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Joshwawilson

macrumors regular
Apr 18, 2011
207
0
Missouri
Because that display size will allows all apps to scale perfectly without distortion or requiring a developer to have to re-code the apps to support a new display size. That's why. That size display has also been leaked as being purchased by apple in an interesting quantity last year (probably for prototypes) and is also the size they have been working to source if you believe current rumors.

That .85" makes a huge difference when compared to a 7" display. That's an extra .85 in EACH direction. If the price is right, I'd consider it. 7" is just too small to really be useful for me.
The added .85 isn't another .85 in each direction, it's diagonally, everybody knows this. And really? You'd buy a 7.85” but not a 7”? Why? Because apple says 7” is unusable but 7.85” is perfect? Have you even held either size tablet before?
 

ericinboston

macrumors 68020
Jan 13, 2008
2,005
476
Apple also has a 2 4" models, called the iPhone and iPod Touch...that offer 99% of the same features as iPad (also known as iPod Touch XLarge).

:)

I'm sure haters will vote my post down.
 

Mac-Rumours

macrumors regular
Jun 23, 2010
144
1
Might want to check your math again. And remember that the diagonal of a rectangle is not linearly proportional to the area of a rectangle.

It's actually about 65% the size. So not quite 50%, but also not 80%.

You're right. I was using Photoshop to scale the screen size and presumed the percentage it was showing was the area.
 
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JoEw

macrumors 68000
Nov 29, 2009
1,583
1,291
Another reason why this product is realistic is it is truly a market that can not negatively effect iPad sales. Just how the kindle fire doesn't really compete with the iPad. 2 different markets.
 

polaris20

macrumors 68020
Jul 13, 2008
2,491
753
At the risk of sounding sexist, I think a 7.8" iPad would be compelling for women. I say this because a female co-worker says she loves her iPad, but would like one a little smaller (like the Samsung Tab) that fit more easily into her purse.

She would not, however, part with her iPad for a Tab though. :D
 

JoEw

macrumors 68000
Nov 29, 2009
1,583
1,291
They definitely cannot release a 7" iPad and not have it be Retina. That will be the #1 rallying cry for the haters and news outlets out there.

----------



4" iPhone
*8" iPad Mini
10" iPad

I think it fits nicely.

Fixed that for you.
 

fertilized-egg

macrumors 68020
Dec 18, 2009
2,109
57
And really? You'd buy a 7.85” but not a 7”? Why? Because apple says 7” is unusable but 7.85” is perfect?

No, it has very valid reasons.

First, a 7.85" iPad is significantly bigger than a 7" Android tablet. How much?

A 7" Android tablet display area = 6.04 x 3.54 = 21.38"^2
A 7.85" iPad display area = 6.28 x 4.71 = 29.58"^2

Thus a jump of 38% in display size which is significant. Just because both have the number "7" in the diagonal, it doesn't actually mean their sizes are identical.

Second, 7.85" is important because that puts all the UI elements approximately equal in size to those of the iPhone as explained here. That's a proven size for touch UI interaction since it's always been used by iPhones, not some random numbers.

I'm still not sure if those UIs are big enough to be completely usable but it'll fill a pretty big niche for many, and 7.85" iPad is significantly different from a 7" Android tablet.
 

Mattsasa

macrumors 68020
Apr 12, 2010
2,339
744
Minnesota
There will not be a 7.85 inch iPad,

even though the resolution will be the same as the first iPads, it doesn't mean apps will run fine on a 7.85 inch screen

Because there will be less room for gestures, less room to type, less room for all kinds of touches taps and swipes,

Also, I imagine Apple will want to discontinue the resolution of 1024x768, to minimize fragmentation
 

jonnysods

macrumors G3
Sep 20, 2006
8,430
6,892
There & Back Again
I get told rumours by numerous people too. They are all on this website and on the interwebs. I love the insider info that come from people with no insider info.

But I hope I get proved wrong!
 

hleewell

macrumors 6502a
Oct 22, 2009
544
62
Have you all seen Nokia Lumia 800? That is an AMOLED screen. Forget smaller screen, quad core, 20 MPX camera, Super Retina Display. Take a look at that inky black AMOLED screen on Nokia Lumia 800 & HTC One X. Apple need to get on that technology....FAST.
 

fertilized-egg

macrumors 68020
Dec 18, 2009
2,109
57
Take a look at that inky black AMOLED screen on Nokia Lumia 800 & HTC One X. Apple need to get on that technology....FAST.

