Apple shares hit record high as new tablet rumours emerge

The Apple tablet rumours are now heating up, with reports suggesting the gadget could ship as early as March following an announcement expected later this month.

The reports come as Apple shares hit an all-time high overnight, following gains made last month after another report was published claiming the company is in preparations to ship millions of tablet computers.

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, sources close with Apple have said the tablet will ship in March following an announcement on 27 or 28 of January. This report comes after FT.com said last month Apple has booked the Yerba Buena Centre in San Francisco for several days later in January.

The company has used this stage before, most recently in September when it introduced a new line of iPod gadgets.

Additionally, last month Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, who first predicted the introduction of an Apple tablet computer last year, said in a new research note there was a high expectation of a January announcement.

“We believe there is a 75% likelihood that Apple will have an event in January and a 50% chance that it will be held to launch the Apple tablet,” he said in a new research note. “If Apple announced the tablet in January, it would likely ship later in the March quarter.”

This sent Apple shares higher on Christmas Eve, rising to as much as $209. However, this record was beaten overnight with the company’s shares reaching $214, possibly in anticipation of the tablet’s release.

The new WSJ report claims while the shipping schedule has not yet been finalised, the gadget is expected to begin rolling out in March. IT has also been claimed the gadget will feature a 10 or 11-inch screen, and will cost under $US100.

If Apple’s announcement this month is designed to unveil the new tablet device, it would confirm years of rumours on tech blogs, which have been following the development of an Apple tablet extremely closely.

Several rumours have already suggested the device will feature a large touch-screen, 3G support and a new library of apps, similar to the iPhone App Store.