Flurry Analytics see evidence of local Apple tablet testing

Flurry claim to have placed the devices geographically on Apple's Cupertino campus

Based in San Francisco, Flurry a company which promises cutting-edge analytics tools for mobile application developers has seen evidence of Apple testing the long rumoured Apple tablet.

Flurry has identified approximately 50 devices in use, which they claim match the characteristics of the Apple tablet expected to be unveiled on Wednesday 27th January at a special event to be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

First spotted in October 2009 and apparently much in use during January, Flurry claim to have placed the devices geographically on Apple's Cupertino campus. "We have a fair level of confidence that we are observing a group of pre-release tablets in testing," Flurry insists.

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Based in San Francisco, Flurry a company which promises cutting-edge analytics tools for mobile application developers has seen evidence of Apple testing the long rumoured Apple tablet.

Flurry has identified approximately 50 devices in use, which they claim match the characteristics of the Apple tablet expected to be unveiled on Wednesday 27th January at a special event to be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

First spotted in October 2009 and apparently much in use during January, Flurry claim to have placed the devices geographically on Apple's Cupertino campus. "We have a fair level of confidence that we are observing a group of pre-release tablets in testing," Flurry insists.

In a blog post response, Fluffy make a distinction between what they believe is Apple tablet testing and an anticipated iPhone 4.0 Software Update. "If this were an iPhone we were looking at, the hardware would tell us when we ask it - via the software," Peter Farago, VP Marketing, at Flurry writes.

"So we can rule out that this is an iPhone. Also, we already see verified iPhone devices testing OS 4.0 and these leave - Apple's Cupertino, CA - campus, whereas this device does not. This makes sense given the secrecy around the new tablet device as the launch event nears."

Flurry claim to have observed approximately 200 different applications in use by Apple tablet testers. Games dominated those applications, followed by those categorised under Entertainment, News & Books, Lifestyle, Utilities, Music, Photography, Travel, Finance, Social Networking, Weather and last and least Other.

Flurry suggests not surprisingly, the Apple tablet is more likely to be used for play than work, a device for gaming, reading newspapers and magazines, streaming music and radio and checking local amenities such as restaurants and film listings.

Flurry also noted the Apple hardware they detected was running on a yet to be released OS 3.2. Currently the iPhone and iPod touch are running on OS 3.1.2. "From the testing we observed, it appears that Apple wants to leverage the 130,000+ applications already available in the App Store on day one for the new device. For the developer, this is good news," Flurry adds.