Computerworld’s Seth Weintraub has had a chat with Peter Farago, VP Marketing at Flurry, Inc. (analytics firm) who revealed to the editor that the company identified approximately 50 devices that matched the characteristics of Apple's rumored tablet device throughout the entire time it had tracked iPhone apps. According to Flurry, Apple tablets running iPhone OS 3.2 began to appear over the weekend, running a number of iPhone apps from categories including Games, Entertainment, News & Books and Lifestyle.

“Using Flurry Analytics, the company identified approximately 50 devices that match the characteristics of Apple's rumored tablet device,” Peter Farago writes on the company’s blog. “Because Flurry could reliably ‘place’ these devices geographically on Apple's Cupertino campus, we have a fair level of confidence that we are observing a group of pre-release tablets in testing,” Farago reveals. “Testing of this device increased dramatically in January, with observed signs of life as early as October of last year. Apple appears to be going through its cycle of testing and polish, which is expected from any hardware or software company as it nears launch.”

Flurry claims to have observed roughly 200 different applications in use by testers. As you would imagine, the company could also provide insight into how the tablet will be used, and what kind of user Apple is targeting, by studying these category trends. Apparently, rumors of the Apple tablet being an “iPhone on steroids” are true.

Weintraub felt more clarification was in order, and asked Farago to provide more insight on how they found out Apple was testing tablets (rather than new iPhones). A letter sent to the editor reveals that there are two main reasons why Flurry felt confident it was looking at a tablet device. Here they are:

"1) If this were an iPhone we were looking at, the hardware would tell us when we ask it (via the software). So we can rule out that this is an iPhone. Also, we already see verified iPhone devices testing OS 4.0 and these leave (Apple's Cupertino, CA) campus, whereas this device does not. This makes sense given the secrecy around the new tablet device as the launch event nears.  
2) The apps being tested match up to what the device is supposed to feature (e.g., news, books, etc.). We cannot share further detail here due to Terms of Service agreements we have with customers that use our service, but feel that if you were able to see the data we see, at the level of granularity, it would be clear to you as well."

Farago asks Computerworld’s editor to note that, “As a company, we have experience tracking new Apple hardware devices in the past.” He adds that he and his company have no interest in building business on a rumor. It certainly doesn’t mind the publicity it’ll get for making this discovery, Softpedia believes.

“Of course the truth will be revealed on Wednesday, but we wouldn't publish such a report without a high level of confidence,” Flurry’s VP of Marketing concludes.