When Apple finally unveils its much talked about iTablet or iSlate (or whatever it ends up calling the damn thing), it will be welcome confirmation for The Tech Herald on two fronts: firstly, we can actually start getting excited; and secondly, we can stop dancing around the tech industry’s worst kept secret.
Slated for March release in tablet form. Image: Adam Benton/nDevilTV/Flickr.
Much like the whirlwind rumours regarding the PSP Go and PS3 Slim (both of which arrived in 2009 despite Sony’s constant stonewall denials), the latest round of iTablet speculation points to Apple officially unveiling its handheld computer before the close of January.
Citing an unnamed person “familiar with the matter” but opting to cower behind the cloak of anonymity, Business Week has today reported that the Apple-branded device will hit retail in March of this year.
It also ventures that the Cupertino-based computer and gadget specialist is looking for its iTablet to lean towards consumers that want a muscular Web-enabled ultra-portable platform with genuine multimedia credentials – something the majority of Netbooks and smaller notebooks cannot provide.
According to Gene Munster, an industry analyst at Piper Jaffray & Co., the long-awaited arrival of the iTablet could see Apple shifting somewhere in the vicinity of 1.4 million units throughout 2010 if the device does indeed arrive during the proffered March window.
As is Apple’s way when it comes to whispers associated with existing or future products, a spokesperson for the company would only say Apple does not issue comment centred on rumour and speculation.
Various other points of discussion regarding the iTablet suggest the device will sell between $600 USD and $1,000 USD, it will boast a 10.1-inch multi-touch display screen along with 3D graphics and built-in Wi-Fi, it will resemble a large version of the 3.5-inch iPod Touch, and Apple expects to sell a clear 10 million units in year-one.
Absorb all of the above with a heavy pinch of salt but be aware that Apple has already scheduled a special invite-only media event for January 26 and January 27 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco – a regular haunt utilised by the company for product launches.
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