More Apple Netbook Rumors Pinpoint Foxconn as Manufacturer

[MacRumors]

The Inquirer recaps the latest netbook rumors coming out of the Commercial Times. The Chinese-language publication is citing sources from within the component supply chain that Apple has already signed a netbook deal with Foxconn:

These are whispering that Cupertino has sealed the deal with contract electronics manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry - or Foxconn - to bang out Apple netbooks.

Netbooks have been a hot topic in the computing industry as much of the recent sales growth has been attributed to the inexpensive portable devices.

Apple has so far resisted the release of such a device and has publicly denied interest in the market. Rumors, however, persist that Apple is planning a 10" netbook with a possible touch screen. If Apple does release such a device, it's unlikely to be priced in-line with currently shipping netbooks from other manufacturers which can run in the $400-$600 range. During a previous Q&A session, Apple has said that "[they] don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk."

Article Link: More Apple Netbook Rumors Pinpoint Foxconn as Manufacturer

 

[kymac]

heres to hoping that this will be reasonably priced and worth it.

 

[cleanup]

If it's priced more than current netbooks, then it just becomes a slightly-cheaper MacBook, and then begins treading the price range of some very decent full-featured PC laptops near the $900-1000 price range. Not sure if Apple can pull this one off unless they shave their profit margins. It would sell quite a bit then.

 

[amac4me]

If all these rumors (in the aggregate) over the past few months are true, I would hope that this product is demo'd at WWDC this June.

 

[iSamurai]

...the inexpensive portable devices.

...[they] don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk."

1. yeah, the word "inexpensive", AKA "cheap". cheap is crucial for netbooks. if it were bloody expensive it would be a shrinked macbook air.


2. don't know? well it's never too late to start learning. and a $500 computer is a piece of junk? well there's a lot of people out there who love this kinda "piece of junk". (apple apple, put aside your ego) $500 computers aren't junk, ya know... junk is like junk food, things you find in the dust bin, etc.

 

[adrian.oconnor]

Hmmm. It would be interesting to see something that is 2 to 3 times the size of an iPod touch. If it could make use of a bluetooth keyboard and mouse (or even better, a bluetooth keyboard with trackpad), it'd be the perfect computer for the typical living room, even if it kept the iPhone OS. With the touch screen, it'd be beautifully portable and great to pick up and quickly get on the web.

Does anybody know how the tech behind the iPhone's multi-touch screen scales? I'll admit that I've done zero research, but I'm pretty sure that making touch screens larger gets quite tricky due to capacitance laws and what-not.

I'd be really quite excited by this, if it turns out to be true. My confidence in this rumour is, however, very low.

 

[Island Dog]

Netbook would be awesome, but I tend to think it will be way overpriced.

 

[JavaWizKid]

10" touchscreen would be very nice but Apple may make the price very high and not be a very competitive competitor in todays market.

 

[dannyboi83]

If apple did make a 10" touch screen it would not be made to compete against these products, It would be in a league of its own. I can't see people actually considering a 10" apple netbook, or a cheap one from say Acer, the price differece would be so large that it would never compare.

 

[h.21]

Maybe they figured out how to make this device cheaply. Having a phone company subsidize it is one obvious way. I've always wondered why there isn't a WWAN option on MacBooks, maybe the time has come for it.

 

[chabig]

Not sure if Apple can pull this one off unless they shave their profit margins. It would sell quite a bit then.

They should give it away for free and make up the difference in volume!

 

[phelix_da_kat]

Only netbook in form factor

I do not think Apple will make an actually netbook as we know it: ie cheap, low powered, email/internet machine.

They may aim for something between an iPhone/iTouch and a Macbook.
Ie something that is 10" akin to a Netbook, but it will be a premium product that will differentiate it from the Apple lineup and something that a user wants that is over and above the standard netbook - to be inline with the higher price.

I think a Pro/tablet type machine is likely.
- touch screen..
- BT keyboard (to keep the accessory sales up_
- some new sync software, maybe a new tab via iTunes to sync "folders" of docs etc.
- more like a companion, rather than a dedicated item.

The new mac will not be competing with netbooks nor its own lineup.

 

[psxndc]

They should give it away for free and make up the difference in volume!

People ask us all the time, how do you make money doing this? The answer is simple: volume.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/4253/saturday-night-live-first-citywide-change-bank-2

 

[WLS]

Hmmm. It would be interesting to see something that is 2 to 3 times the size of an iPod touch. If it could make use of a bluetooth keyboard and mouse (or even better, a bluetooth keyboard with trackpad), it'd be the perfect computer for the typical living room, even if it kept the iPhone OS. With the touch screen, it'd be beautifully portable and great to pick up and quickly get on the web.

Does anybody know how the tech behind the iPhone's multi-touch screen scales? I'll admit that I've done zero research, but I'm pretty sure that making touch screens larger gets quite tricky due to capacitance laws and what-not.

I'd be really quite excited by this, if it turns out to be true. My confidence in this rumour is, however, very low.

Yea I have to think it will be more Touch based then notebook. A smaller device then a MBA will have to be part of the Itunes Apps business model for Apple to consider it. There is no profit for Apple in a netbook but they could make money on a tablet with the iphone/touch OS with Itunes and using an Arm cortex processor . The Apps store is the key to making money off this for Apple

 

[Saladinos]

A normal laptop made for $500 will be a piece of junk. A mini laptop made for $500 can be phenomenal.

