Apple NetbookEveryone these days seems to be talking about Apple and their supposed forthcoming netbook – that Apple needs to release a netbook to remain viable in today’s market. The folks at MacFormat have sketched up what a potential Apple netbook may look like along with its possible specifications.

What struck me is their choice of design, suggesting the device would appear more like an iPhone than the MacBook/MacBook Pro lineup. I found myself yearning for one of these babies and started to contemplate some features that would make an Apple netbook stand out amongst the crowd.

Although Microsoft has the market share, Apple has the mindshare, and consumers are anxiously awaiting the company to release a netbook. Average consumers who have yet to move to a Mac are interested in such a device because they believe an Apple netbook would be a low cost method entering the Apple market.

With the cost of netbooks in the $400-$600 range, people who are dead set on spending no more than that are not going to buy the low end white MacBook. It just will not happen with those who are not willing to see past the price tag. This is where a potential Apple netbook ploy could come in to play, assuming appropriate pricing.

As everyone already knows, Apple will not just release any plain old netbook. An Apple netbook will most certainly not resemble an HP, Dell, Sony or Toshiba netbook – never in a million years will Steve Jobs allow Apple to release a product with a status-quo design. Just look to the iPhone for the example of how Apple designs change paradigms – the same will be true for the netbook market.

Dreams?

The main feature which will set the Apple netbook apart from the competition will be because it is always connected online – whether hard-wired at home, via WiFi at Starbucks or using 3G from a park bench. This sole feature – the ability to be always online no matter where you are – is what will ultimately be the single most important selling point of the Apple netbook.

Imagine a netbook with built-in 3G and the implications. No matter where you go, you will always have complete and unfettered access to the Internet. It would be like the iPhone only, you know – better!

Although the iPhone is great for those times when you’re mobile, and is a satisfactory device for a weekend getaway, anything beyond becomes tedious. Using a small device for lengthy periods of time becomes tiring. Plus, the iPhone is underpowered and has a lot of inadequacies when compared to an actual computer.

I have been thinking long and hard about what choice of OS Apple would use on such a device and I think, logically speaking, it only makes sense for a netbook to use OS X rather than the iPhone OS based on the current state of both operating systems. That is unless there are some major unseen differences in iPhone OS 3.0 to help bridge the gap between the iPhone and a real “desktop” OS.

In reality the iPhone OS is the preferred operating system because it’s lightweight and designed to be used in a mobile environment. It does not require as much power to run and would aid in lengthening the life of the battery. An Apple netbook would have to be capable of running on battery for extended periods of time – much more so than the current MacBook or MacBook Pro lineup lasts.

I am not so sure Apple can pull it off properly on a device substantially larger than an iPhone but smaller than a MacBook. How would all those iPhone apps be displayed on a screen with substantially more real estate and far different dimensions? One solution is that each app would open up in its own window and appropriately scaled to the iPhone screen dimensions. Imagine being able to run multiple, simultaneous iPhone apps on an Apple netbook. Would that be wicked or what?

Anyhow, Apple has pulled rabbits out of hats before so do we give them the benefit of the doubt? Should we trust that they know what their doing based on the recent track record?

Apple is positioned to take a huge bite out of Microsoft’s market share this time more so than any time before. For better or worse, sales of netbooks are driving the market and Microsoft is effectively the only game in town.

The iPhone revolutionized the mobile landscape once before but the Apple netbook – if done right – will do it again. What do you think?