An article in the 24 May 1999 AsiaBizTech reports that Taiwanese manufacturer Alpha Top Corporation has won a contract to manufacture the P1 portable for Apple beginning in June. Apparently, OEM orders have already been placed by Apple, and Alpha Top Corp. is in the process of adding production lines in order efficiently to fill future P1 orders.

Since outsourcing some production of PowerBook models to Quanta Computer Inc. in March, Apple has shifted production heavily onto Taiwanese and Korean manufacturers. The move is reportedly due to the already heavy demand placed upon its other current manufacturing facilities.

Market sources claim that the ultra-slim notebook will follow the chic, multi-color design of the desktop model, and the price will be set at less than US$1,500. However, neither Alpha Top nor Apple was willing to confirm the rumor. Apple’s representatives in Taiwan said only that their company “will surprise the market” in the second half of the year with a new product line.