My Apple Tablet Expectations

January 21st, 2010

Now is the time in the Apple product announcement hype cycle where I temper fantasies with heavy dollops of reality because it will soon affect my bottom line: opening up the wallet and actually buying something. So what follows is a list of what features the Apple tablet must sport to initiate a purchase.

I put the odds of “disappointment” very low, and “good” vs. “great” about even. Mind-blowing is within the realm of possibility, but unlikely.

Disappointment (no sale):

• No tablet announcement (doesn’t exist).
• The tablet is basically a big iPod Touch.
• Costs $999 or higher.

Good (will wait to buy, probably for a price drop):

• Has a new, separate UI from the iPhone and Mac OS X proper.
• Costs between $700 — $999.
• Can be used as an eBook reader.
• Television shows and movies look gorgeous.

Great (buy within a month):

• Has iPhone specific versions of iLife or iWork apps.
• Some feature that justifies a MobileMe subscription.
• Has some crazy new multitouch features that have some grumbling, “what’s wrong with a physical keyboard /mouse?”
• Costs between $600 — $700.
• Has a camera, either on the back, front-facing or both.
• In addition to WiFi, has optional cell network support.

Mind-blowing (I leave work early to get one):

• Can film and edit video with a special tablet-specific, lite version of iMovie.
• Has connection to the Apple TV, either streaming to an Apple TV, acting as a giant remote, or replaces the Apple TV entirely by transmitting to a television.
• Goes even beyond multitouch on a screen — say tracking hand movement through a front-facing camera, a touch-enabled back, and motion detection.
• Price is subsidized with content subscriptions offered up by television, film studios, or book and magazine publishers.
• Optional cell connectivity is through a choice of carriers, specifically Verizon in addition to AT&T.