Tricky choices face Apple engineers working on netbook/touch device
By now, virtually everyone who follows Apple expects some sort of new portable computing device before the end of the year.
A lot of folks have imagined assorted designs for Apple’s Next Big Thing in recent months.
Some say Apple will produce a traditional (clamshell with keyboard) but elegantly designed netbook running Mac OS X.
Some say Apple’s entry will revive the Mac Tablet concept, but substituting the iPhone’s Multi-Touch interface for handwriting recognition.
Some say we’ll see a slightly larger iPod Touch – a device sized somewhere between the iPod Touch and a Mac Tablet.
Two reports earlier this week added fuel to the already nearly incessant speculation that Apple is indeed working on a netbook.
Both -- one from the Chinese-language Commercial Times report and another from Dow Jones -- said Taiwan’s Wintek Corporation will supply 10-inch touch screens to Apple, but offered no other details.
Of course, a few naysayers claim the iPhone, iPod Touch and MacBook Air already comprise a complete line-up of mobile computing devices, so Apple has no need for another.
But I agree with those who believe Apple does in fact have a major new mobile product in development. Apple has many options, though – perhaps too many.
Some issues with which Apple engineers could be grappling:
Keyboard: If we’re talking about a netbook-sized device, does Apple go with an undersized physical keyboard as seen on many PC netbooks or opt for a larger version of the iPhone touch-screen keyboard, which appears on the screen as needed? Critics of the iPhone knock it for its lack of a physical keyboard, yet mobile phone makers have rushed to imitate the touch screen concept.
Size: As described above, Apple could build a 9- to 10-inch Mac netbook, a 9- to 10-inch tablet about half as thick, or a larger iPod Touch with a 5-, 6- or 7-inch screen. While Apple loves miniaturization (see: new iPod Shuffle), any device intended for a lot of Web browsing will benefit from more screen real estate.
Operating system: Obviously Apple will use a variation of Mac OS X, but will it be the one on the iPhone that omits some services to make it sleeker and more efficient on a less-powerful device or the full version used on its Macs? Less powerful devices will extend battery life, but a device with a full version of OS X could do more. A full version of Safari would make Web browsing a lot easier.
Storage: Most netbooks use relatively cheap hard drives to keep costs down. Using flash memory helps reduce physical size and weight as well as power consumption, but sacrifices capacity and drive up cost. Since Apple already buys a big chunk of world’s flash memory for use in its iPods and iPhones, it can get better deals than anybody else. Nevertheless, the price/capacity gap presents a dilemma.
Connectivity: Any mobile device Apple releases in 2009 should incorporate the 802.11n wireless networking standard. A USB port and Bluetooth also are strong possibilities.
The real question here is whether Apple will build in support for 3G – the type of connection smartphones use. With 3G, you’d have Internet access anywhere you can get a cell phone signal, just like with the iPhone. The disadvantage is the hefty fees cell phone companies charge for use of their data networks.
Price: The MacBook Air, with its larger screen and more powerful processor weighs about the same as the typical netbook PC (3 pounds) but costs about four times as much. Clearly Apple can get away with charging a premium for a new mobile device, particularly if it’s groundbreaking in some way (a good bet, given the company’s track record).
But if the intent is to take a bite out of the netbook market, a product priced too high may not lure away enough buyers -- even those who don’t mind paying more for a revolutionary device.
My guess: Like many, I lean toward a larger iPod Touch -- an iTouch, I suppose.
Less is more in this case. A smaller device is not only more portable, it will cost less to manufacture and be better able to compete with netbooks on price.
I envision a device about 3.6 inches wide with a 5-inch touch screen, otherwise very similar to the iPod Touch. At this size, it still fits in a shirt pocket, yet provides a screen much more suitable for such things as reading books or browsing the Web, not to mention gaming.
It could run any app in the App Store in a compatibility mode, but would offer developers opportunities for new apps designed for its bigger screen (and faster ARM processor).
