Report: Apple Tablet Slated for September '09

By Marcus Yam
published

Rumors all say that an Apple tablet is going to happen. Now it's just a question of when.

The rumors of an Apple tablet seem to phase in and out of the spotlight, but lately word on the street is hotter than usual.

The latest report comes from the usually reputable Financial Times, which says that Apple is working to bring out a tablet computer around September. The Financial times believes that tablet be able to connect to the internet like the iPod Touch, but won't have any of the phone features from the iPhone.

Just as the iPod has helped usher in sales of music digitally through services such as iTunes, the movie industry is hoping that a tablet device with a 10-inch screen could do the same for film.

"It's going to be fabulous for watching movies," said one entertainment executive to the FT.

Besides being a movie viewing device, a tablet would also be a good form factor as an ebook reader – something that has book publishers excited.

Today's report comes hot on the heels of last week's rumor that Apple would be launching a tablet in early 2010.

Either way, we're looking forward to see what Apple has to offer.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
14 Comments Comment from the forums
  • jacobdrj
    Stylus?
    Reply
  • dman3k
    And Apple will claim innovation and somehow all tablet devices, even those which existed prior to the release of the Apple Tablet, are copycats and ripping off Apple's innovations.

    Fanbois rejoice.
    Reply
  • nukemaster
    It better have multi-touch + stylus abilities to be interesting.
    Reply
  • And you will run out and buy one.
    Reply
  • nukemaster
    Well, yeah, come on, its a MAC.....NOT....i am saying that would make it much more useful then many other tablets on the market.
    Reply
  • wesleywatson
    ""It's going to be fabulous for watching movies," said one entertainment executive to the FT."

    I have a convertible tablet laptop. When the screen is folded overtop of the keyboard, it absolutely sucks for watching movies. You have to hold it upright in front of you the whole time. Laptops have a base for a reason.
    Reply
  • chaohsiangchen
    I am wondering why are there people who want to watch movie on small to tiny monitor on the move. Why? I don't see any point of doing so. Just get a cheapo HP entertainment laptop with 15.4 or larger monitor.

    Watching movie on the move is a joke. However, if they can stream weather channel to the tablet, that might be a nice thing to have. Information, not entertainment, are the reason to have motion pictures on small monitors.
    Reply
  • matt87_50
    I DON'T F$@%ING CARE! i didn't care the last time, or the time before that... or the 6 times before that! apple tells us what we want, not the other way round, so there is no point in knowing until its released anyway!!
    Reply
  • onsiteone
    I agree with Chaohsiangchen: why the heck would you want to watch a movie on a 10" screen when your living room tv has a bigger screen size? plus most people may already have a laptop with 15" screen size or a desktop with a 17" flatscreen to watch the movie. I guess it's the folks who like to watch full length movies on their phone -- they will consider it "awesome" to graduate to a 10" screen. LOL. By the way, these keyboardless tablets ARE going to come with a stand right? If not you're telling me I have to hold the tablet in my hands during the whole movie? or rest it on my lap and burn my balls? or wait, try to rest it atop the table against the cup of frappachino?
    Reply
  • kingssman
    Convertible tablet so far is the best design out there when it comes to tablets. This will be a first of apple following a trend than setting one. Well, then again they took the Palm and Blackberry and produced the Iphone. I'm curious what they'll come up with.

    imho, about 90% of tablets out there already suck in terms of performance to cheaper laptops and its almost better to buy a regular laptop and place a wacom tablet on the side.
    Reply