Eddy Cue Worked to Convince Steve Jobs of Need for 7-Inch iPad in Early 2011

[kevinws]

$250 or bust

My feelings exactly or more like 250.00 or Nexus 7.

My main purpose is using it as an e-reader anyway so I don't have to have an iPad.

 

[Swordylove]

And now they keep using THIS mock-up picture.

 

[jamesnajera]

Or did he? He didn't like the idea of a 7" iPad, but that didn't mean he didn't allow it to be built later on.

Maybe he is referring to the seal skin? Steve Jobs would have never allowed the seal skin back on the iPad.

 

[apolloa]

WILL NEVER HAPPEN!

And if it does, Apple has got themselves into such a position they cannot possibly price it to be competitive.

I would still want a Nexus 7 anyway, then again I have an iPhone.

And $250 or bust? Bust it is then.

 

[Navdakilla]

I'd say 250$ would dominate, but knowing apple 300$ is more realistic

 

[xionxiox]

Large surface 40" tabletop multi-touch computers, that's what we need, not 7" iPads!

I'm tired of the micronization of Apple...they've killed off the 17" MacBook Pro, developed an operating system with text the size of a pin-point, and next to go...Mac Pro.

I am hoping the days of Macintosh II, Quadra, PowerMac, and Macintosh Portable (luggable) return soon.

Tim Cook said they're working on a great Mac Pro that's going to be out next year.

 

[apolloa]

Actually, if Apple scrapped the iPod Touch range and the iPod Classic range, then it could be in with a shot of pricing it at $250 and sell it. Not sure what the share holders would make of it though if they did that???

 

[motulist]

$250 or bust

I basically agree with you, (though I think it'd still do well at $300) but if they do that it'll be interesting to see which features they decide to leave out. Because with the full size iPad starting at 400 bucks, Apple is gonna have to take some features away to make buyers feel like they're getting a good return for their money when they buy the full 10 inch version instead of the cheaper 7 inch ipad mini.

In other words, if a person is considering buying the full size 10 inch iPad, they'll look at the $400 price tag on it and then see the $250 price tag on the 7 inch version, and if all the other features are the same other than the screen size then many buyers will say "eh, for 150 dollars I'm wiling to have the smaller screen."

 

[Rogifan]

Let's not forget that Google and Amazon make next to nothing off their hardware. And that's where Apple makes most of its. It's easy to undercut on price when you think you can make it up in other ways. Or in the case of Amazon when investors seem not to care if you turn a profit or not.

 

[topmounter]

If I had a 10"er, of course I'd run around telling everyone that anything less was inadequate. But the reality is, a 7"er is a lot easier to carry around and you can use it more comfortably in a lot more places.

 

[sinsin07]

if an iPad mini is in the works, where are the leaked parts web links.

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WILL NEVER HAPPEN!

And if it does, Apple has got themselves into such a position they cannot possibly price it to be competitive.

I would still want a Nexus 7 anyway, then again I have an iPhone.

And $250 or bust? Bust it is then.

How to do explain the success of the iPad vs price point. Certainly there are cheaper tablets out there.

None of them are selling in iPad numbers.

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If I had a 10"er, of course I'd run around telling everyone that anything less was inadequate. But the reality is, a 7"er is a lot easier to carry around and you can use it more comfortably in a lot more places.

Yep. There are plenty of 7inch tablets out there. How many are selling.

 

[Jwood2313]

Steve also famously said no wanted to watch video on an iPod and the very next iPod was the 5th gen iPod with video.

He was right though, people (generally) don't watch video on an iPod. But, you either do it or your competitors have something you don't.

 

[Westside guy]

Plus if they do release a 7in tablet, it's like saying, " Hey yeah, you know what we where wrong, you were right" Apple doesn't do that.

Like when they chose not to release a Apple phone or an 11.6" MacBook Air?

 

[adamryan1983]

7" ipads will be bought mostly for kids and teens or people that can't afford a full size iPad

It's pointless.

 

[apolloa]

How to do explain the success of the iPad vs price point. Certainly there are cheaper tablets out there.

The iPad was actually priced and still is priced to match other top end 10" tablets, Apples iPod Touch starts from $200, the Classic starts from $250, the Nano is $129.
So with that in mind, how would they sell an iPad again for $200 anyway? They would need to scrap the Touch and Classic in essence. And not many 7" tablets are $300 or $350.

The Nexus 7 is out of stock in some places still and is a sales hit. The Kindle Fire was a sales hit, granted it bombed after a while but it was still a hit when launched.
Apple cannot compete.

Then again Tim Cook is in charge and could be crazy enough to turn Apple's years long business plan on it's head?