This iTouch would use a scaled up version of the iPhone’s onscreen keyboard, but a USB port multiples the possibilities. While plugging a regular keyboard into an iTouch would be awkward, imagine third parties building special keyboards that attach to the device, making it a single unit that could be used like a netbook.
For that matter, imagine third parties creating similar USB-based game controllers. A USB port creates more user options without adding cost to the device.
Such a sleek gadget could compete with netbooks, Amazon’s Kindle and handheld gaming devices all at once without threatening MacBook sales and only mildly cannibalizing the iPod Touch, particularly if priced correctly – I’d say between $499 and $599.
What do you think?
Comments
Apple will sell this for 699 and make a grundle. Netbooks are going backwards in time... Remember the Apple eMate anyone. Skate to where the puck is going to be... not to where it is says the great Gretzky
Posted by: Brad | March 13, 2009 10:14 AM
Ummmm... Why would you think the Apple device would be in your words "a device about 3.6 inches wide with a 5-inch touch screen", when Apple has 10" touch screens on order? Apple isn't ordering 10" touchscreens to throw everyone off, that's a waste of money. Apple will release one of 3 things.
1. a 10" netbook, with removable keyboard/mouse.
2. a 10" netbook with touchscreen(although) I could see Steve saying "Why are we including a keyboard/mouse if we already have a touchscreen on the thing?")
3. a 10" netbook with the touchscreen as the keyboard/mouse section and a regular screen for the viewing. (check out the patents, they have one for this already)
Posted by: Mac guy | March 13, 2009 12:09 PM
I think you are close. The 5" screen iTouch makes sense and sounds do-able. A mac-netbook would be 3 times the price of a pc-netbook. I just don't see that as a possibility.
Posted by: Ronald | March 13, 2009 12:13 PM
Here's my guess:
It will be a ten inch tablet reader with touch and voice command powered by solar energy and runs on 3G. Don't laugh. You hold it with two hands, squeeze with your left thumb to page down; squeeze with your right thumb to page up. Highlight words, or phrases with your finger and shout out annotations that can play back or be converted to text. Voice will also page up or down and go to favorite sites or files. Finger swipes will get you to a different site or source. Internet will always be on. Reader can read back articles or legal briefs. Go to the stock market page to zoom into your favorite stock and the device will read back up-to-date statistics; ebay will read back your latest bids; your latest book will continue where you left off and reminders will tell you, your schedule and iTunes will play back your songs and movies. Ten inches will allow you to write with your finger if you forget your stylus. Oh, and besides ordering lunch, did I mention that it's also a phone?
Posted by: bmovie | March 13, 2009 12:26 PM
I think you're on target about the size. In particular, I don't think Apple will come out with anything that's to big to carry around ALL THE TIME. Which means it can't be so big it won't fit into a shirt pocket, max 3.5 by 6 inches, or to heavy, so no more than 6 ounces.
Posted by: rtweston | March 13, 2009 2:16 PM
"a 10" netbook with the touchscreen as the keyboard/mouse section and a regular screen for the viewing." "You hold it with two hands, squeeze "
I think each of you have half the puzzle. It will be a clamshell, dual screen, folded as thin as a single screen tablet. As a netbook it will be dual screen like a Nintendo DS like the first person posits, but vertically in portrait it will be like a book, literally like a book, two pages side by side like a trade paperback on your lap. Also instead of 2 page, there could be creative uses, like one side Shakespeare, the other side professional annotations or for an almanac or encyclopedia, one side a page, the other an index or animations or pictures or video. Whatever it is I hope it is brilliant. You know, the more I think about recent Apple products, the more I think that John Sculley, even with some of the wrong decisions he made, his greatest error was his impatience for a electronically utopian future. That's why he was always pushing out underpowered hardware unable to deliver its promise. For all his famed hair trigger personality, patience is one of the traits the new Jobs brings to the table.
Posted by: Yacko | March 13, 2009 2:38 PM
Netbooks only exist because people loathe the complexity and problems of Windows.
