Two tablets debunked?

A second source has backed the idea of Apple producing not one but two tablets, according to BusinessWeek. Richard Doherty, a director at the market research firm Envisioneering Group, claims that Apple has developed prototypes of two different tablets: one resembling a large iPod, with a six-inch screen, and another with a larger display. One or both devices could launch in September, Doherty suggests, depending on the say-so of Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

The view is contested by one of the original sources of the tablet information, who insists that the company still has only one 10-inch tablet in development, and that it will ship no earlier than the first quarter of 2010. Such observations are backed by a known order of 10-inch screens, and multiple reports saying a September press event will be strictly iPod- and iTunes-focused. Apple has typically excluded other products from its September announcements.

Doherty further argues that tablets may start at $679, and support titles from the App Store, which was originally created for the iPhone and iPod touch. The larger of the prototypes is allegedly able to run all Mac software, while the smaller one may be intended mostly for games, videos and e-books. Separate rumors have hinted that Apple may want to position a tablet as an ideal e-book reader.

by MacNN Staff