 CPU with PA Semi technology to keep power consumption down.



    This is very possible although I'd say it's only about 70%



    Quote:

    3) Unknown GPU technology to allow smooth 720p HDTV playback.



    Unknown? Chipsets for this already exist.



    Quote:

    4) 2 GB of system RAM.



    No need unless the tablet is running the full Mac OS on Intel hardware.



    Quote:

    5) 240 to 320 GB 1.8" dual-platter hard drive for local storage.



    Never going to happen. Apple won't go backwards on this, they'll stay with SSDs.



    Quote:

    6) 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity.



    It's a given although I'd like to see 802.11a added.



    Quote:

    7) Maybe Bluetooth connectivity for external keyboard/mouse pointing device.



    This they better have. The screen is big enough to use for remote computing to your Mac or a PC. Unfortunately it'll work much better with PCs until Apple decides to do a remote desktop that works better than the crappy one they have now.



    Quote:

    8) Possible 3G GSM HSDPA/HSUPA cellphone network connectivity.



    I suppect that the tablet may, although unlikely, use the Gobi card so it would run on both AT&T/T-Mobile and Verizon/Sprint. Hopefully the card will also be replaceable so you could put in a future LTE card.



    Quote:

    9) iPod dock connector and Mini DisplayPort connector, with optional adapter for Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 1.3 connections.



    Would be nice since there I don't think there is any more room to add this to the current dock connector but then maybe Apple will reuse the Firewire pins on the dock connector or even use a new dock connector.
  • Reply 8 of 46
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BB Sting View Post


    It it doesn't have a screen that also servers as a camera, I'm not interested! http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...tos_video.html



    Nobody cares that you are not interested because of one feature you think is a must have. Keep your negativity to yourself.
  • Reply 9 of 46
    Continues to make no sense to me if built around a cellular plan with no easily accessible file system, no storage and and a beefy os.



    Who needs another cell plan when they probably already have some smartphone or another? Its not pocketable so who will travel with this versus their existing laptop? It has to provide some unique functionality that's attractive to a mass audience and does not compete with products they already own.



    As far as subscription TV, this can't be a significant focus. Apple plans a product around obtaining rights to programs already contractually locked up with broadcasters who need Apple like they need a hole in the head?



    I think the market for what's constantly discussed is too narrow for Apple.
  • Reply 10 of 46
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Eye Forget View Post


    Who needs another cell plan when they probably already have some smartphone or another? Its not pocketable so who will travel with this versus their existing laptop? It has to provide some unique functionality that's attractive to a mass audience and does not compete with products they already own.



    The unique functionality is that it is instant on. This is the major reason many of my friends love their iPod touch. Instant on for mail, Internet and this time maybe some additional multimedia content such as newspaper and/or books. Would be enough for me.
  • Reply 11 of 46
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ...the company is also rumored to unveil its long-awaited tablet device in January...



    it would be ironic if it turns out the device's release could have coincided with a Jobsean keynote at MWSF.



    Reports are the company dropped out of MW because people can go to a local apple store to see product (true, but only true for some) and that it can stage its own special events to announce products (true, but does anyone think the company's special events have attracted more coverage than the annual keynote announcements used to)? The press lined up at those meetings just like the fanboys.



    So timing was the issue: Apple didn't want to have to announce something in January if it wasn't ready to announce until feb, or march, or whenever: It might have to rush an announcement, or NOT announce, leaving some fanboys and media annoyed.



    Taking control of its own destiny in that way makes sense. But if there's a product ready to announce within weeks of the rescheduled (Feb 9-13) MWSF, it would also make sense to schedule the special event there. The press will attend a special event at Moscone whether it's that week or a week earlier or later. But following this scheme, the announcement would be made in front of several thousand afficianados. I say bring back the magic, and do it there.
  • Reply 12 of 46
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Orangeoutsider View Post


    Nobody cares that you are not interested because of one feature you think is a must have. Keep your negativity to yourself.



    If you don't care, don't respond.
  • Reply 13 of 46
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SactoMan01 View Post


    5) 240 to 320 GB 1.8" dual-platter hard drive for local storage. (Don't laugh. Given Apple's success with the iPod classic running for long periods of time with a single-platter 1.8" hard drive, not to mention a lot more space for a much bigger batter pack on the tablet, such a method for local storage actually makes sense, especially given the current steep prices for SSD storage).