I would prefer a Nexus 7 personally.

 

[topmounter]

if an iPad mini is in the works, where are the leaked parts web links.

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How to do explain the success of the iPad vs price point. Certainly there are cheaper tablets out there.

None of them are selling in iPad numbers.

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Yep. There are plenty of 7inch tablets out there. How many are selling.

The Nexus7 is the only good one. Granted, since Google is only selling it direct, it's not a mass market product despite its more than reasonable price.

Regardless, I haven't touched my ipad since I got my Nexus7. Of course "Jelly Bean" helps as well, it's the first version of Android that I actually sort of like.

 

[Rogifan]

If people are expecting 7" tablets to be $199 or less then Apple has no business competing there. Still not sold on the form factor....I think it's the price more than anything that's drawing people to the Fire and Nexus 7. I don't get why people want a 5" phone and 7" tablet. Oh and then a 10" laptop/tablet hybrid. I mean are you really going to use all of those devices all the time?

 

[profets]

I basically agree with you, (though I think it'd still do well at $300) but if they do that it'll be interesting to see which features they decide to leave out. Because with the full size iPad starting at 400 bucks, Apple is gonna have to take some features away to make buyers feel like they're getting a good return for their money when they buy the full 10 inch version instead of the cheaper 7 inch ipad mini.

In other words, if a person is considering buying the full size 10 inch iPad, they'll look at the $400 price tag on it and then see the $250 price tag on the 7 inch version, and if all the other features are the same other than the screen size then many buyers will say "eh, for 150 dollars I'm wiling to have the smaller screen."

Did a similar thing happen with the iPod when the iPod mini was introduced? I'm sure it hurt the iPod sales to an extent, but iPod mini sales I'm sure more than made up for it. Just a thought anyway.

Also need to consider, these $199 7" tablets seem to do well primarily because of the price. I think an 8" iPad could potentially be a much better product than a cheap 7" tablet. If anything Apple would probably set it at $299.

 

[doelcm82]

It's funny that everyone is saying Apple needs to build a 7" iPad to compete in the $199 to $299 market.

I keep thinking about something Jobs once said....

"What we want to do is deliver an increasing level of value to these customers, but there are some customers which we choose not to serve. We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk; our DNA will not let us do that. We've seen great success by focusing on certain segments of the market and not trying to be everything to everybody, and you can expect us to stick with that winning strategy." - Steve Jobs

Remember this is a company that sales $2199 to $2799 base price laptops that they cannot keep in stock due to demand.

Why would they care about the $199 to $299 market?

If Apple can't produce a $300 tablet that lives up to people's expectations about Apple quality, then they should stay out of this market.

On the other hand, if they CAN produce a quality 7" iPad that they can sell for $300, then the barrier is lifted, and full speed ahead.

Also, Apple's strategy may involve more than just consumers who want a more cuddly iPad. The 7" tablet could be part of its education market strategy, or more useful as a Point of Sale device than either the iPhone or current iPad.

 

[dscuber9000]

I've used a 7" Android tablet before and I was shocked at how much it felt like an Android phone experience. That might have to do with the fact that Android doesn't realize the difference between a phone and a tablet (it kept referring me to the "phone settings" even though I wasn't using a phone) and iOS does, but I have to imagine that the "iPad experience" would be hampered on a much smaller screen. Just my opinion.

 

[davemulder]

Why would they care about the $199 to $299 market?

Education.

 

[JGowan]

When Steve did the whole "7-Inch iPads are too small; sandpaper fingers to points" thing, I was thinking "This is so Classic Jobs. Apple is not selling the thing the public wants and so he is very vocal against. BUT when it's the right to flip flop, Apple offers that very thing.

Video on iPod; TV and Movie rentals; denied cell phone to Walt Mossberg; tablet computers (no one reads anymore); smaller tablets

I am a major Apple proponent but I have to smile at all this!

 

[AppleScruff1]

I wonder why this is coming out now? So that Apple can claim that they thought of a 7" tablet first and then sue everyone who built them first?

 

[thefourthpope]

Laptop: 11", 13", 15"
Music: Nano, Touch, Classic
iStuff: iPhone, miniPad, iPad

They just want to have that third thing.

 

[Icaras]

I'd say 250$ would dominate, but knowing apple 300$ is more realistic

Disagree. Before the iPad even came out, the general consensus and rumors were pointing to a price of tag of about $999.

If it's going to be $299, it'll have features and stability worth more than competing tablets in the same size.

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I wonder why this is coming out now? So that Apple can claim that they thought of a 7" tablet first and then sue everyone who built them first?

Troll harder?