Apple Reportedly Looking to Launch ‘iPad Mini’ Priced at $249-$299 in Q3

[Jessica Lares]

I like the size of my Kindle Fire. The price doesn't really matter, I just like that it's small and portable. If there was an iPad that same size, or a little bigger by not much, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Even if it was only $100 less than the current iPad.

And they better do it sooner than later because Ice Cream Sandwich has made the Kindle a whole better deal. With new apps coming out with Holo, Android is getting stronger and stronger by the week. It's not plagued with startups like iOS is either. *Cough* Oink *Cough*.

 

[nuckinfutz]

I like the size of my Kindle Fire. The price doesn't really matter, I just like that it's small and portable. If there was an iPad that same size, or a little bigger by not much, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Even if it was only $100 less than the current iPad.

And they better do it sooner than later because Ice Cream Sandwich has made the Kindle a whole better deal. With new apps coming out with Holo, Android is getting stronger and stronger by the week. It's not plagued with startups like iOS is either. *Cough* Oink *Cough*.

Apple will deliver a smaller iPad not because of Android but because like all public companies they have to continue to increase their share of the pie. Android tablets are a non-starter because they don't often come subsidized with "ball and chain" 2-year contracts. There's little incentive for AT&T and Verizon to push Android tablets unlike phones where they don't have to offer as high a subsidy.

All in all a smaller iPad makes sense and it's just a matter of finding the right mix of components, and managing cost/margin.

 

[jojoba]

I like the concept. it's not something I'd personally buy because I use my iPad a lot for reading pdfs and to do that effectively I need the current screen size. But I think it would be cool if they made a smaller version available.

 

[Abazigal]

Guess it is official.

http://game.163.com/12/0416/11/7V78MDSB00314OSE.html

If the article is to be believed, it basically says that the company in question has gotten the order to start manufacturing iPad minis.

 

[Tagbert]

dont know about you, but personally i still dont see much point in a smaller ipad.

Cheaper and easier to hold & carry?

 

[tayloralmond]

I've never considered my iPad an inconvenient size...I think they'd be doing this to cut down on production costs to combat the tablets in the Kindle Fire range.

 

[CFreymarc]

Wouldn't that be a little disrespectful to Steve Jobs?
He said he didn't like 7 inch tablets... (Didnt he? Or am I imagining it? :s)

A lot of ideas that Steve spiked are getting out now. Expect this trend to continue. When Steve first was thrown out of Apple, the variety of Apple products grew to the point of customer confusion. With the market share and revenue that Apple has now, I expect the product line to be as diverse as the different models of Sony Walkman models in the 80's in a few years. This is not good for the accessory developers but very good for customer choices.

 

[Moonjumper]

If the smaller size was so popular they would be selling. But they are not. So it shows people want iOS more then they want smaller hardware. So give the people what they want. iOS. And be done with it. Just like Apple is doing now.

The bigger size was not popular either before the iPad. Non-iPad tablets are not not selling well at any size, so them not selling at the smaller size is not a size issue.

I'm happy with my iPad, but I know others who would like a smaller device. If Apple can make it work for themselves, then I hope they make it for their customers.

 

[ckurt25]

I don't see any current iPad owners saying, man I hate this iPad I wish it was smaller.

Funny, I've seen quite a few people say just that. If it wasn't clear, I'll say it. As an owner of an original iPad, I wish it were smaller. I have no reason to spend money on an iPad 2 or 3. If Apple were to release a 7.85" iPad tomorrow, I'd buy it.

 

[chleuasme]

As an owner of an original iPad, I wish it were smaller. I have no reason to spend money on an iPad 2 or 3. If Apple were to release a 7.85" iPad tomorrow, I'd buy it.

Apple wants people to buy every of their devices, for different usages, not to please everybody with different variation in a category of devices/usages, very different from the Samsung's approach to offer almost every possible variation of touch devices from 3.5" to 10".
They don't want people to choose between a 8" and a 10" tablet offering the same possibilities, they want you to buy contents and apps on their stores, with devices dedicated to it.
Now, I don't exclude they offer a second tablet model in the future, but to me, they have a hole to fill in their offering before, and i don't see the 8" iPad as the way to do it.

 

[johnnyrb]

Surely you are either being sarcastic or just trying to sound like you know what you are talking about by using semi-technical terms. 64gb of RAM? Really? I mean maybe in a decade or so... But in a cheaper device?

I take it you won't be buying one then...

I meant storage. 64gb of storage is not enough unless you are surfing the Internet or reading emails.

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Surely he meant 64gb flash storage. 64x ram of the current ipad sounds more like the dreams of an android fan. I mean 2gb ram in the current ipad would be Amazing.

I meant flash storage.