Apple finishing 10-inch, 3G-enabled tablet for Q1 ’10 release
It seems Steve Jobs improving health outlook has had a salutary effect on the prospects for the now legendary device, which has been through numerous design freezes and rethinks. Now, although Apple’s industry-standard opacity prevents a clear view, new details about the Mac touch, aka iPod touch on steroids, are coming out.
AppleInsider reports that the many lives and reincarnations of the Mac tablet appear to be coalescing into final form with release currently targeted for the first calendar quarter of 2010. Thereupon, a 10-inch, 3G wireless ready touch tablet — not to be confused the updated iPod touch expected in September — has developed under the unwaveringly eye of Apple’s CEO.
[A]kin to a jumbo iPod touch, [it's] the latest brainchild of chief executive Steve Jobs. That distinction, as insiders will tell you, carries its share of baggage. Under the critical eye of Jobs, contours must be precise, each pixel of the interface has to match a particular vision, and there can be no fault—no matter how slight—or it’s back to the drawing board.
Given Jobs own health travails of the last year, as well as legendary attention to detail, it should come with no surprise that the Mac touch, or whatever name eventually sticks, has been reset at least six times in the last two years.
Anyone but…
Perhaps the most interesting bits in this latest report is this notional device’s notional price—somewhere between that of the 16 iPhone ($299 subsidized, $599 retail) and white MacBook ($999)—and the idea that it won’t come to market tied to AT&T. Verizon is mentioned as the most likely alternative, though this could require Apple to produce a US-only variation that can run on that carrier’s deep and wide CDMA 3G network.
There have been rumors that any Apple and Verizon hook up will require the arrival of the latter’s LTE-based 4G network. The long term, ongoing negotiations between the widget maker and carrier would seem to mitigate for a hook up of some in the shorter term.
Are you saving your pennies for a Mac touch? Assuming a $799 retail price and I’m guessing at least $60 a month for 3G data services, it’s going to quite dear for the vast majority…
What’s your take?
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July 28th, 2009
Apple Tablet may be launched this Christmas or possibly as early as September. I hope this will be another great rally for apple earnings. I will buy one of this for sure. The iphone started to be too little to stay all the day looking things. I am a great fan of apple product so started collecting all the information (more than 200 sites) about Apple Tablet(News, Videos, Pics, Pre reviews, Rumors etc.,). If you are interested take a look at the below link
http://markthispage.blogspot.com/2009/07/apple-tablet-large-iphone-or-ipod-touch.html
July 28th, 2009
RE: “Verizon is mentioned as the most likely alternative, though this could require Apple to produce a US-only variation that can run on that carrier’s deep and wide CDMA 3G network.”
You (Ronald) appear to be among most writers and Apple who are ignorant of the fact that there is a 3G chip that will not only work on ALL carriers’ networks in the USA, but in most of the rest of the world. It has been routinely offered in notebooks from the likes of HP & IBM/Lenovo for more than a year. Steve Jobs has masssively reduced the potential sales of iP3G and this tablet if he continues to ignore the Gobi chip from Qualcomm
August 27th, 2009
Apple should be releasing this “tabnet book” without ties to any cellular company. Only a matter of time before its jail broken. Steve Jobs just needs to face the facts of making this open just like the ipod and the MacBooks. Its not a phone. I’ve been waiting for some company to make a tablet like this. Amazon came up short because their e-book can’t buy outside of the US. Boo! to them. Don’t sell us short apple, these deals only delay sales. Make the cell phone companies compete for our patronage through better services to us, not the other way around. They need us, we need a free choice product where we commit to who fulfills our service needs. Its worked for cell phones OUTSIDE the USA for years successfully. The world’s need to be free of tyranny business contracts when you own the equipment. Like being required having any and all car repairs done by the manufacturer. It doesn’t make sense.