New iPhone or New Portable Mac - What's Apple Working on?

David Sieger, of Eye On Apple, talked in a previous piece of his of a mysterious portable device "as perhaps Apple's rival product to the Intel Ultra Mobile PC ( UMPC ) initiative." The details were scarce and so the rumor expanded on that, but after "talking to several sources close to the secretive project," more details have emerged regarding the new Apple device, which may just confirm its existence (at least as blue-prints in the labs over in Cupertino, California).

While the identity of the device is "still shrouded in mystery," Sieger notes, talk with people close to the project has revealed the following:

- the new Apple device is described as just a tad larger than the iPhone
- it features a touch-screen
- it's supposed to best suit a two-hand manipulation

Sieger has also found that Apple is being supplied with 5.2-inch touch screen displays from a German company called Balda, which deals with designing and manufacturing of high scratch and shatter resistant, multi-touch capable displays for handhelds.

"According to my sources, the new device is more than likely based on Apple's current portable platform ( ie. iPhone/Touch ) and once the SDK is released, a little digging inside the platform interface should reveal the extent of the platform's capabilities and Apple's plans for the portable multi-touch lineup. Moreover, 3G is part of the device specs with WiFi included as well," Sieger predicts in light of Apple's recent decisions concerning the iPod touch/iPhone.

David reckons the new device is not going to be a portable Mac, but rather a bigger iPhone which users are supposed to hold with two hands (like Sony's PlayStation Portable perhaps).

"...it wouldn't surprise me if Apple introduced a device that lets users pull media content from their computers and play on a thin portable client and even run small native apps using the device's limited resources. Such a device is likely a year from introduction although, due to its 3G capability, may be introduced a full six months before being shipped ( similar to iPhone ) to clear the FCC hurdle."

The new device is likely to make use of Intel's Mobile Internet Device platform (demoed at CES this year), according to worldofapple.com.