Picturing Apple’s tablet computer

    By Philip Elmer-DeWitt

    Steve Jobs, having overseen the development of a 10-inch 3G-enabled wireless multi-touchscreen tablet computer from his home, office and hospital bed, is finally satisfied with the latest incarnation and will be bringing it to market in early 2010.

    That’s according to a report Friday by AppleInsider’s Kasper Jade, who first broke the story that Apple (AAPL) was working on such a device nearly two years ago and has been pursuing it doggedly ever since.

    His piece describes a tortured four-year development effort, burdened with the “baggage” that any pet project of Steve Jobs’ will carry.

    “Under the critical eye of Jobs,” Jade writes, “contours must be precise, each pixel of the interface has to match a particular vision, and there can be no fault — no matter how slight — or it’s back to the drawing board.

    “As such, AppleInsider has observed silently as the project was reset at least a half-dozen times over the past 24 months. Each time, development was frozen and key aspects of the device rethought, retooled and repositioned.”

    The latest complication, which Jade describes in detail, is a contretemps with Intel (INTC) over whether the device would be powered by Intel’s Atom chip or an ARM-based design prepared in-house by P.A. Semi, which Apple bought-out last year for $278 million.

    Jade has also taken a second crack at an artist’s rendition of the device, having been told that the proportions of AppleInsider’s first attempt were off. His new rendition, shown alongside an iPhone to provide scale, is re-posted above with his permission. He cautions everyone not to read too much into it.

    “I tried my best, based on the vague descriptions I have,” he writes. “However, I have no idea if it will resemble an iPhone as far as using the same casing materials.”

    The AppleInspider story dovetails with several independent accounts, including reports by Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster telling clients not to expect the long-awaited tablet before 2010.

    Illustration by Kasper Jade.