Applevine: More Netbook Rumors Circulate
Other than a cryptic comment about having some ideas, or remarks the market opportunity is still nascent, Apple has not said anything about making a netbook computer. Still, the frequency of rumors about the so far non-existent device rate second on the Applevine only to iPhone chatter.
In early March, the big gossip was Wintek being contracted to supply touchscreens. Now the latest? Today, Digitimes reported on the potentially lucrative manufacturing contract.
Citing reports first printed by the Chinese language news source Commercial Times, the report says Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry) “is in the running” for the prize.
As is common for many of these Commercial Times reports that find their way into English on Digitimes, the article cites unnamed sources in the supply chain.
Gossip? Fact? Tech tabloid fodder?
Such vague sources leaking info from the manufacturing industry have been hit or miss in the past, and when on the scent, they have sometimes been way off on the finer details.
Here, like the saying “where there’s smoke there’s fire,” the frequency and volume of speculation surrounding a netbook does suggest a new product is in fact in the pipeline. The question is – what is it? Is Apple really pursuing the fabled netbook? Or is a long rumored tablet computer, as some sources (like Apple Insider) speculate, in the works? Or is it something else?
Apple’s earnings announcements later this week aren’t likely to divulge any secrets.
At this point, it’s anybody’s guess what product surprises Cupertino has in store for the remainder of this year…. and based on the news, there’s no shortage of those guesses out there.
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