According to foreign media reports, the U.S. investment firm Piper Jaffray analyst(Gene Munster) Thursday said in a report, there are indications that next year Apple will introduce a touch-tablet PC, priced at 500 dollars to 700 dollars.
Munster and his research team to customers in a research report said: “component suppliers from Asia news, the complexity of computing devices for the application of multi-point touch technology patents, Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook ( Tim Cook) 4 22 in a conference call to speak on the acquisition of PA. semiconductors, and the recent recruitment of chip R & D personnel, etc., there are indications that Apple is stepping up the field of mobile computing equipment investment. ”
Specifically, Munster believes that Apple is developing a touch-tablet computer, the screen size in the 7-10 inches between the time-to-market for the first half of 2010. Apple has previously said that 500 U.S. dollars following the Internet can not guarantee the product quality, and such a product on the Internet with Apple does not conflict with the attitude.
So far, the monster of the Asian component suppliers, “informer” has yet to see such a product prototype, but said that Apple is working with component suppliers to discuss related issues, the product will be used to determine which brands of parts and components.
Munster expects the new retail price of the final product will be maintained at 500-700 U.S. dollars between the price will make up for the iPod touch of 399 U.S. dollars and MacBook gap between 999 U.S. dollars.
Apple has always maintained that, in the mobile device market, key to the success of a product is software. Therefore, Munster believes that the Tablet PC operating system which must be better than the current iPhone (mobile Internet) using the operating system strong, is likely to be iPhone and Mac OS X system combination.
Munster said it will also support Apple flat-panel computer application store procedures, due to a larger size screen, may also support a number of applications. In addition, Safari and Mail applications is also essential.
In addition, as with the iPhone, which Tablet PC may also be benefits to mobile operators through the form of sales. Recently, Apple is working with Verizon to discuss co-operation which may be related to flat-panel computer-related.
Munster also believes that the introduction of such a device also can be used as such for the Amazon Kindle e-book reader response. Although this is not a selling point, but Apple’s iTunes store would be able to sell through e-books.