7.85-Inch iPad to Ramp Up Production in September at Foxconn Brazil

[iPhisch]

I sooooo can't wait for the iPad Nano! Oh wait, that's an iPod Touch? never mind.

[brewno]

I love my Kobo Reader, but I would change it to this mini-iPad in a heartbeat. It's all I wanted for reating at the metro.

[Macclone]

[QUOTE=Richdmoore;15201544]

Originally Posted by D.T.

The major factor in this is +price+.

I don’t believe the form factor is all that important to people buying a KF or N7 (7” still won’t fit in a pocket, it’s only slightly more portable)

7" won't fit in a pocket, but it will fit in a lady's purse. I have heard that complaint that the ipad is too big from multiple women that I know.

I have "known" several women and have yet to ask their preferred pad size.

[Rocketman]

Hmmm. iPad7 why? Here's why.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost...7&postcount=26

Rocketman

[sonicboom]

I think people lose sight of the fact that Apple makes 33% from all content sold from their App/iTunes stores.

They are on a quest to make the iPad the defacto tablet standard for the entire planet, getting it in the hands of all the people of the world. Driving the price point down further is essential to making that happen, since not all economies are equal.

Not only is this consistent with Steve Jobs' vision of making information accessible to everyone, but that 33% cut of all content is a huge long-term profit center for Apple Inc.

The mini will happen!

[HalfBlazed]

I really don't see this happening. I find it hard to believe that the 7in tablet market is that much of a threat to Apple that they feel the need to add yet another device between the iPod Touch and the iPad.

The Kindle Fire was only selling for a short period of time and that was only because they released it around Christmas. Even I got one for Christmas; it was on eBay shortly there after.

I would be very surprised if Apple decided to do this, mainly because it would cut into sales of there flagship tablet that has made them a household name.

[BRLawyer]

Originally Posted by sonicboom

Not if you live in a 3rd world country, which is what Brazil is, and where the rumor says it will be manufactured.

The price has to come way down for the iPad to go mainstream there. An iPad mini may be the way to accomplish that.

Please stop babbling nonsense. Brazil is as "third world" as most European countries nowadays, with a ridiculously large middle-class and richer-class consumer market, and an extremely high labor and welfare cost, which makes it impossible to be a sweatshop as happens in China or India.

The country is already the fourth largest market in the world for cars, the sixth for cell phones and the seventh in Internet usage, not to mention that it's the place with the highest C-level salaries in the world.

The only reason Apple devices do not sell MORE over there is because of taxes, which normally more than double the price of such devices (as well as the prices of telecom services, which suffer from at least 40% taxation). If prices in Brazil were the same as in the US, Brazilians would probably have more disposable income to buy more iPads than virtually any other country nowadays.

And just to remind people again: only a handful of people live in the remote Amazon, OK? The US equivalent of that would be Alaska.

[D.T.]

Originally Posted by Richdmoore

7" won't fit in a pocket, but it will fit in a lady's purse. I have heard that complaint that the ipad is too big from multiple women that I know.

All the women I know either carry a small purse/wristlet that won’t hold anything larger than a cellphone ("going out” in the evening, movies, theater ... ), or a decent sized bag which easily holds an iPad (when out with kids/family, professional use, travel, etc.)

I think this whole women’s purse size logistics is a non-issue. If you’re planning on taking a tablet with you, it’s a simple planning move to take the right bag. My wife is about as fashionable as a woman as you’ll ever meet and it’s never been an issue with her.

She says my iPad is large, but if she works at it, it’s eventually fits...

Originally Posted by Macclone

I have "known" several women and have yet to ask their preferred pad size.

[sonicboom]

Originally Posted by BRLawyer

Please stop babbling nonsense. Brazil is as "third world" as most European countries nowadays, with a ridiculously large middle-class and richer-class consumer market, and an extremely high labor and welfare cost, which makes it impossible to be a sweatshop as happens in China or India.

The country is already the fourth largest market in the world for cars, the sixth for cell phones and the seventh in Internet usage, not to mention that it's the place with the highest C-level salaries in the world.

The only reason Apple devices do not sell MORE over there is because of taxes, which normally more than double the price of such devices (as well as the prices of telecom services, which suffer from at least 40% taxation). If prices in Brazil were the same as in the US, Brazilians would probably have more disposable income to buy more iPads than virtually any other country nowadays.

And just to remind people again: only a handful of people live in the remote Amazon, OK? The US equivalent of that would be Alaska.

I'm in Belo Horizonte Brazil right now, so easy with your assumptions there buddy.

While the economy is growing, it's not how you describe it. Cars sold have increased due to government incentives, not because of increased wages.

You're right about the import taxes. The cost of electronics here is 3x that of The States due to that. I had thought that Foxconn building out iphone manufacturing in Brazil would normalize the prices, but it did not.

People do like the Apple products here, and they are more accessible then ever before. Those with the money do stretch to buy them. However, the price has to drop for them to be house hold items, and that is Apples goal.

[haravikk]

I have to say I really don't see why they'd want to make a smaller device; at 7.85" it's still going to be too big to really use as a phone, so it's not like it'd be a hybrid device, but at that size it's going to be a lot less usable than the current iPad.

