Orange confirms – then denies – Apple tablet

Any doubts surrounding the existence and imminent launch of an Apple tablet computer were blown away yesterday after a senior France Telecom executive blurted out a confirmation on TV.

Asked if Apple would shortly be launching a tablet computer with webcam, Stephane Richard, deputy CEO of France Telecom, which owns mobile phone provider Orange, said "Oui".

Presumably stung into action by the threat of a non-disclosure agreement, the Orange PR machine immediately swung into full denial mode.  

"A few comments taken out of context, then interpreted into English," a spokesperson told paidcontent.org. Unfortunately for Orange, a translation of the exchange between the journalist and Richard leaves very little doubt.

When it was put to him by journalist Jean Pierre Elkabbach that "dans quelques jours votre partenaire Apple va lancer une tablette dotee d’une webcam" he replied in the affirmative.

Translated, the exchange ran as follows:

Elkabbach: According to the weekly Le Point, in a few days your partner Apple will launch a tablet with a webcam.

Richard: Yes.

Elkabbach: Will Orange users also benefit?

Richard: Of course. They will benefit particularly because the webcam will allow real-time streaming.

Still, the Orange PR, insisted to moconews.net: "These responses in no way reflect Orange's confirmation of the existence of the rumoured device. The spokesperson was merely confirming that he is aware of the speculation surrounding a launch and that Orange would be delighted to have such a product were it ever to be available."

In actual fact, Apple is probably quite relaxed about Richard's mishap. 'Leaks' appear to be standard marketing practice at the high-end computer company – and one appears to have been fed to the Wall Street Journal last week in order to unofficially announce the launch of the Apple tablet later this month.

After that 'leak', former Apple senior marketing manager John Martellaro explained to The Mac Observer how he was occasionally instructed to make some "controlled leaks" when he worked  at the company. These are done for a number of reasons, including to panic competitors and gauge consumer reaction about details such as potential prices.

The timing of the WSJ leak - shortly after Google announced the launch of its new mobile phone, the Nexus One - would suggest that on this occasion Apple wanted to steal the search giant's thunder. ·