Apple Asking App Developers to Prepare for Large Screen Demos Next Month?

Silicon Alley Insider reports that Apple has approached certain app developers to ask them to prepare for a demo scheduled for next month. Notably, Apple has requested that the developers prepare their applications to run in "full screen" mode rather than limiting display to the iPhone and iPod touch's 320 x 480 pixels.

Apple is preparing to show off a new, larger mobile device with a higher resolution display in January -- probably a version of the Apple tablet we've been hearing about for months -- according to a plugged-in source in the mobile industry.

Apple has been telling some app makers to prepare apps for a demo next month, according to this source. "They've told select developers that as long as they build their apps to support full screen resolution -- rather than a fixed 320x480 -- their apps should run just fine," our source says.

The source notes that only the demo will occur in January, with a device launch scheduled for sometime in the future to allow other developers to modify their applications to support the new device and to allow Apple to generate excitement and anticipation ahead of the launch as it did with the original iPhone.

Apple tablet rumors have been flying fast and furious lately, with rumors of a February production ramp for a March or April release leading to reports of a possible January announcement. Exact specs of the tablet remain unknown, with long-standing rumors of a 10" display being joined in recent weeks with increasing claims of a 7" display, possibly indicating plans for multiple models of the new device.