More Apple tablet rumours as product announcement two weeks away

More rumours regarding Apple’s unconfirmed tablet device are now circulating on the internet regarding the device’s inclusion of a webcam and a multi-touch user interface.

The rumours come after tech analysts have lashed Microsoft for its failure to announce a tablet device of its own at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

So far many of the rumours regarding the Apple tablet have targeted its size, the materials used for manufacturing and the software to be included with the device. But new leaks have focused on the gadget’s hardware and user interface.

An executive from French telco Orange held an interview with radio station Europe1, in which he seemed to confirm the existence of a webcam.

When asked about a report in a French magazine about the tablet possibly including a webcam, Stephane Richard simply replied “yes” and “sure!”.

When asked of Orange users would benefit from the webcam, he stated “Sure! They are going to benefit from the webcam, certainly we will be able to, in effect, transmit images in real time”.

“We are going to modernise, in essence, the video phone that we knew a few years ago… the size of the resolution, and the quality of the resolution will be better, and it will be available to all in France.”

A statement issued by Orange after the interview stated Richard’s comments were being taken out of context, and he was not acknowledging the existence of a tablet. However, many tech blogs have pointed out the conversation was fully in context with suggestions that Richard aware of the question.

Meanwhile, a new report in the New York Times claims the new device, which could be called the “iSlate”, will have a user interface which relies on multi-touch inputs.

“The tablet should offer any number of unique multi-touch experiences – for example, three fingers down and rotate could mean ‘open an application,” an unnamed engineer stated.

The complexity of the user interface could counter a number of claims suggesting the iSlate would just be Apple’s version of the Amazon Kindle. If the iSlate requires a number of complicated user-input commands designed to control software, Apple could market the device as an alternative to the MacBook range of laptop computers.

Apple is set to announce the device later this month, with reports suggesting the company has booked stage space at a convention centre in San Francisco. The announcement could confirm years of rumours regarding the development of such a device.

Based on rumours from various tech blogs, including the Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital, the device will be about 10-inches wide, cost about $US1000 and will feature new types of apps.

Additionally, more recent rumours suggest the device will be manufactured next month with a shipping date to be announced for the June quarter.