    The reason the Classic can get such great battery life is because it has a cache and pre-loads a bunch of content to play. So the drive spins up, loads the cache, and then spins down. The drive is spun down more than it's spun up. It can do this because when you are only playing media, it can predict the data it needs (ie, the next 10 songs) ahead of time and load it. You can't do that if you are running apps or checking email. So on a tablet the drive would be running a far higher percentage of time than on a Classic, and the battery would be dead very quickly.



    As an example, my 5th gen iPod, which is very similar to the Classic, can download photos directly from my digital camera (try that with your iPhone, touch, or Classic!). Obviously, the drive needs to run continuously to do this. A full charge will run down to about 30-40% remaining after only 15 minutes of downloading.
  • Reply 14 of 46
    neilmneilm Posts: 985member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    The drive is spun down more than it's spun up.



    Really? Does that mean it ends up going backward? ;-)

    I'd estimate, to a high degree of precision, that the drive is spun down precisely as much as it is spun up. It may, on the other hand, spend less time running than off.
  • Reply 15 of 46
    nceencee Posts: 857member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BB Sting View Post


    It it doesn't have a screen that also servers as a camera, I'm not interested! http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...tos_video.html



    Touché



    Skip



    I say this because, it will come, it will be a tablet, but damn near everyone will say things like:



    "It's nice, but I wish it had …



    - A camera

    - A better camera

    - A flash for the camera

    - More mega-pixels

    - Better software for editing the pictures



    Oh, hell, this things suck as a camera, I think I'll get out and get a Nikon D300!



    "Or"



    - it's nice, but it's forever dropping my calls

    - It's smaller then I thought it would be

    - It's just a bit bigger then it needs to be

    - The screens to glossy for my

    - The screens not glossy enough for me

    - "Where's the wi-fi?

    - I hope the next version has …
  • Reply 16 of 46
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post


    I've got $300 in credit card reward points waiting to be used on this thing



    Only problem is, I'm going to have a hard time explaining to my wife why I need a MacBook Pro, iPhone 3GS AND an Apple Tablet



    The tablet should be easier to hide than a 27 Inch iMac!
  • Reply 17 of 46
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacApfel View Post


    The unique functionality is that it is instant on. This is the major reason many of my friends love their iPod touch.



    I agree. I'm a Touch user. That's another reason why I can't see the concept displacing pocketable devices, whether they are on a cellular plan or a Touch. If its a trade-off between pocketable and larger screen, I don't see much of a market for the latter. Especially considering it won't replace what's already in my pocket for the privilege of spending more money.



    Hopefully it will have a decent os and I/O. Then it starts looking attractive as it displaces the laptop.
  • Reply 18 of 46
    cmf2cmf2 Posts: 1,427member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Eye Forget View Post


    I agree. I'm a Touch user. That's another reason why I can't see the concept displacing pocketable devices, whether they are on a cellular plan or a Touch. If its a trade-off between pocketable and larger screen, I don't see much of a market for the latter. Especially considering it won't replace what's already in my pocket for the privilege of spending more money.



    Hopefully it will have a decent os and I/O. Then it starts looking attractive as it displaces the laptop.



    There is definitely a market between an ipod touch and a laptop, just look at netbooks, although I suspect that is mostly due to how cheap netbooks are. Apple appears to be hoping to segment it into degrees of portability and rely on the fact that many people are willing to pay a little more for an apple product (when comparing the price to a netbook).



    There are a bunch of tablets either on the market or coming to the market in the near future. A lot of people seem willing to bet money that this is a market in the making.



    Edit: Why wouldn't a tablet be "instant on" in the same manner that the touch is (it isn't instant on, you just never turn it off)?
  • Reply 19 of 46
    Had to laugh at how "watchful eye of Steve Jobs" was hyperlinked in the story. I didn't dare click that link -- I'd like to keep the soul I've got, thank you.
  • Reply 20 of 46
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cmf2 View Post


    There is definitely a market between an ipod touch and a laptop, just look at netbooks, although I suspect that is mostly due to how cheap netbooks are. Apple appears to be hoping to segment it into degrees of portability and rely on the fact that many people are willing to pay a little more for an apple product (when comparing the price to a netbook).



    The netbook market is a laptop substitute. Unless the Tablet has I/O, it competes with a smartphone/Touch.



    I think I'm a typical user. MacBook Air, 12" G4 PB (call them any laptop) and a smartphone. If I'm on the road where portability is paramount, what am I going to do with an unpocketable Touch that can't displace my laptop? Its not a price issue, its configurability.



    The more I read the more it sounds like a Kindle. I know 3 people with Kindles. None of them use it, after buying the Kindle, they all went out and bought a Touch.
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