Mac tablets or Netbooks? Don't hold your breath

Pining for a tablet or sub-compact version of the MacBook? If so, be warned: Steve Jobs has a bucket of cold water with your name on it.

At a Q&A sessions after Tuesday's MacBook presentation, reports quizzed Jobs on whether Apple would ever consider a Netbook, and while he didn't dismiss the idea out of hand—Jobs called it "a nascent market that's just getting started"—he didn't sound terribly enthusiastic, either.

The question of a Mac tablet didn't come up specifically, but Jobs was asked whether there'd ever be a MacBook with a touchscreen display—which pretty much covers tablets, in my book. Anyway, the answer was brief, but cutting: "So far, it hasn't made a lot of sense to us."

Of course, something to keep in mind: Jobs is famous for dissing non-Apple ideas right up untill the moment Apple announces said idea as a new product.

Example: Back at the 2003 All Things Digital tech conference, Steve told Walt Mossberg that Apple was focusing on iPods rather than PDAs or cell phones because "we didn't think we'd do well in the cell phone business." Heh.

And during the same interview, Jobs dismissed the idea of movies on an iPod: "I'm not convinced people want to watch movies on a tiny little screen." Three years later: Meet the iTunes Video Store.

That said, here's two important qualities beloved by Jobs that Netbooks and tablets (in one way or another) lack: Power, and popularity.

Netbooks have the popularity part, but an underpowered (and inexpensive) notebook doesn't sound very Apple, now, does it? (Don't get me wrong—I'd buy a $499 Apple Netbook in a New York minute.) Meanwhile, tablet PCs still represent a niche market—great for verticals, less so for the general public.

In any case, I'd tuck those Apple Netbook and tablet dreams away for a good 12 months or so based on yesterday's news.

Related:
Apple on Blu-Ray, Touch Screen Displays, Netbooks [MacRumors]