On 27 January, Steve Jobs will clamber onto the stage at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco and show off Apple’s “latest creation.” So what is it? An Apple tablet? An iSlate? A Mac tablet? Or even a new incarnation of the iPhone? Follow our ultimate rumour guide to the so-called Apple Slate and we’ll try and piece all those juicy morsels together.
Hardware
Different sizes
The smart money is on a 9.7-inch Apple tablet, making it smaller than your average netbook, but large enough to indulge in excessive emailing or watching flicks without compromising your poor old peepers. Other rumours say it’ll bulk up to 10.7-inches, while some gossip says it’ll be shrunk down to an eReader-like 7-inches.
OLED or not OLED?
Word is the world’s supply of OLED screens has dried up as Apple gears itself for iSlate D Day. However, makers Samsung and LG are said to be struggling to meet such heavy demand and are more likely to cash in on OLED smartphones instead.
Touch-sensitive casing?
The iPhone 4G is said to have touch-sensitive casing. But how about the Mac tablet? Perhaps it could work like the neat Samsung IceTouch, with a touchable rear to stop your paws smearing that lovely panel.
Front facing camera
A front facing camera makes perfect sense for the Apple Slate. Video calls would be more PC and Mac like than the ones you make on your mobile. In fact, such a snapper is more important on the iSlate than it is on the iPhone.
On-screen keyboard, or stylus?
A recent Apple patent shows off an iSlate like device using a stylus. However, if an Apple tablet packs multitouch, it seems more likely it’ll feature an on-screen keyboard. After all, there are plenty of patents pointing towards a virtual ‘pad as well.
Apple event official: iSlate tablet to be touted next week?
Software
OS X or iPhone OS?
The biggest question of all. Videos claiming to demo the Mac tablet showed it running a version of OS X Snow Leopard. But other sources continue to claim it’ll tote a version of the iPhone OS, keeping things nice and simple for noobs.
Will it run iPhone apps?
Apple wouldn’t shift three billion iPhone apps and then not bother adding App store access to the iSlate, would it? One “high profile” developer says they’ve been updating their apps for iPhone 4.0 to make them suitable for different resolutions. Chuck in the likes of Kindle for iPhone, not to mention the likes of GTA Chinatown Wars, and surely an iPhone OS on an Apple Slate is a dead cert?
iTunes update imminent?
Apple has promised to “investigate” issues with iTunes 9 that we’ve helped expose, which cause the iPod classic to go kaput. Surely 27 January is the perfect time to introduce an update to tie in with the Apple Slate.
A new iLife?
Apple geeks are also getting seriously het up about talk of iLife 2010 getting an official airing next Wednesday, alongside the Mac tablet. Sounds dull, right? Wrong. If the iSlate is anything like the iPod or iPhone, it’ll be PC compatible, meaning iLife could be too. Could Apple inadvertently help make PCs more creative?
Apple tablet: what we know so far
Extras
Home control system
An Apple patent for a smart energy system was shown off this week. It has a touchscreen controller, possibly the Apple tablet, right at its heart. As well as a media maven, could the iSlate help you save cash too?
Music streaming
Having picked up Lala last year, there’s every chance that the much vaunted Apple iTunes streaming service could be unveiled next Wednesday. Having it working on the Apple Slate would certainly give Spotify plenty to ponder.
Magazine tie-ups
Publisher Conde Nast has already started work on its own magazine eReader, but tie-ins with an Apple tablet seem obvious. It’s the ideal size for reading mags and could at last push print into the 21st century, making magazines relevant again.
iTunes extras and iTunes LP?
iTunes LP and iTunes extras seem custom built for the Mac tablet. iTunes LP’s access to unique content and large format art would look ace on a bigger panel. And the DVD style add-ons of iTunes extras would also work a peach on an iSlate.
Heard any more juicy Apple tablet rumours? Be sure to tell us now!
