Commercial Times/Digitimes is reporting that Foxconn Electronics (as it’s known in the US, Hon Hai Precision Industry as it’s known elsewhere) could be the potential supplier for an Apple Mac OS X-based netbook.
Foxconn and Apple have a relationship that goes back several years, and they’ve manufactured either partially, or in whole, devices for Apple that include iPhones, MacBook Airs, Mac minis, along with some iPods, so it makes sense that they are in the running for this.
Something that maybe slightly related – on the heels of AT&T offering netbooks with mobile data plans, Telephony Online is reporting that AT&T is working on upgrading its existing 3G networks up to a 7.2Mb/s speed. The improvements that could potentially double current speeds/capacity are software-based, designed to boost its 3G network before its eventual move over to a 4G network.
Telephony Online claims that it’s centered around the downlink capacity. The article mentions that most laptop cards (and presumably USB adapters), as well as smartphones and iPhones that AT&T currently offers, can handle the increased capacity.
Should AT&T’s plans to offer netbooks with mobile data plans prove successful, along with iPhone OS 3.0 coming out in the not-too-distant future, the increased capacity should be put to the test. Already Skype has been rolled out to the iPhone (although WiFi access is needed for VOIP), and an iPhone-based Hulu.com client is in the works as well.
Read:
– DigiTimes
– Telephony Online
via AppleInsider