The iTouch, whether a 5" or 10" screen, will clean up this ridiculous scenario created by Microsoft's utter failure...
Posted by: Jon T | March 13, 2009 3:11 PM
Really like the idea of the dual-screen foldable device.
Now, why all this either-or thinking (Dewey would be rolling over in his grave!)?
Why doesn't Apple bring out both?! A 10" netbook and a shirt pocket sized iPod Touch/iPhone!!
The cellular phone service would be optional on the device; wifi standard.
Posted by: robinson | March 13, 2009 5:29 PM
By the way, meant to comment that I liked the review... nicely written, with a good selection of comparative photos.
Appreciate your thinking about this!
Posted by: robinson | March 13, 2009 5:33 PM
Good article... I think I see where this is going. Big iPod Touch... keyboard optional. Bluetooth keyboard. But using the iPhone OS means its optional, so the user decides how much they want to drag around.
Separately, it occurs that Apple will also evolve the MacBook Air.
Then again, Apple may have some grand convergence of the two devices in store. But generally Apple works more incrementally than that.
The other reason I expect an Apple tablet to be based on the iphone OS is that it gives its designers more freedom. There are a lot of requirements to "being a mac" and the paradigm is very tied up in keyboard/mouse/windows etc. Much more freedom growing the iPod touch.
And, honestly, the minute I saw the first iPhone demo, I thought that phone-less and larger versions were inevitable. Simple interface with powerful connectivity... being a phone or an ipod only scratched the surface.
Posted by: yet another steve | March 13, 2009 7:16 PM
Let me go to and use the same web pages that I go to and enjoy on my five year-old, XP OS desktop...THEN I'll be very happy., My Touch can't do that...most of the streaming radio stations I'm interested in won't play on the Touch, the rest require apps.
Just gimme a Touch (current or the 5" screen envisioned above) that let's me do the internet...in its entirety.
Posted by: john | March 13, 2009 8:09 PM
I think you're right. Apple likes to take small steps (since it leaves room later for other products). Move up to a 5" iPod Touch and then if that sells, larger devices can come later.
I don't see Apple making an under-powered Netbook with cramped keyboard. It's just not Steve. And as others had mentioned it would be too expensive for the Netbook category.
I think it will be a touch interface because Apple has decided that the MacBook and MacBook Air are generally the smallest they can do for a regular computer (keyboard, trackpad) type device.
Posted by: MrHatken | March 13, 2009 10:21 PM
This does not fit the definition of a netbook at all. With a 5 inch screen, it fits the (Intel) definition of a Mobile Internet Device (MID). With a touch screen instead of a keyboard, the device's utility will be limited compared to a netbook which, with 92% keyboards, can be used for touch typing.
I suppose that it's benefit will be that it is more compact than a 10 inch netbook and will be larger than an iPhone which should make reading text on web pages, email & so on easier.
At the speculated price points it will simply be an overpriced, underperforming device with a limited market appeal.
Posted by: Richard | March 13, 2009 11:27 PM
You read my mind. A 5-inch screen would be large enough while still allowing it to be a pocketable device. Moreover, the touch UI would feel awkward on a much larger screen. I expect an iTouch and an iPhone using that size screen.
I guess that a 10-inch netbook would be another interesting product.
Posted by: Denis Rouleau | March 13, 2009 11:58 PM
Tired of waiting. Never bought anything but Macs, but I just bought an Acer Aspire One for $299 at Costco. Learning Windows XP was fast and easy. This is my new carry-around and road machine. I love it. Weighs two pounds! Trackpad buttons suck, but trackpad works with finger taps too. These things are available online for even less than I paid. Great little baby laptop for a dollar less than I paid for a Palm TX several years ago. Still love my MacBook Pro. But hell's bells, sometimes people just need a cheap little computer to knock around with. Somebody's missing the boat in Cupertino.
Posted by: Ernest Murphy | March 16, 2009 3:14 AM
I think it will be an iPhone sized handheld running Windows Vista
Posted by: Visioneer | March 16, 2009 12:49 PM