Apple tablet PC heading for October release?

by Stevie Smith - Jul 14 2009, 15:15

While still rooted firmly within the realm of unsubstantiated rumour, Apple’s much talked about tablet computer will, according to emerging technology reports, be officially launched to retail in October of this year.

More pointedly, Taiwan-based news source InfoTimes is claiming that Cupertino-based computer and gadgetry titan Apple has lodged manufacturing orders in the region regarding the mystery portable device.

Supplied in English via a handy MacRumors translation, the report offers that display manufacturer Wintek has become the latest Taiwan-based company to be tasked with contributing towards the rumoured tablet, providing it with a generous 9-7-inch touch screen.

Other related Apple tablet PC rumours suggest Taiwan-based manufacturing deals with the likes of Foxconn and Dynapack, along with a retail price of approximately $800 USD, which would place the portable device around $300 USD above current recession-dodging Netbooks platforms.

Likely armed with touch-screen functionality and processing muscle more capable than Intel’s underpowered mobile Atom (which populates most Netbooks), the tablet device could well fulfil Apple’s generally anti-Netbook standpoint – if it does actually appear at the tail end of the year.

However, despite Apple openly voicing its dislike for cheap and cheerful Netbook computers, an $800 USD tablet may struggle to gain traction in tough financial times that make budget ultra portables an attractive option for consumers.

And that popularity is clear to see, with Netbooks accounting for 20 percent of all portable computers shipped during Q1 of 2009, which has seen the cheap Web-centric devices finding favour with leading hardware manufacturers such as Dell, Acer, HP and ASUS.

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