I think that Apple's time is better spent on making the iPad thinner and lighter, as 7.85" isn't really anymore portable as you'd still need to put in a bag anyway, unless they're aiming for the cargo-trouser wearing market?

[Spectrum Abuser]

"Let's keep re-using the same exact photo every-time Joe-Smoe guarantees a smaller iPad is on the way!"

[poloponies]

Originally Posted by sonicboom

I think people lose sight of the fact that Apple makes 33% from all content sold from their App/iTunes stores.

They are on a quest to make the iPad the defacto tablet standard for the entire planet, getting it in the hands of all the people of the world. Driving the price point down further is essential to making that happen, since not all economies are equal.

Not only is this consistent with Steve Jobs' vision of making information accessible to everyone, but that 33% cut of all content is a huge long-term profit center for Apple Inc.

The mini will happen!

Apple takes approximately 30% of revenue from iTunes. Their costs related to iTunes equal about .... 30% of revenue. It's a profitless game for them.

http://www.appolicious.com/finance/a...revenue-for-q2

"Apple also revealed that iTunes itself dragged in some $1.9 billion in revenue in just the second quarter of 2012. The store sells apps for iOS, as well as music, movies, podcasts and e-books, all of which contributed to the giant take. Apple receives a 30 percent cut of revenue generated by content sold through iTunes, which means that app developers and content makers shared some $1.33 billion in revenue from the digital portal. The leftover $570 million, Apple said, went to iTunes operational costs."

[Rodster]

Originally Posted by I WAS the one

Without Steve Jobs, Apple is falling into the rabbit hole.... This company it's supposed to LEAD not to FOLLOW. Let the small tablets fight with each other and keep improving the iPad in it's form factor. Now we are going to have an inconsistent app ecosystem as Android with apps that will look good on that space and others that wont fit. Why Apple?? Why?

+1

I was concerned this would happen.

[efrank772]

Oh yeah, and these rumors have only been going on since the original iPad came out. People already think the 10 inch iPad is "just an oversized iPod Touch" can't wait to hear what they say about this- "the oversized, mini iPod Touch".

[poloponies]

Originally Posted by Rodster

+1

I was concerned this would happen.

You're concerned about a rumor? Nothing has "happened."

[sonicboom]

Originally Posted by poloponies

Apple takes approximately 30% of revenue from iTunes. Their costs related to iTunes equal about .... 30% of revenue. It's a profitless game for them.

http://www.appolicious.com/finance/a...revenue-for-q2

"Apple also revealed that iTunes itself dragged in some $1.9 billion in revenue in just the second quarter of 2012. The store sells apps for iOS, as well as music, movies, podcasts and e-books, all of which contributed to the giant take. Apple receives a 30 percent cut of revenue generated by content sold through iTunes, which means that app developers and content makers shared some $1.33 billion in revenue from the digital portal. The leftover $570 million, Apple said, went to iTunes operational costs."

That's fair, but I do wonder how this scales as they increase their user base. At what point does this turn into a cash cow?

[jlnr]

Originally Posted by MacFather

Apple doesn’t compete with cheap smartphones, Apple doesn’t compete with cheap laptops, Apple won't compete with cheap tablets.

If you want to draw a parallel to the laptop world, the 7.85" iPad is only more likely. Apple first ridiculed netbooks and then released a first-class 11" laptop.

[WindWaker]

OH MY GOSH APPLE FRAGMENTATION *looks up at sky*

Oh, the world's not ending.

[notabadname]

This story: Best recycling ever.

[iLilana]

its not real. Stop pretending it is. ARN must be all "hey no rumors today... lets toss up an 7 inch iPad one as filler"

[MeinKraft]

Originally Posted by regisq

There will be NO iPad Mini.
Just stop posting fake info...
Apple is not a kind of company that pursues markets, it defines and creates markets.
iPad mini just doesn't make any sense.
After 2 years of posting "news" about it you should learn that it's not going to happen.
Get over it!

You are an over zealous drama queen. Stop over reacting to stuff like this. So what if they make the iPad smaller? What if they don't? Does it really matter in the long run?

[mantan]

I think it has two big selling points, portability and price.

As great as the iPad is, it's not convenient to lug around. (My wife would love to be able to toss it in her purse.)

And price is big as well. At $500-$629 for an entry level device, I would bet most families only have 1 iPad the family fights over. Or at best a hand me down when a 2 or 3 was purchased.

But at $250-$299, people would be MUCH more inclined to buy a second (or third device).

[iLikeTurtles!]

is it going to have retina?

[knucklehead]

Originally Posted by BRLawyer

As I said before, a smaller iPad is as relevant as a 27" inch iPhone.

OK - I had been thinking everything about this topic has already been said a few times over ... but would you please elaborate on how this analogy is relevant?

Just dying to hear this one

[Indy21]

Originally Posted by shartypants

maybe they should have called the current iPad line, "iPad Pro" and the smaller one just iPad

Or maybe the iPod Touch is going away and the new iPad will be called "iPad Touch", lol

Hey, ya never know!