Munster speculates that a Mac touch tablet would have a hybrid operating system, blending more robust features of the full Mac OS with the multi-touch support found in the version running on the iPhone. A second screen-resolution spec introduced in the iPhone SDK would enable iPhone developers to build applications for the larger device, even as multiple iPhone apps run unchanged on the Mac tablet. Apple’s online App Store would be the download mechanism for tablet software as for the iPhone and iPod products.

Apple’s investment in the iPhone and iPod Touch have fueled better-than-expected -- despite a falloff in Mac sales -- and a dramatic gain in smartphone marketshare.

One distribution strategy for a Mac tablet would be for Apple to coordinate with cellular carriers, which could bundle a subsidized nettablet with a one- or two-year cellular data plan, Munster speculated. Apple could even integrate a cellular modem into the tablet for a given carrier’s network. AT&T recently announced a : Later this year, it will start selling cellular-equipped netbooks from Acer, Dell and Lenovo for as low as $99 with data plans ranging from $40 to $60 a month.