Netbook Evangelist | The blog with information for netbooks & tablets

In today’s Q1 Financial Earnings call, COO Tim Cook, who is currently overseeing day-today activity at Apple, commented on the possibility of a sub-$500 “netbook” or lower priced device. In a nutshell, it doesn’t seem likely.

Backing up what CEO Steve Jobs has said about the netbook category, Cook reiterated Apple’s stance on such a device. “We are watching the space,” Cook explained. But currently Apple does not think that the hardware and software offerings in this space are something their customers would appreciate. “Smaller screens, cramped keyboard,” were just among some of the issues Apple sees in developing such a small or portable device.

When it comes to an entirely separate device, Apple’s stance on the netbook has remained firm for quite some time. CEO Steve Jobs has explicitly stated that the iPhone is what they offer in this space, and expanding on that product is what we should expect. The price margins between Apple’s lowest priced notebook (the white Macbook), and how they would presumably price a netbook would lead to immensely conflicting products, especially in terms of price, something that Apple isn’t particularly akin to have going on.

Interestingly, TechCrunch has recently fueled the fire when it comes to netbook rumors claiming a larger touch device is set to make its debut in the fall of 2009. They claim to have received relatively similar information from three different sources, all with close ties to the Cupertino-based company. One such informant had gone on to note,” “…expect a large screen iPod touch device to be released in the Fall of ‘09, with a 7 or 9 inch screen. Prototypes have been seen and handled by one of our sources, and Apple is talking to OEMs in Asia now about mass production.”

In a nutshell, we don’t expect a tablet-like or netbook device from Apple any time soon. But contradicting rumors do make the case for a prototype to be in existence. Instead, we expect the company to diversify the iPhone product line by adding higher end models, and lowering the price of current models (or at least this is what we’d like to see anyways).

Source: http://www.macblogz.com/2009/01/21/apple-netbook-doesnt-seem-likely-according-to-tim-cook/