Filed under: Rumors, iPod touch
Rumor watch: TechCrunch says large-format iPod touch in 2009
Citing "three independent sources close to Apple" including "one source that has actually held the [prototype] device," TechCrunch is stepping into the pre-Macworld Expo rumor fray with the possibility of a large-format iPod touch device coming in the fall of next year. The hypothetical MegiPod would sport a 7" or 9" screen and, naturally, play media content and run apps from the iTunes App Store. Production conversations are ramping up now, say TC sources.
Why an iTablet, and why now? The post cites the presence of the App Store as the primary determinant that the market is ready for a touchable Apple product in supersized form: "Apple has been experimenting internally with large form tablet devices for years, one source says, but there was concern that users wouldn't like the device. The difference now is the iTunes app store, which has thousands of games and other applications that are perfect for a touch screen device with an accelerometer." TechCrunch says the big pod may not be a done deal, as we've seen a zillion Apple tablet rumors come and go -- but that Apple is still planning to move forward, this time.
I'm not sure I would personally be in the market for a 7-inch, unpocketable iPod touch with the text input system featured on present-day devices; however, the expanded screen real estate and advances in the touch tech might combine to make a true typeable surface with room to finger-breathe. The more pressing question, then: since it's hard enough now to keep other commuters and bystanders from peeking over your shoulder to see what you're watching -- how much worse would it be with that massive screen?
Meanwhile, we've made a conscious effort to steer clear of the other Macworld-related rumor today, floated by Gizmodo and irately attacked by CNBC. Whatever the source and whatever the motives, publishing unconfirmed Steve's-health stories is (as we've seen) not a particularly prudent game to play.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Justin D said 9:24PM on 12-30-2008
Coming from TechCrunch, I'd take this with the world's largest boulder of NaCl.
My pennies say that if Apple were to release a larger touch-based device, it'd be more of a touchscreen Air than an enlarged Touch, and would run OS X instead of Mobile OS X.
Why introduce confusion to the user and developer bases by introducing compatibility requirements? It'd fracture things during a time when mass adoption is high and developers are eager to create. A large Touch doesn't fill a hole in the product lineup. Etc, etc.
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reallycrazyguy said 9:31PM on 12-30-2008
Yeah, this is unlikely. The main reason for it's introduction, all the Apps in the App Store, all would work in a mediocre fashion on a new larger device, as all of them are optimized for the current small screen. Sure you could zoom the content, but most apps would need fine-tuning to not look crappy.
And I would hope Apple would base the OS for a tablet like this off MacOS X and not the iPhone, mainly because the iPhone's OS is locked down to the AppStore
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Drew said 9:33PM on 12-30-2008
This would be awesome for sales people. You need decent screen size to present, but not much input- Here is our program/ppt/video clip.
Smaller and easier than a full laptop.
Drew
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Unregistered said 12:03PM on 12-31-2008
You could use the av component cable that apple sells
iBearTouch said 9:33PM on 12-30-2008
"MegiPod" ...cool name. But seeing as an iPod Touch screen is 3.5" high, I am not sure I would want a 9" tablet. 7" sounds big enough to me. In landscape mode you could have a better keyboard and perhaps other types of connectivity, maybe USB and some slots for SD cards and such? The other advantage of course is that you would not have to squint as hard when you are watching a video. It would also be sweet if it could bring in Skype, but I guess if it runs Mac OSX this would be easily doable.
Anyhow I think touchscreen computing is definitely on it's way, big time, with possible options for mouse use, perhaps via bluetooth?
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Dave Peterson said 9:37PM on 12-30-2008
I'm seeing this as an excellent digital reader for color material. A portable device that would do a good job viewing .pdf files of magazines.
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Frank said 11:27PM on 12-30-2008
hear, hear. abso-friggin-LUTELY. i would buy one the day it was announced.
Bill said 9:37PM on 12-30-2008
For what I need, I'd buy one as soon as it's released.
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Tony Bowman said 9:52PM on 12-30-2008
can we skip the Weblogs Inc. vs. Gawker Media stuff? i mean, especially when it was a Weblogs Inc. gadget bog, Engadget, that originally started the whole mess of misreporting on Jobs' health and causing APPL to tank(and lose $4 billion and spark an investigation).
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Tony Bowman said 9:53PM on 12-30-2008
AAPL, even
Michael Rose said 10:46PM on 12-30-2008
Hi Tony --
Truthfully, that wasn't a WvG jab; if Engadget had posted that rumor we'd have left it lie just the same. We've been linking liberally to Giz over the past year.
Tony Bowman said 11:00PM on 12-30-2008
oh, i know. i enjoy engadget and gizmodo just the same; tuaw too for that matter.
i just get tired of all the back and forth when it comes to questioning some other site's sources or whatever.
i mean, it's a little sketchy to say you're steering clear of a rumor, then explaining the gist of it, and further, calling someone out for running it in the very next sentences. it's like you want to be able to get the hits from people searching for apple rumors, and this is a big one that's sure to draw a lot of interest, but without bearing the responsibility for doing so if/when it turns out to be BS.
i know that's the way the game is played these days, but still, if you say you want to steer clear of it, then do so.
Michael Rose said 1:15AM on 12-31-2008
I know what you mean. Unfortunately, when a story is all over the web, we end up with a lot of tips and a lot of "Why didn't you guys cover this?" questions. A brief nod that the rumor was floated is a compromise.
Darren said 9:54PM on 12-30-2008
Apple's answer to the Netbook, obviously.
The iPod touch essentially runs a toned-down Desktop OS and they sell it for $200. It shouldn't be much of a stretch to expand the size of the iPod touch for only a little extra cost.
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Simon Arch said 12:16PM on 12-31-2008
The iPod touch has a 3.5" screen. Doubling the diagonal size to 7" would quadruple the size of the screen, which is one of the most expensive components of the device, so this hypothetical (read: unrealistic and unlikely) device wouldn't be cheap. More like $800 instead of $229.
Slappy said 10:34PM on 12-30-2008
To echo Justin D and reallycrazyguy, when was the last time TechCrunch was right about one of these?
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riley said 10:39PM on 12-30-2008
thank you for not posting that other rumor from that lousy gadget blog.
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Mike O'Connor said 11:05PM on 12-30-2008
Coincidentally, I just published an article predicting Apple's next new device will be a NetPad, about the size of three iPhones side by side. I included a lot of details about the device features and operation. http://www.myallocom/blog
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Glennha said 5:26AM on 12-31-2008
iPod Touch Book Reader.. All the other book readers suck and only apple could do it right.. I'd buy one..
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Simon Arch said 1:29AM on 12-31-2008
You couldn't find a more reputable source, like say Rob Enderle? Yeesh.
Seriously though, I'll believe it when I see it.
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