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?
