Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Apple
Why a Mac tablet from Apple doesn't make sense
Laurie posted OWC's announcement of their upcoming ModBook Mac tablet just as I began rounding up commentary from some Mac notables as to why a tablet from Apple simply doesn't make sense. OWC's announcement indeed makes things a bit more interesting, but I think some of these thoughts from Steven Frank (of Panic, Inc. fame) and David Sobotta, one of Apple's own former sales managers, can shed some light on why Apple is likely to stay away from this market.Mr. Sobotta tells a longer story over at The Guardian of his 20 years of experience at Apple, and Steven Frank more or less rounds up the bullet points in a Macworld rumor call-out post. To sum things up: the idea of a tablet Mac is cool - really cool - but the fact of the matter is that the tablet PC market sucks. And by 'sucks' I mean "it's downright horrendously dismal." Steven also reminds us that Apple hasn't really been making products for unidentified markets for about a decade now. Sure, there are a big handful of Mac Photoshoppers that would love to be able to craft their next Fark submission with a Mac tablet on the couch, but the unfortunate reality is that Apple - already a niche company - would need a *lot* more interest in an über-niche product like this to make it profitable. To make matters worse, already established industries (like the medical field) *still* aren't touching the tablet PC products that have been on the market for over two years now.
Steven lists a lot of other good obstacles that simply don't seem ripe for Apple to tackle anytime soon, and Mr. Sobotta certainly offers some commentary from behind Apple's well-guarded veil as well.
Which brings me back to the intriguing ModBook announcement from OWC. Apple hasn't made the idea of a tablet Mac work just yet (though who knows: maybe next week could prove everyone wrong), but OWC apparently has. Next week should be a very interesting one, to say the least.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
icerabbit said 3:09PM on 1-04-2007
(as a PC tablet owner) I undestand the economics ... but if there is one thing Apple can do, it is doing it better.
Apple always surprises with novel designs. They know the systems & the OS like the back of their hand. Which is the problem with 3rd party products, they don't integrate well enough. (which is why I don't have a PDA/Smart...) So let Apple come out with extra products. They will sell.
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franko said 3:30PM on 1-04-2007
...but what about a tablet as an ebook reader? audio books are already on the itunes store, and a handy portable ebook reader would tie in nicely with that. [crossing fingers...!]
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Joe Smith said 6:02PM on 1-04-2007
the ipod entered a niche industry.
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Ed said 6:38PM on 1-04-2007
What about an eBook? Replace all text books in all schools with one device per student. Something that can be updated every year instead of replaced, saving thousands of dollars and hundred of trees, content managed by iTunes.
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Dmitry said 3:59PM on 1-04-2007
Alright, is there really nothing else to post about?
You guys, we appreciate your work, but you really don't have to make a post every 15 minutes. We appreciate quality, not quantity. The iPhone, the tablet, the f--cking Apple feature film, - we really don't want to know about it until it's announced by Steve, or there is something new to talk about.
Bring on more nifty widgets and Cube mods!
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Karl Childers said 4:58PM on 1-04-2007
Do not want!
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Kirk said 4:15PM on 1-04-2007
Tablet PCs are just coming into their own. The processing demands of this platform are more than historical hardware could effectively manage. The first couple generations really were pretty bad, but current tablet hardware runs respectably. Now, add the robustness of OS X to the mix, and some other cool Apple technology, and you would have a category defining product.
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Goobimama said 3:32AM on 1-05-2007
Hey Dmitry, Fuck off...
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Igor Jablokov said 4:48PM on 1-04-2007
Except that a number of items that Steve told NIH at the time aren't true any longer. 802.11n gives them the wireless bandwidth they need to transfer medical images; Lenovo is using hi-res screens on their new ThinkPad X60-series tablets. Even the point about Apple favouring high volume assets such as iPod's: there's still a place in their inventory for low volume, high margin assets like the Mac Pros. A tablet would be similarly premium priced, especially with LED-based screens and SSD's for better battery life.
