Apple touchscreen tablet confirmed for 2010

BusinessWeek cites an inside source at Apple who confirms this morning’s analyst report that the company will produce a touch-screen tablet device next year.

Speaking at Apple’s April 23 results briefing, acting chief executive Tim Cook trashed netbooks, but also hinted that his company could be open to an alternative that sits somewhere between an iPod Touch (pictured) and a MacBook, backing up reports that Apple has been buying 10-inch touchscreens.

“When I look at what is being sold in the netbook space today, I see cramped keyboards, terrible software, junky hardware, very small screens, and just not a consumer experience and not something we would put the Mac brand on”, said Mr Cook.

“That said, we do look at the space and are interested in how customers respond to it. People who want a small computer than does browsing and email might want to buy an iPod touch or iPhone.”

This morning, Piper Jaffray - a company whose previous Apple predictions have been mostly on the money - released a research note predicting that a 7-inch to 10-inch “multitouch” device would be released in the first half of 2010.

Now, BusinessWeek says “A source familiar with Apple’s product plans says that the company plans to introduce a tablet-based device in early 2010.”