And the Manufacturer of Apple's Netbook Is Going to Be...

[Ed Hardy]

The parade of information about Apple's upcoming netbook continues. The latest report indicates which company may be handling the manufacturing of this device.

Apple hasn't actually announced plans to release a netbook -- a low-cost laptop with an emphasis on web access -- but there have been rumors of one for months now.

According to a new report coming out of Asia, Apple is currently on the hunt for a company to manufacture this product, and Foxconn Electronics (AKA Hon Hai Precision Industry) is at the top of the list. Foxconn is already manufacturing the iPhone 3G.

What Little We Know
As this upcoming model hasn't been announced yet, little is known about it aside from rumors that occasionally contradict each other.

Rather than run the full version of OS X, Apple's first netbook may run the same scaled-down operating system as the iPhone.

It will supposedly have a 10-inch display, and while it might have the traditional laptop shape it could instead have a tablet design.

Reports indicate this product will be released some time in the second half of this year, but pricing is not yet known. Still, it's expected to sell for considerably less than Apple's other laptops.

Via DigiTimes

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[questionfear]

This is kind of a long shot, but is there any chance that Apple's "netbook" might resemble something more like a Celio Redfly? Then it would "run" the iPhone OS, it wouldn't really be a netbook, and they could sell it to every iPod touch and iPhone user already out there.

Just a random idea.

[brickman65]

If it worked like the Redfly, I would be one of the first in line! I think the Redfly concept is a very good one for people that are on the move or just like everything they do to be "mobile".

[SuperGdog]

IMO the iphone os is too limited to be worth paying $500. The iphone os is made for small handhelds not netbooks. Also The iphone os uses a accelerometer for a lot of tasks how would you do that in a netbook? If its a netbook it Would be best to run Snow leopard. Other wise its Waste of money and the only people to buy it would be apple fans and rich kids. Apple needs to make a low cost, Full os, portable computer in order to survive in this market.

[Hook]

IMO the iphone os is too limited to be worth paying $500. The iphone os is made for small handhelds not netbooks. Also The iphone os uses a accelerometer for a lot of tasks how would you do that in a netbook? If its a netbook it Would be best to run Snow leopard. Other wise its Waste of money and the only people to buy it would be apple fans and rich kids. Apple needs to make a low cost, Full os, portable computer in order to survive in this market.

Apple won't be trying to survive in that market. Apple figures out new niches (often populated by rich kids, nothing wrong with that) and targets that market. If Apple is doing a "netbook", don't expect it to be like the other netbooks.

[questionfear]

If it worked like the Redfly, I would be one of the first in line! I think the Redfly concept is a very good one for people that are on the move or just like everything they do to be "mobile".

Exactly! And there's an army of users who would be all over that!

[berylrb]

Celio Redfly

I wasn't sure!