The iPhone group has allegedly revealed its new device to a selection of analysts, several of which have broken their silence
An analyst who claims to have seen a prototype of Apple’s new secret project says the company is building a multimedia device that will play videogames.
The new source adds to a growing list of eyewitnesses who insist they have been shown Apple’s newest product.
Several separate sources have already said that Apple's new gadget is a touch-screen tablet; one that bears a similar look to the iPhone, complete with a 10-inch display.
It had been previously suggested that the alleged device will offer an experience similar to laptop computing, yet the newest anonymous analyst claims that Apple’s tablet will be a home media hub that can play games, connect to the internet, stream music and movie content over a WiFi connection, and access other Apple devices.
It is said the tablet will retail at around $800, with multiple sources claiming that Apple is rushing to get the device on shop shelves before Christmas.
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Apple has so far declined to comment on the alleged eyewitness accounts, though Apple’s COO Tim Cook said during a recent earnings call that Apple was working on something "very innovative".
The tablet’s multi-touch-screen display, notably larger than the iPhone's, will offer game developers more opportunities in designing touch-screen games. If the anonymous accounts are indeed true, then the device will likely boast more processor and GPU power than the iPhone.
With the App Store providing even bedroom-developers a chance to make their games a global phenomenon, it is highly probable that indie games will emerge on the device, if Apple allows.
“There’s a received wisdom that people use connected mobile media devices only when they’re out the door, during natural pauses in their daily habits like waiting for a train to arrive,” says Tim Green, veteran journalist and executive editor at Mobile Entertainment.
“Yet this is only partially correct. Research suggests that many people enjoy using devices like the iPhone from home, watching TV and movies and playing games on the couch, around the house and in bed.
“So the transition from small home-based devices to larger, more powerful media-based devices would seem to be a sensible area of the market for Apple to tackle.”
After dramatically reforming the mobile phone and portable music landscape, Apple is said to be embarking on tackling several new markets at the same time.
The Apple tablet will supposedly be positioned as a device that will encourage consumers to access e-books, watch home movies as well as shift their music consumption habits.
The seminal rise of the iPod brought about with it an epiphenomenon; consumers moved from buying whole albums to cherry-picking key tracks from artists, thus casting much album-filler to digital dormancy.
The tablet will aim to reverse these trends. Sources claim that Apple is partnering with the four major record labels – EMI, Sony, Warner Music and Universal – to offer interactive album art and exclusive CD sleeves with album purchases.
These extras will supposedly be viewable via the tablet, bundled with album purchases via the iTunes Music Store.
Apple’s aura of success – brought about by a unprecedented string of popular multimedia devices – has to an extent buoyed the pessimism surrounding tablet devices.
As cited by a Telegraph report, the unnamed analyst also told Barron's (sub.) that computer manufacturers have slowed production on their own tablet devices to gauge what Apple is attempting.
Meanwhile, according to Oppenheimer & Co analyst Yair Reiner, the tablet could cost between $600 and $1,000 – a high price range that, nonetheless, is relatively cheap for Apple PC solutions.
Image: Gizmodo
Apple has about three months before it will release the tablet.
The company is a master at orchestrating hype. It showed several analysts the device knowing full-well this was going to happen.
By the time the company actually reveals the device, everyone will know what it is and reports will spread around the net:
'Apple to reveal new console tomorrow' etc.
The company has done this with every single device since the iPod.
Anyone oblivious to the iPhone before it was 'announced'? Anyone not know about Nanos, firmware overhauls and the 3GS before Apple made it official.
I thought not.
Apple did not make its fortune by manufacturing modern gadgets, it did so by being a master of building hype.
Absolutely! At it's core, an Apple Mac was basically an underspecced PC running a variant of Unix/Linux, with a button challenged mouse.
The iPhone is just an MP5 player with nice graphics and a snazzy interface.
The technology is never new, it's usually very blunt edge... it's the hype, the simplistic advertising and the way they present their goods as "any dumbass could use this".
Hats off to them! :O)
I personally look forward to the tablet - it'll probably be great.
To the 2 previous commenters:
Nice work over-simplifying and trivializing Apple's innovations, and use of existing hardware. The iPod wasn't the first MP3 player, built from mostly off the shelf parts, (the first ones, anyway), yet true to form for Apple, they are the best, as validated by iPod customers.
Do you really think close to 80% of the music player customers in the world are really so stupid and/or ignorant as to fall for just "hype?" Or maybe they just recognize quality, ease of use and good design, which goes much deeper than good looks.
There are a lot of good reasons why Apple pretty much owns the over $1,000 market for computers. Ask Steve Ballmer, he was counting them at his last meeting. Attention "laptop hunters", you get what you pay for!
An $800 games console you say?
It's going to sell millions and be up there with the likes of the 3DO and their last console, The Pippin.
