Actually, it’s been a while since we had a good Apple “iPad” rumor, so it’s about time one showed up. This one is pretty good, too. It comes from the Taiwan Economic News, which cites local parts suppliers.
The report states Apple will launch its tablet PCs next February, with deliveries to Apple in December. The tablet, still unnamed but popular guessing has been “iPad” and “iTablet,” will feature a 9.6-inch screen, finger-touch function and built-in HSPDA (High Speed Download Packet Access) module.
Most interesting of all: the tablet will use a chip designed by PA Semi, the chip design firm Apple bought last year. It has been rumored that Apple split PA into two groups, one working on existing chip designs and one working on new, future products.
The iPod/iPhone line runs on ARM processors, so it’s about time Apple put its $278 million investment to work. The rumored price for the iPad: $799 and $999.