Apple Netbook May Be Coming this Fall

According to unconfirmed reports coming from hardware companies in China, Apple will release a netbook later this year. However, it's also possible that these unconfirmed reports actually refer to the much-rumored Apple Tablet, a sort of uber-iPod touch.

The China-based Commercial Times reported today that Taiwan's Wintek will supply the touchscreens for this device, which will be built by Quanta Computer. No other details on the hardware were given.

Wintek says the product is tentatively scheduled to debut during the third-quarter of this year, and definitely by the end of the year.

Rumors and Speculation
Netbooks are inexpensive, entry-level notebook computers that sell for low prices, generally around $500 or less. Apple is known for making good laptops, but not for making inexpensive ones, and many are skeptical that Apple would make a notebook that sells for anywhere close to $500. It's possible the company could be brewing up a netbook that sells for considerably below its typical price range without getting near the $500 mark.

Wintek's report that Apple's upcoming device will have a touchscreen hints that it could actually be supplying parts for another product rumored to be on Apple's drawing board: a tablet PC. Rather than a scaled down notebook, this will supposedly be a scaled up version of the iPod touch, this company's handheld computer.

Source: DigiTimes