The story continues wit a new rumour on February 2, 2006, where you need to be an alien in order to use the device. The 52-page “Mode-based graphical user interface for touch sensitive input devices” patent filing shows a hybrid tablet/notebook.
Even though there are so many so called clues to the existence of the Apple Tablet, AppleBlog’s Eddie Hargreaves lists the Apple Tablet as one of the “Ten Biggest Apple Rumors That Never Came True”. The post is from May 14, 2007, but the story didn’t end there. (Source: The Apple Blog)
On November 6, 2007, the story is being picked up again and it seems Apple is still thinking about releasing a tablet computer. And they’re working together with Asus? CNET’s Crave reporter Rory Reid says the following during a dinner with some folks from Asus:
“Asus is helping Apple build a Tablet PC. You can bet your bottom dollar it’s being built as you read this. Mac fanboys rejoice.”
Maybe Apple was busy building the device. It takes a lot of time to build something new from scratch. It’s only been a little more than two years ago.
Anyhow, on January 9, 2008, Fred Vogelstein states “Apple’s hardware engineers had spent about a year working on touchscreen technology for a tablet PC”. It became the iPhone. (Source: Wired)
March 3, 2008, Steve Jobs said “I can’t talk about unannounced products” to New York Times reporter John Markoff, who wanted to know if Apple is busy developing a Newton-like tablet device. (Source: AppleInsider)
And less then a year ago, on April 11, 2009, the Wall Street Journal reports:
“People privy to the company’s strategy say Apple is working on… a portable device that is smaller than its current laptop computers but bigger than the iPhone or iPod touch.”
The WSJ may not be far from the truth, since recent rumours suggest the device might look a lot like an oversized iPod or iPhone. (Source: WSJ)
The rumours are starting to build up to an unstoppable climax. On April 27, 2009, a report from BusinessWeek states the Appel Media Pad is smaller then a Kindle but with a bigger screen. An anonymous source is quoted:
“We are talking about a device where people will say, ‘Damn, why didn’t we do this?’ Apple is probably going to define the damn category.”
The Media Pas was supposed to be launched in Autumn 2009. We’re still waiting. (Source: BusinessWeek)
On May 21, 2009, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster claims there will be no Apple Tablet until mid-2010. Seth Weintraub at ComputerWorld doesn’t like Munster’s claim. He is still very excited and will be surprised if Apple doens’t deliver something by the holidays. Well, he must still be crying. Hopefully he gets very happy again when he sees the mythical device show up at the Media Event this Wednesday. (Source: ComputerWorld)
The reports keep coming and July 21, 2009, is no exception. An interesting report form The Street states that Apple has had a prototype of the device for about a year but is unsure how to market it. The device has a 9-inch to 10-inch screen with a keyboard and will be subsidized by Verizon. They also think the new product will be a total fiscal failure because no one really wants a tablet computer. (Source: The Street)
And this week’s Wednesday it will be precisely six months ago since the Birtains’s Financial Times reported about the following, on July 27, 2009:
“Apple is racing to offer a portable tablet-sized computer in time for the Christmas shopping season, in what the entertainment industry hopes will be a new revolution. The device is expected to be launched alongside new content deals, including some aimed at stimulating sales of CD-length music… the touch-sensitive computer will have a screen that may be up to 10 inches diagonally. It will connect to the internet like the iPod touch – probably without phone capability but with access to the web, and to Apple’s online stores for software and entertainment.”
The price of the device will be around $600-$1000 and will be released in September or October, the rest of the report says. (Source: Financial Times)