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Wass said 5:50PM on 1-04-2007
Check this out !
http://www.axiotron.com/
Does anyone know this company ???
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CupertinoSlim said 4:44PM on 1-04-2007
Perhaps there is a viable point between a minimalist, lightweight tablet and the current all-in-one iMac. It would not depend on the dismal market for tablet PCs, but instead would expand the market for all-in-one systems.
If Apple can redesign an iMac II so is can be disconnected from the power brick and use internal battery power, and eliminate all moving parts, it could be a useful go-anywhere machine. Move the DVD/CD drive outboard, via Bluetooth or Wireless USB or whatever. Use a solid-state HD rather than a mechanical one. Offer a clear BT touchpad that can be placed over the screen or any flat surface.
The power supply could be a dock that's shaped like a monitor stand. You set the iMac II on it to recharge the internal battery. The dock could also be an AirPort. The iMac could be setup on a desk, but used anywhere in the house (or outside) that's convenient.
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LUIS said 5:33PM on 1-04-2007
Guys, honestly. I don't think Apple will release a tablet, but how can you argue that they will not do it simply because the market has failed to take off? Need I remind you that the mp3-player market was crap before Apple released the iPod?
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nuflux said 5:40PM on 1-04-2007
The only way I could see Apple releasing a tablet is if they deployed that mult-touch input technology so that you could implement a touchscreen "keyboard." Pen-based only? Not likely. It's just not useful enough.
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Wass said 5:53PM on 1-04-2007
Try the following link (if main site is busy):
http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?id=36&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=75&tx_ttnews[backPid]=2&cHash=70fe766e62
Axiotron announced on their website that a tablet Mac (based on their hardware solutions) will be unveiled at Macworld. Does anyone know this company ??
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Harold said 6:13PM on 1-04-2007
Apparently there are a few people interested in a tablet as it shows up on a lot of "wish lists". If it happens I won't be surprised because Steve and Co. could just reinvent the product so that it's not a tablet; its a slate don't you see and here we go. FWIW I see video as being a a key word in the keynote. Also more revelations about that core animation thingy.
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matt said 7:18PM on 1-04-2007
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/01/04/owc-and-axiotron-announce-the-modbook-a-mac-based-tablet-comput/
that company is helping OWC to release a laptop conversion it(later on they will offer it pre-built) at Macworld. see that link for more info.
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William Crabtree said 9:41PM on 1-04-2007
Something like this nuflux?
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1902
I know they have patents for touch screen keypad designs..
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snesgirl said 5:13AM on 1-05-2007
Firslty commenter Dmitry, please refrain from needlessly trolling. I for once found the article well written and informative. If you do'nt like a particular arcile or indeed the entire blog, then go someone else, the intarweb is a huge place...
Secondly Of all the posisble devices which could be 'shock' announcements at Macowrld, I don't think that a tabet is anywhere near in the running.
Simply put, it's too niche a market.
The iphone rumours persist and although I'd love one, I think for various market reasons it wont' be a viable long term plan and apple don't do flash in the pan development (well they havne't since the original imac anyhue).
I think a PDA type device would be more of a shocker, BUT considering the companies history with such devicvees (ie the newton), they might now want to get bitten again. The smart money is on a proper 'video' ipod, as opposed to the current incarnatin which is primarily a music device which plays video as a nice *bonus*.
I like structured speculationand tuaw do that well, unlike random rumour sites like appleinsider. I'm looking forward to the macworld coverage :)
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sleary said 3:13PM on 1-05-2007
I can see them doing a tablet if they present it as the full-screen video iPod -- a larger iPod with a touch screen which just happens to run the full OS in the background, with the capability to run things like iChat AV.
They've been quietly building tablet-friendly things like Ink into OS X for years. They're nice enough on their own, but they make more sense to me as the building blocks for something more.
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Tony C said 2:10PM on 1-05-2007
Mac tablet? One word for Apple: OQO.
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