Apple netbook due in October?

In the wake of previous rumours about an Apple mini laptop, the Chinese Times is reporting that Apple will release a netbook in October.

Here's the key quote in the article, according to a translation that's appeared on MacRumors.com's forum: "Taiwan's hi-tech supply chain companies said Apple will debut its first netbook in October -- Apple will pose itself to tackle the Christmas shopping season. Three [Taiwanese] corporations -- Foxconn, Wintek and Dynapack -- have received direct orders from Apple. (Wintek will be producing touchscreens and providing relevant technologies for Apple.) In addition, some supply chain companies have privately confirmed deals related to netbooks."

The report also adds: "Apple will not follow the current market trend (by producing netbooks with screens of about 10.2 or 10.1 inches in diagonal length). Instead, Apple will produce (touch) screens with about 9.7 inches in diagonal length." As to cost, word is that it will come in around $800 [£490], which is about what we'd expect an Apple netbook to cost (if the company decides to make one)."

There are also some interesting updates tacked on to the MacRumors post as additional stories have emerged. One update says there are "unconfirmed rumours" that British reporters prised information about an Apple netbook out of several Foxconn employees and that, although Foxconn refused to publicly comment on the rumours, the reporters may have received some sort of private confirmation of the rumours' validity from the company itself.

In the past, Apple has had some issues with leaks coming out of its suppliers in Taiwan, so there may be some truth to this rumour -- especially since the same rumour circulated in March. Either way, we expect Apple to release new iPods this autumn, as it has the last few years. Whether one of them will be a giant iPod touch remains to be seen.