Production of 7.85-Inch iPad Rumored for 3Q 2012 at the Earliest

[MacRumors]

DigiTimes, which has several times in past addressed rumors of a smaller 7.85-inch iPad, has published a new report today claiming that Apple's manufacturing partners have been delivering samples of the device to Apple ahead of mass production that would start in the third quarter of this year at the earliest.

Makers in Apple's iPad supply chain have started delivering samples of 7.85-inch iPads for verification, with volume production likely to begin in the third quarter of 2012 at the earliest, according to industry sources.

The report suggests that Apple will price the smaller iPad in the range of $249-$299, with a rumored 8 GB iPad 2 occupying a price point at $349-$399. The report also claims that Apple could continue offering the 16 GB iPad 2 at $449 to fill out a low-end grouping below the flagship iPad 3 lineup.

We previously mocked up what a 7.85-inch iPad would look like, creating print-suitable documents to allow readers to test out the size for themselves either on paper or displayed on a current 9.7-inch iPad. With the device rumored to carry the same 1024x768 resolution of the iPad 2 but at a smaller physical size, some user interface elements would become rather small, but primary elements such as icons and the keyboard seem very usable at the smaller size.

Article Link: Production of 7.85-Inch iPad Rumored for 3Q 2012 at the Earliest

[nuckinfutz]

Just in time for the Holiday rush.

[pewra]

Not gonna happen.

[Ajones330]

I seriously would consider a smaller version... Just don't want a 10 inch tablet

[Warbrain]

Scheduled for 3Q. Why? Because it doesn't exist and won't exist this year.

[pancakedrawer]

Digitimes is working hard to churn out the BS today!

[BC2009]

Meh. DigiTimes rumors. Why is their lifetime track record? It's gotta be in the neighborhood of 8%.

[bb426]

We keep seeing these "two releases in the same year" stories. When are they gonna learn...?

[Brad9893]

Has DigiTimes ever been reliable?

[macduke]

Look—Digitimes can keep making up stuff about the iPad mini all day long. But that doesn't mean it's going to happen. First it was spring last year, then the end of 2011, then in the spring, and now it's back to autumn 2012. It just isn't going to happen. Get over it Digitimes. The 9.7" iPad is a runaway success.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by pewra

Not gonna happen.

Multiple sources have reported the testing of a smaller iPad.

[Sith Vol]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Originally Posted by pancakedrawer

Digitimes is working hard to churn out the BS today!

No joke. Two bogus articles within 10 minutes of each other.

However, I'd love a smaller iPad. Just my opinion though. I'd at least hope Apple would announce that there will be a smaller one in Q3. Just wouldn't make sense for them to realize another iPad 4+ months later.

[cvaldes]

Originally Posted by BC2009

Meh. DigiTimes rumors. Why is their lifetime track record? It's gotta be in the neighborhood of 8%.

Eight percent? Are you kidding?!?

It's probably 0.8%.

Heck, Digitimes is probably being ghost written by Shaw Wu, Gene Munster and Katy Huberty.



Digitimes is just link baiting Apple rumor sites, enticing naive bloggers to recirculate their blatantly fabricated lies.

And get what? IT WORKS!

Ahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

[SandynJosh]

I'm not saying Apple wouldn't ever make a 7.85" display device, but I will say that Jobs will rise up out of his grave and git whoever does it.

Maybe this isn't a smaller iPad, but a larger iPod Touch!! Yeah, that's it....

[YeahBuddy]

I used to really doubt this, but with the success of the Kindle Fire I actually think it'd be a smart move. Consumers are buying the Fire because of it's price point, not because of its specs and user experience. If Apple releases a Kindle Fire competitor, they could truly dominate the tablet market.

I personally wouldn't be interested in a 7.85" tablet, but at $249 you have to also wonder what will happen to their 8GB iPod Touch.

[pewra]

Originally Posted by YeahBuddy

I used to really doubt this, but with the success of the Kindle Fire I actually think it'd be a smart move. Consumers are buying the Fire because of it's price point, not because of its specs and user experience. If Apple releases a Kindle Fire competitor, they could truly dominate the tablet market.

I personally wouldn't be interested in a 7.85" tablet, but at $249 you have to also wonder what will happen to their 8GB iPod Touch.

Point is, they don't need to compete, iPad is everything.

I've never seen a single Kindle Fire in the wild.

[iWonderwhy]

Good ol' Digitimes.

[stfwayne]

What about this:

7.7 Ipad 249

8G Ipad 2 349

16G Ipad 2 449

16G Ipad 3 549

[JS3]

Originally Posted by pancakedrawer

digitimes is working hard to churn out the bs today!

x2

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by YeahBuddy

I used to really doubt this, but with the success of the Kindle Fire I actually think it'd be a smart move. Consumers are buying the Fire because of it's price point, not because of its specs and user experience. If Apple releases a Kindle Fire competitor, they could truly dominate the tablet market.

I personally wouldn't be interested in a 7.85" tablet, but at $249 you have to also wonder what will happen to their 8GB iPod Touch.

I doubt it comes in at $249. I could see the lineup by year's end being.

iPod Touch

iPod Touch 8GB - 179
iPod Touch 32GB - 249
iPod Touch 64GB - 349

iPad Mini

iPad Mini 8GB - $299
iPad Mini 16GB -$349

iPad 2

iPad 2 8GB - $399

iPad 3

iPad 3 32GB - $599
iPad 3 64GB - $699

[ixodes]

The naysayers must take that stance to bolster their need for negativity. You'd think they'd trust that Apple knows what they're doing.

I for one will buy a minimum of two of the smaller iPads, as an ideal more mobile companion to my full size models. The smaller size is just right for international flights where a more compact size is appropriate.

My opinion is once they've been shipped, suddenly they'll be praised as though Apples done the impossible. Funny the hypocrisy.

[klrobinson999]

Apple has been able to thrive by keeping it simple. They would be better off adding a cheaper iPad 2 to the mix than the smaller version.

If they are considering all these products - iPad Mini, iTV - then some streamlining needs to occur. Don't become HP!

[xoggyux]

I peronally dislike the idea of an smaller ipad. Please dont let apple become samsung that has a device for every single since from 2.5" to 70" in .2" increments .

[till]

Still no. This is not a product that Apple wants to make. A lower price (to get anywhere near the Kindle Fire) undoubtedly means lower profit margins, and it would cannibalize sales of the iPad. It's another damn platform for iOS developers to support, and there's no way to sell it as magical and revolutionary.

Not gonna happen.

[shanmugam]

while samsung churning out 7" tabs.

1024x768 pixel 7" or near to 8" will work wonders. let us wait and see.