Using an estimate that Apple would need about six weeks of inventory before the product is released, Reiner narrowed the approximate window of launch to those two months.

'Supply Chain Sources'

According to news reports, Reiner said he based his reports on "supply chain sources." Those sources indicated to him that the device will have a 10.1-inch multi-touch display that uses the same kind of LCD screen as the iPhone. Some earlier reports have indicated that OLED technology, which offers high-quality display but is substantially pricier, could be available in some models.

Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, said the big question about a possible Apple tablet is "what's the use case?" In other words, what problem or need does a tablet computer solve?

He said that it's possible that Apple could "come up with a unique value proposition" for why a consumer would want a tablet computer instead of a laptop, netbook or smartphone. Perhaps, he said, Apple could present such a device as an improved vehicle for content creation, a better tool for productivity, or even just a "couch device."

Apple, of course, has a stunning record of creating new kinds of products that totally rewrite the rules for an emerging market. It has done so with easier-to-use computers, the iPod and iTunes, and the iPhone.

Targeting the E-Book Market?

A key target of such a device could be the emerging e-book market. Amazon's Kindle and the newly released nook from Barnes and Noble, among others, have been attracting a lot of attention, and a new alliance of publishers announced Tuesday that it is creating a "digital newsstand" -- for which Amazon would be a competitor.

As others have, Reiner reports that Apple has been actively courting publishers with a digital-distribution offer that beats Amazon's typical 50-50 split for Kindle content. The reported deal would be 30 percent for Apple and the rest for the publisher, comparable to Apple's App Store arrangement. Amazon reportedly gives this kind of split only for exclusive properties.

Reiner also said the Apple tablet could target the education and similar markets by making scribbling and note-taking easier.

Greengart said e-publishing could be the need Apple is looking to solve, but -- assuming the device is up to Apple's standards of technological innovation and ease of use -- the big issue is price. A $999 device is going to have a limited appeal for e-publishing, he said, while a $99 device could be very appealing. Reiner has suggested an average selling price of $1,000.