Unfortunately other than the inky black, AMOLED has too many things against it right now. First and foremost, only one company(Samsung Display) makes them in volume and they have already been having trouble meeting the demand. Plus there are color accuracy issues, higher power usage, relatively inferior outdoor visibility, etc.

Plus the AMOLED display in Lumia 800 is pentile, which bothers mane people, including me, and yes I own an AMOLED phone.

I do believe one day Apple will use an OLED display but that might take a while before it's ready to be used for Apple products.

Interestingly, the place where AMOLED makes most sense will be iPod Nano because it can really do a good job as a watch due to not having to light up the whole screen. Also AMOLED can be made thinner so it's a good fit for Nano.
 

the8thark

macrumors 601
Apr 18, 2011
4,628
1,735
Not surprising. Steve Jobs said Apple tested 7" variants back during the iPad 1 release.
Of cause Apple have this kind of tech in their labs. You can't know something is a bad idea unless you invent it and try it out.

Apple did invent this (small iPad) as we all knew and MacRumors wanted to point out to us all yet again. Apple thought it had potential but very quickly realised that a small iPad was a bad idea for the market. But nothing stops them from having all kinds of wacky prototypes in their labs that will never ever see mass production.

The catch is elements or ideas from these prototypes do make it into the release production models. And the lesson/idea learnt here?

Smaller or midsized tablets don't work at the current point of time.
 

Cordless_Drill

macrumors regular
Jul 6, 2004
133
0
Montgomery, Ala., USA
The question shouldn't be: Does Apple have a ~8" iPad in their labs.

It's reasonable to assume one exists in that lab -- among several other sizes. That lab is a haven for all kinds of odd stuff.

The question should be: Does an ~8" iPad make sense?

I say: No.
 

confucious

macrumors 6502a
Nov 19, 2010
501
9
Woking, UK
The question shouldn't be: Does Apple have a ~8" iPad in their labs.

It's reasonable to assume one exists in that lab -- among several other sizes. That lab is a haven for all kinds of odd stuff.

The question should be: Does an ~8" iPad make sense?

I say: No.

Not to me - but then the iPad didn't
 

knucklehead

macrumors 6502a
Oct 22, 2003
545
2
The catch is elements or ideas from these prototypes do make it into the release production models. And the lesson/idea learnt here?

Smaller or midsized tablets don't work at the current point of time.

What exactly is the reason that you feel smaller sized tablets won't work at the current point in time?
I missed the lesson part where it was shown that they couldn't work. Could you piont me to it?
 

confucious

macrumors 6502a
Nov 19, 2010
501
9
Woking, UK
What exactly is the reason that you feel smaller sized tablets won't work at the current point in time?
I missed the lesson part where it was shown that they couldn't work. Could you piont me to it?

Anything *could* work - it=f they did people would make them. I stuns me how people think the minuscule markets for some of the sizes they make still make sense - but there is a market for most things - just not big enough for most.
 

knucklehead

macrumors 6502a
Oct 22, 2003
545
2
Anything *could* work - it=f they did people would make them. I stuns me how people think the minuscule markets for some of the sizes they make still make sense - but there is a market for most things - just not big enough for most.

Not at all.

There are some things that are tehcnically impossible to do.
I haven't seen any demonstrations of how this size ipad would technically impossible to produce, or wouldnt work for technical reasons bue to the scale of the user interface.

Some on this forum may "feel" ..... that there there isn't a market for this size ipad, but I certainly haven't seen that to be proven in any way.
 

meatballs

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2010
419
0
on your plate
Since it would be smaller device, and thus held closer to the eyes, the dpi would need to be higher than the 3rd generation iPad for it to be considered a Retina device. 1920x1440 would give 305 dpi, lower than the iPhone 4/4S (329 dpi) but higher than the iPad (263 dpi).
 
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MacinDoc

macrumors 68020
Mar 22, 2004
2,268
11
The Great White North
Welcome to fragmentation. I don't intend on buying one.
Why would there be fragmentation if it had the same resolution as the original iPad?

And yes, Apple definitely has at least one of these in their labs, but that has absolutely no bearing on whether the public will ever see it...

----------

Since it would be smaller device, and thus held closer to the eyes, the dpi would need to be higher than the 3rd generation iPad for it to be considered a Retina device. 1920x1440 would give 305 dpi, lower than the iPhone 4/4S (329 dpi) but higher than the iPad (263 dpi).
If it ever came to light, it would not be a retina device, but an attempt to gain a foothold on the low end of the market. Think of it more like the iPad equivalent of the Mac Mini or the iPod Shuffle.
 
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