DigiTimes’s Odd Tablet Rumor

So the big news so far today is this report in DigiTimes stating that Apple has delayed its tablet from March until “the second half of 2010” because of significant changes to the display components. Keep in mind that Apple has never publicly said a damn thing, not a word, about any new tablet computer, let alone ever stated that it was due in March. This is one of those stories where what they really mean is that Apple has missed a rumored deadline.

But the details of DigiTimes’s report strike me as very odd:

The sources also indicated that in addition to Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry), Quanta Computer and Pegatron Technology are expected to be manufacturing partners for Apple’s two tablet PC models — one of which will have a 10.6-inch TFT LCD panel while the other will have a 9.7-inch OLED panel.

This makes no sense to me. Why would Apple have two tablet models with entirely different displays that are only one inch different in size? We’re into the third year of the iPhone and there’s still just one single display type and form factor. Apple may well have placed orders for both these types of displays, but I say no way are both for tablet computers.

★ Thursday, 19 November 2009