 

[psxndc]

Maybe they figured out how to make this device cheaply. Having a phone company subsidize it is one obvious way. I've always wondered why there isn't a WWAN option on MacBooks, maybe the time has come for it.

^^^ This. The iPhone unsubsidized is $700. If this thing is - and I hope it will be - an improved/bigger iPhone, it will need to be subsidized or else it's going to get into MacBook pricing. I'd love a 10" tablet device with a 3G wireless built in. Heck, I'd love a 10" iPhone.

 

[talkingfuture]

I think that Apple themselves realize just how over priced it will be for a Netbook, this is why it will have that extra twist (perhaps a touchscreen) that makes it seem worth it.

 

[fletch33]

last year i sold my blackbook about 2 months before the official announcement of the new macbooks knowing that i was going to get a lot more money for mine if it was the latest model and not the older model and it worked.

while i was waiting for the new macbook release i purchased 3 of the most popular netbooks that were out. the Aspire One 7", EEC PC 1000h 10", and the MSI Wind U100 10". they all 3 had the Atom 1.6 in them and i took them all to their max ram which was 1.5 for the Acer and 2GB for the EEC and Wind. I also gave them all 250GB drives.

they worked great. i had them dual booting XP and another OS that we are not supposed to talk about here and they ran them both great. that little Atom 1.6 is a great processor and overclocked it was even better.

i will refer to the Wind below because that was my favorite.

i personally did not see much difference in everyday performance with my blackbook and my Wind and the Wind got 6 hours battery life. i was able to run photoshop, iLife, etc...

the wind not only performed well but felt like it was made well and only cost me $399 plus my upgrades to a larger HDD and memory which probably had me at about the $500 mark in it.

i had a great looking screen. great performance, wireless N, bluetooth, 3 USB ports that were nicely spaced apart for plugging in multiple USB device (unlike my Alum Macbook which has 2 and they are to close together), standard VGA out (no adapter needed), 2 card readers, and kick butt battery life.

if MSI can do all of this for $399 then Apple should be able to pull it off as well.

it of course will have to be more like $599 since it is Apple and will look cooler and have the Apple logo on it.

i found that my Wind hooked to an apple keyboard and mouse and then to a 19" monitor while i was at work did everything i needed and as well as my blackbook.

the netbook market is for the average user which is 80% of people buying computers. they want the internet, itunes, email, and maybe some photo editing/ saving options.

i hope Apple makes the move and does it with t price point that makes it competitive.

i have since sold all of the netbooks and got the aluminum macbook LOL but thats only because i am addicted to having the latest apple laptop as silly as that is

 

[Lepton]

Apple's NetPad

Hmmm. It would be interesting to see something that is 2 to 3 times the size of an iPod touch. If it could make use of a bluetooth keyboard and mouse (or even better, a bluetooth keyboard with trackpad), it'd be the perfect computer for the typical living room, even if it kept the iPhone OS. With the touch screen, it'd be beautifully portable and great to pick up and quickly get on the web.

Exactly. I call it the NetPad, and my detailed vision of it is here!

 

[iMacmatician]

If all these rumors (in the aggregate) over the past few months are true, I would hope that this product is demo'd at WWDC this June.

That's not too far a prediction.

Yea I have to think it will be more Touch based then notebook. A smaller device then a MBA will have to be part of the Itunes Apps business model for Apple to consider it. There is no profit for Apple in a netbook but they could make money on a tablet with the iphone/touch OS with Itunes and using an Arm cortex processor . The Apps store is the key to making money off this for Apple

Yup. Plus I think a mini-tablet would be cheaper than a smaller MacBook Air with touchscreen?

^^^ This. The iPhone unsubsidized is $700. If this thing is - and I hope it will be - an improved/bigger iPhone, it will need to be subsidized or else it's going to get into MacBook pricing.

Why does everybody forget that the 32 GB iPod touch is $399?

 

[RGunner]

I have been pricing Netbooks...

".... run in the $400-$600 range"

This is not necessarily true, most netbooks are $200-400, making it a very difficult task for Apple to match.

 

[JonHimself]

I think if we assume whatever this product is will cost around $1000.00 (800-1200) then we'll lessen the disappointment many will feel (not me, if it's $1000, that's $1000 less than the macbook air which I'll be buying otherwise)

 

[psxndc]

Why does everybody forget that the 32 GB iPod touch is $399?

Mmmmm.... good point. But for it to be worth it to me, I'd need the 3G connectivity.

 

[Bonte]

A '10 iPod touch with a USB slot for $500 and i'm in, the need for a appstore is a small trade-in most people are willing to take. They would sell millionzzz, more than the current ipod Touch.

 

[fletch33]

".... run in the $400-$600 range"

This is not necessarily true, most netbooks are $200-400, making it a very difficult task for Apple to match.

i guess it really depends on what you are talking about when you say "netbook"

below are examples of what i would want in a netbook:

EEC PC 1000HE


EEC PC EPCS101

HP Mini

Samsung N110

with an average price range of $450 and some of the extremely nice ones that i didnt list are 500-600.

the $200-$400 range is now the lower featured models and Apple would not need to compete with those in my opinion but instead go after the better models.