Report Claims Tablet is 'iPhone on Steroids', Runs on iPhone OS Kernel

[MacRumors]

Boy Genius Report reveals that it has received information from a source regarding Apple's much-rumored tablet, noting that it is basically an "iPhone on steroids" and offering a few details about the device.

- The tablet's multi-touch gestures are "out of control."
- It's powered by an incredibly fast ARM CPU
- It runs on the iPhone kernel.
- The internal model number is K48AP.
- There hasn't been an updated iPhone OS build because there's too much tablet-related code/references in the OS and Apple obviously didn't want that to leak. Oops.
- The tablet is basically an "iPhone on steroids."

The report is not the first to refer to Apple's tablet as carrying an internal model number of K48AP, as a Reddit user previously made the same claim, along with an assertion that the next-generation iPhone will carry internal model number N90AP. (The iPhone 3GS carries an internal model number of N88AP.) It is unknown whether the two sources are independent.

Boy Genius Report has had a mixed track record, incorrectly reporting in recent months that Apple and AT&T were looking to launch an 8 GB iPhone 3GS before Christmas and publishing a faked Apple Black Friday sale announcement. The site did, however, correctly offer information on iPhone app organization and Twitter/Facebook sharing in iTunes 9, although it later published faked iTunes 9 screenshots.

Article Link: Report Claims Tablet is 'iPhone on Steroids', Runs on iPhone OS Kernel

 

[bentoms]

is this at all surprising?

 

[talkingfuture]

All sounds fairly plausible. Someone should keep a scorecard for all the rumour sites so we can check them after the announcement.

 

[kironin]

Well then it's definitely not a replacement for a basic Macbook. It's a toy. A 3rd device, not a phone, and not a computer. Not interested.

 

[G4R2]

Now we know what the tablet will be called.

Wait for it...


The iMcGwire

 

[mac jones]

The rumors are so thick and diverse that the element of suspense probably will remain intact.

Always good for the SJ show.

 

[splintah]

i hope they also release a more powerful version

or someone hacks it so it runs osx and osx apps
i would love to be able to at least start some pro apps and do some minor work there if i have to.

of course it will never be as powerful as a macbook pro or mac pro
but for teaching and quickly checking some stuff on the go it should be enough

also hope it comes with a pen
so i can draw

 

[Porco]

I'm not sure "out of control" is the best choice of phrase when trying to hype up its touch gestures... I want to be in control

 

[tiguk]

Now we know what the tablet will be called.

Wait for it...


The iMcGwire

Lol.

I got that, even if I am British and know next to nothing about Baseball.

Actually, it sounds better than iSlate!

 

[tigres]

Smell it Smell it.....

Now Take it.....

 

[christall109]

If Apple were to have a January Event, when can we expect press invitations to the event to be released? History here would be an excellent guide.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Sounds bogus to me. It's too easy to say it's an iPhone on steroids, but also an Apple device "out of control" gestures isn't Apple-esque. SJ likes simple things, and having to learn a pile of new gestures is too much work for most consumers. The two finger scroll, the swipe, etc, all come naturally. But if the new device were to force a bunch of contrives gestures it would surely fail.

But more to the point -- or expectations -- is that supposedly Apple has been working on this tablet for some time. I think people expect something more than a 10" iPod Touch. It has to offer more if it's going to be be market leader and definer.

 

[rdowns]

Out of control, a good bit of sexy? How far he rumor mongers have fallen. Can someone please publish an elevator shot?

 

[BlizzardBomb]

I'm not sure "out of control" is the best choice of phrase when trying to hype up its touch gestures... I want to be in control

Ha! That's what I was thinking. Guess it explains the steep learning curve if you can't control the thing.

 

[rdowns]

If Apple were to have a January Event, when can we expect press invitations to the event to be released? History here would be an excellent guide.

Well. it rumored to be the 26th or 27th so invites would have to go out a week earlier.

 

[miketcool]

Now we know what the tablet will be called.

Wait for it...


The iMcGwire

No, no, no. That's the internal name. We all know it's going to be "Big Mac" when it goes public.

I hope Apple is active in the desktop department and not just the novelty department these days.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

If Apple were to have a January Event, when can we expect press invitations to the event to be released? History here would be an excellent guide.

History is a week to a week and a half in advance, so invitations should certainly have been rec'd by next Wed, but more likely by the end of this week if it's a "Big" event.

 

[martint84]

Well then it's definitely not a replacement for a basic Macbook. It's a toy. A 3rd device, not a phone, and not a computer. Not interested.

Nothing too surprising here. With the success of the iPhone/iPod touch and the app store, why would they abandon those ideas? I don't think that the appeal of this product is going to have anything to do with it's OS. We don't even know what the iPhone 4.0 OS can do, let alone the advanced features made specifically for the tablet. It's going to be the tablet-specific apps and the large screen that make this thing more than just a "toy."

 

[TheOrioles33]

Well then it's definitely not a replacement for a basic Macbook. It's a toy. A 3rd device, not a phone, and not a computer. Not interested.

I know! I thought it would at least be running Mac OSX. I dont want a giant iPhone.

 

[VenusianSky]

I think these tablets are going to be a replacement to Netbooks. Both basically serve the same purpose.

 

[paradox00]

Well then it's definitely not a replacement for a basic Macbook. It's a toy. A 3rd device, not a phone, and not a computer. Not interested.

I didn't know you had information on iPhone OS 4.0 and what apps Apple has developed for the tablet...

When I think of restrictions, the biggest factors would be the form factor and the processing power. iPhone OS would leverage both of those much more effectively. I would consider writing off a tablet based on this description just shows a lack of imagination.

 

[jo0]

i just hope it doesn't have phone capabilities... i would hate to have to hold a tablet to my face....

 

[Stella]

Sounds like tablet is going to be crap then.

Another locked-down-to-the-hilt-device, 100% controlled by Apple who decide what applications users can / cannot use.

Big giant Touch device!

 

[jemo07]

My bet is they are talking about the new iPhone! they don't have the take on the tablet yet!

 

[Evangelion]

Well then it's definitely not a replacement for a basic Macbook. It's a toy. A 3rd device, not a phone, and not a computer. Not interested.

Um, what exactly were you expecting? A device that runs Mac OS X? It has been more or less established by now that the tablet will NOT run Mac OS X.

Even if it's "just" iPhone on steroids it could still be a replacement for a laptop (although why would Apple design a product that would be more or less equivalent to their more expensive product-lines? Since this device will cost less than a MacBook, it's logical that it will also have less capabilities). Bigger screen and more powerful CPU means that it could run apps iPhone can not.