Interest at Apple may persist

A vice president and spokesman for Sintek Photronics, Barry Wu, is now denying claims that the company is involved in producing panels for a touchscreen iMac. On October 1st, industry sources went on record suggesting that samples of panels had been sent to Apple. Sintek is manufacturing touch panels on its 5.3G line, said to be the "largest production line for projected capacitive touch panels in terms of substrate size."

Rumors of Apple interest in a touch-based Mac have persisted for a long time. Much of the company's profits now come from touch devices, particularly the iPhone and the iPad. Recently a proposed patent for a "hybrid" iMac emerged; tilting the display would let people switch from regular mouse and keyboard use into a mode better suited to touch commands. Apple's Magic Trackpad, meanwhile, has carried the MacBook's touch gestures over to the desktop realm.

By Electronista Staff