Taiwanese newspaper leaks details on Apple netbook

Steve Jobs's absence may have prompted a U-turn at Apple

A report in a Taiwanese newspaper is the strongest clue yet that Apple will release a netbook by the end of the year.

The Commercial Times carried a report that a local supplier had won a contract to provide components for a forthcoming Apple netbook.

"Taiwan-based Wintek will supply touch panels for Apple's new netbook, and shipments will start in the third quarter this year," said the report. "Quanta Computer will be the maker of Apple's new netbook."

Apple has consistently denied that it is working on a netbook, citing the low purchase price as a reason.

"We don't know how to make a $500 [£360] computer that's not a piece of junk, and our DNA will not let us ship that," said Apple chief executive Steve Jobs in October.

However, Jobs is not in charge of Apple at this time, and management may have been looking at the continuing popularity of netbooks and decided to take the plunge.

The other possibility is that Apple is considering either a computing tablet or a larger video iPod.