"If the anonymous accounts are indeed true, then the device will likely boast more processor and GPU power than the iPhone"
jesus, in a newer device that's at least 10 times the size?!?! what ever next?
i think it's fair to say it's more like a little Mac than a big Iphone. just without Mac OSx (maybe even with it).
i'm not saying it's a bad idea but i think it's very much the case that it'll be able to play games as well as all the other stuff more as a matter of fact then specifically by design. it's not a dedicated console. not saying it's gonna be bad, in fact for RTS' it'll be great! but i can't imagine holding it like an Iphone and using the touch screen...actually i can, and it's funny lol
it'd be ace to have wirelessly networked up to your G5 or Mac of choice and mounted by your couch so you can adjust your music/video/lighting/central heating, or playing chess with your grand-pa over the internet while you turn up the gas fire wothout gettin off your ass, but can you really see yourself playing COD:MW2 on it? no, you'd play that on your big phat Mac/PC/console.
great little device tho, Apple are cool folks. i would like to see a dedicated console from them or a dedicated console PC, and when i head a rumour about a Mac console that's what i was hoping for. if i'm honest i'm alittle disappointed.
although i might add, if money were no object my gaffe would be fitted out with apple products above any others (apart from my PS3)
@Simply : "Do you really think close to 80% of the music player customers in the world are really so stupid and/or ignorant as to fall for just "hype?""
If you look at the popular music market, it's at least 80% hype.
Apple makes a good product, but they also spend a lot of effort in building hype and creating a sense of style. A $2000 Gucci handbag is an excellent product but a lot of what you're buying is hype and name recognition.
I'd surely like to own one. I could just sit in a coffee shop with a WiFi connection all arrogant-looking with my cool Apple slate. Watching some streaming movies. The only problem is that there won't be any way to display the Apple logo to show I'm a Mac-head with the slate propped in my lap.
Just kidding, since I don't drink coffee and even if I did, I wouldn't pay the cost of a store-bought cup of coffee, anyway. I'd still like an Apple slate because I use my MacBook Pro with Slingplayer in my house to stream all my recorded shows that have been recorded on the DVR. The Apple slate should be lighter and have a better battery life. Go, Apple.
haha... apple making a games console..... they will get ass rape by MS and Sony gamers. Apple PC's or the Mac's (meaningless apple computers) have never really held any game company publishers or developers. There only game input comes from nobodies making mediocure games for the iphone with the occasional larger companies making shitty games to fill in the casual market. Console made by them will be like $1,200 and games will set u back $60. Just imagin playing Battlefield or Metal Gear lol
@LOL
I really do not think that there goal is to make a killer console more to gain the portal - Think IPod and iTunes and who itunes have creamed it.
The real gem of the whole deal is there online store and it becoming an automatic purchase point - I think you have missed the point.
Apple doesn't make great products, they make you think their products are great!
I'm holding in my hands a phone that has a better OS, is more stable, has MORE REALWORLD APPLICATIONS, and better hardware with a LARGER userbase than their iPhone yet in the US the brand is non-existent because they do NOT advertise or get in bed with greedy carriers.
Think for yourself people. I'm not saying Apple products are bad, but they are for the people who do not want to excel or get the most for their money. When you can run two different applications for maps both tracking GPS at the same time, along with your music player in the background WHILE SNAPPING pictures without having to "jailbreak" your phone, call me. And don't say "Why would you ever need to do that?" - that is not my point and you are just trying to deflect from the fact that you WILLINGLY bend over for Apple to have their way with you and you all seem to enjoy it.
Why would Apple show a product under development to analysts, unless it was a part of a vertical solution aimed at the financial industry.
A more like story is that a bunch of anonymous "analysts" are trying to manipulate the price of AAPL, and make a killing.
Let's not forget that Apple is also a master of misdirection and disinformation. I wouldn't be surprised if the final product ends up being significantly different to what's been reported by those that have seen it.
I'm guessing the album art thing and the HD video will be key parts, but I'm guessing this thing has quite a few features that Apple won't reveal till nearer the time.
For the price point suggested, consumers are going to want more than a beefed up iPod touch. This thing is going to have to be able to run high-end applications where touch screen input makes sense - such as video and image editing software etc.
"With the App Store providing even bedroom-developers a chance to make their games a global phenomenon, it is highly probable that indie games will emerge on the device, if Apple allows. "
As long as the name doesn't contain the word "Edge" or anything remotely like it!
I think that people should buy these devices if they wish, and other people should maintain their opinion and choose not to buy, but what is with the drama? I am very entertained reading through all of these posts, don't get me wrong, but what has Apple done to all of you to make you so sensitive to their alleged product releases?
Each and every person here does Mr. Steve Jobs a service; after all, any publicity is good publicity.
Rock on tech heads!
PC Guy
