For the man who’s second coming has spawned the iMac, iTunes, iPod, OS X, MacBook Air and iPhone — some of the most successful and storied technology products of two centuries — the question of what’s next is a matter of destiny, and that’s something always firmly within the Apple CEO’s control.
Apple will release its fabled touchscreen tablet as early as September, the Taiwanese paper Apple Daily claims. If true, the announcement is likely just weeks away. Apple will have to put the device on store shelves by the fall in time for the crucial holiday shopping season. In a direct rebuttal of AppleInsider, whose sources say the tablet will be launched early next year, Apple Daily pegs a September release date for the device. The paper details Apple’s suppliers: Wintek is providing the tablet’s touch-sensitive screen. Dynapack International Technology Corp. is supplying the batteries; and the whole device is being assembled by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Hon Hai’s Foxconn unit made headlines after a worker allegedly committed suicide after losing an iPhone prototype.) The Apple Daily report jibes with Monday’s report from the Financial Times that Apple is working on a new, revolutionary kind of “digital album” codenamed “Cocktail” to accompany the tablet, which the FT also says will be launched this fall.
Instead of more or less an overgrown iPod Touch, his latest mock-up version has more of a tablet feel sporting a 7 – 10? multi-touch glass display, all the better to video AIM your pals about dinner plans.
Other specs follow what he imagined for the much-awaited Apple netbook in his previous prototype: 1.6GHz Intel Atom Processor, 512MB – 1GB of RAM, 64GB flash memory, bluetooth, WiFi and a reduced version of OS X Snow Leopard to fit the device.
What’s your take?
