Unveiling still expected on January 27th

The Apple tablet may be released in June, rather than March as is commonly expected, says a Kaufman Bros. analyst. Shaw Wu cites supply chain sources, who say that a June launch may be necessary because of "minor issues" with battery life and durability. An announcement is still expected on January 27th, which would echo the deployment schedule of the iPhone. The device was revealed in January 2007, but only launched in June of that year.

Wu also reports being told that the tablet is a hybrid between a Mac and an iPod touch, but closer to the latter, most likely meaning it uses an ARM-based processor. "From our understanding, it is not intended to replace a Mac but be somewhat of a 'super' iPod touch where video, gaming, Web browsing, e-books and the ability to run multiple apps would be enhanced with the much larger screen," the analyst writes.

The tablet is forecast to sell for about $999 at retail, mainly the result of a $100 touchscreen pricetag as quoted by sources. Adding to the cost of the device may be high glass, sensor, semiconductor and substrate expenses. Wu argues on his own that device is likely to omit 3G in favour of Wi-Fi, avoiding strain on cellular networks such as AT&T's. A carrier-subsidized tablet is still a possibility, he cautions.

Kaufman estimates call for a million tablets to be sold each quarter. Roughly 5 million may actually be built in the first year of production, Wu's sources suggest. Some analysts have called for the product to be cheaper, which could make such numbers too conservative.

By Electronista Staff