We reported earlier on Microsoft’s presentation of HP’s Internet tablet Slate and as you may have heard arch rival Apple will be no worse. By the end of the month Apple will present news and it is said that it will then show a coming tablet (iTablet is the not so unsurprising name that flowers in the press).
The leaks so far spells launch in March 2010 and that SDKs have been shipped to selected developers. The tablet will run modified iPhone applications and therefore take advantage of Apple’s endowed App Store. Furthermore the interface will reminisce of the iPhone, but with some big piece of news that will create a steep learning curve.
Another rumor worth mentioning is that it will not be based on Intel hardware, contrary to popular belief. Instead the heart will come from PA Semi, a company Apple acquired two years ago and since then have been quiet. If this turns out to be true it’s a slap in the face of Intel and competing platforms.
If Apple decides to launch such a tablet it will be noticeable in many ways. It will most likely become the cheapest “computer” Apple has to offer and it will open up a new market. It will compete with several market segments, which includes netbooks, ultraportable notebooks, and possibly even regular notebooks, but perhaps even smartphones and thus iPhone. Something Apple won’t allow. We will have to wait and see how this evolves.
