Can Apple’s tablet match iPhone’s success?

SAN FRANCISCO – The buzz surrounding Apple’s "Come See Our Latest Creation" announcement on Wednesday is at a higher level than any other in recent memory.

It’s expected that the long awaited tablet will finally be unveiled to an invitation-only audience at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater.

For those of you who live in a cave, the Apple tablet has been a source of intense speculation for more than a year, as everyone in the industry waits to see what Apple’s response to netbooks, competitor tablets and E-Book readers will be. The rumour mill has been at full capacity since the announcement of this event, and here is some of the speculation:

– The tablet may or may not be called iPad or iSlate;

– The tablet may basically be a hybrid of sorts – somewhere between a MacBook and an iPhone. It’ll most likely have a metal unibody construction with a glass front that might make it look like a much larger, flatter iPhone. It might be around25 centimetres in size, and the display will be very clear and high definition – but it probably won’t be an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) because of supply and price issues;

– The tablet will most likely have Wi-Fi connectivity, and will be an E-Book reader on steroids (watch out Kindle, Apple’s gunning for you). It’ll probably be a terrific gaming machine, plus have capabilities for web browsing, e-mail and the ability to multitask.

The only time in recent history where the hype and rumour-mongering approached the levels of this announcement was for the introduction of the iPhone several years ago. The big question on analyst’s minds is whether the new tablet will have the same type of response the original iPod and iPhones. Both were ground-breaking devices full of amazing innovations that have set the standard and totally dominated their respective markets. Certainly, manufacturers of E-Book readers are most likely waiting this announcement with a feeling of impending doom.

Almost lost in the hype about the tablet is what other announcements might be made at this event.

Again, it’s speculation because of Apple’s tight security, buy nonetheless it’s widely acknowledged there will be an announcement of version 4.0 of the iPhone operating system. This could introduce many features to the iPhone that might well be also available on the tablet. OS-wide multi-touch gestures, the possibility of multitasking, graphics and interface changes to make the user experience more convenient, along with enhancements for gamers. There’s also talk of a new, improved contact and calendar synching system so it will be similar to that used on the tablet.

These new enhancements will work only on the iPhone 3G and 3GS, so original iPhone users will be out of luck, but if you’re a 3GS owner, in particular, your iPhone will be more than ever closer to being a full-on computer.

Another rumour is the possible announcement of a touch-screen version of the iMac. The iMac has become one of the most popular computers in Apple’s fleet, and touch screen capability would add tremendously to its appeal with consumers.

Only the folks at Apple know for sure what the announcements on Wednesday will bring, but that’s the fun in attending an Apple event. They continue to be surrounded with mystery and intrigue, and the one thing that is for sure is that if Apple goes to the trouble to invite journalists and special guests from all over the world to an event, it’ll be worth attending.