The Silicon Alley Insider is reporting (click title link) that Apple is indeed working on a “media pad” tablet.
The device would be better for surfing the web and consuming media, but not powerful enough to cut into their notebook computer sales.
It would in short, be the Apple answer to the netbook.
However, they also claim, much to my dismay, not to expect such a device this year.
Which does make sense. If they were to introduce a device such as the media pad, that would use the same operating system as the iPhone and iPod Touch and therefor be privy to Apple App Store Applications. Developers would need time to adjust their existing apps to scale to new screen real estate and be optimized for what could be brand new hardware platform.
If so, such a device wouldn’t be launched at the Apple World Wide Developers Conference next month like I was hoping, but it should be announced.
But if it is announced in June, then I am betting we might seem them try to get it out the door for a back to school launch, maybe August? Or at least a holiday season launch in November.
But I can still hope to see such a device available in June, can’t I?
