6-Inch iPad Planned for Mid-Year Launch?

[MacRumors]

Mockup of 7-inch iPad compared to current model
Czech site SuperApple.cz reports [Google translation] that it has heard from a pair of sources that Apple is developing a new, smaller iPad with a display measuring slightly under 6 inches. According to the report, the smaller iPad would carry the same resolution as the current iPad, although it is unclear how users would be expected to deal with what would be significantly smaller user interface elements if that were the case.

Based on the automated translation, the report seems to indicate that the smaller iPad would debut in the middle of this year, in part to buy time for Apple to finish work on a "great successor" to the current iPad. Such a move could possibly be in line with rumors and speculation about Apple releasing an "iPad 3" or a "Pro" version of the second-generation iPad around September of this year.

The site appears to tie the legitimacy of this new report to an analysis of a pre-release iPhone 4 display last year that demonstrated the display carrying a resolution of 960 x 640, although it is unclear how today's claims of insider knowledge of future products relates to a technical analysis of parts that had already been floating around.

Apple had been reported to have been investigating a range of tablet screen sizes from 4- to 12-inches prior to the iPad's launch, with some reports claiming that what became the iPad would actually debut in both 6-inch and 10-inch sizes. But late last year, Apple CEO panned forthcoming 7-inch tablet being released by competitors, calling them "dead on arrival" due to their perceived inability to offer a true tablet experience.

Article Link: 6-Inch iPad Planned for Mid-Year Launch?

 

[montycat]

I think that would be too small. My eyes strain with the iPhone already! The current size is perfect for my needs.

 

[xlii]

What is the over/under on next week seeing this headline:

6 Inch iPad not in development after all.

The iPhone, iPod Touch are just big enough to barely fit in a pocket. The 6 Inch iPad really defeats both that purpose and allowing the pages displayed text to be easily read.

 

[nunes013]

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plus it says it's a transition until a successor is developed. That doesn't sound like apple especially with all these other rumors already out.

 

[murkurb]

mini-me

 

[tmarks11]

I would buy a 6" or 7" ipad in a heartbeat.

I already have two ipads. I doubt that I would buy a "ipad 2" as common wisdom seems to define it. But a smaller ipad would be a whole different matter.

There is a market for it; just because you personally don't want one does not equate to "epic fail".

 

[celo48]

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I don't see myself buying a 6 inches iPad. Especially after seeing Samsung Galaxy. Too small. Steve is right as usual!

 

[Consultant]

How do you fit a full sized PDF onto something that size and still show the full page? You can't. 6" = oversized phone.

 

[atlatnesiti]

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Total RUBISH, just like the iPhone nano - this is not news and not certified rumors - just plain rubbish gossip

 

[rorschach]

Steve was pretty adamant about a smaller iPad not working. And I know he's denied things before only to have them released a few months later, but this wasn't a simple denial. He went into pretty lengthy detail explaining exactly the reasons why it was fundamentally a bad idea.

 

[Tailpike1153]

I'll believe it when shows up at WWDC in Woz's hands.

 

[ciTiger]

The 7 was unlikely so the 6 is even more unlikely...

 

[TheSlush]

NOT going to happen.

 

[Amnak]

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6 is just an obscure size, dosent apple follow a set of size ratios what would the one down from 9.4 be . Think thed want a size that runs apps without changing for developers.

 

[LeviG]

I doubt there's 6/7 inch ipad especially with SJ saying no to it but that doesn't stop a 6/7 inch ipod touch.... there's plenty of portable video players out there this size and there's a 'retina' display around this size too (likely the source of rumour again). It's all about semantics

If a 6/7 inch ipod touch is released (not saying it will be) SJ is not going back on the 7inch slates being too small while they still release one albeit under the banner of the ipod touch and then rename it a year later, a bit like the aluminium macbook/macbook pro

 

[ghostalker]

Neither here nor there

I've been hoping for a larger iPod touch since my gen 1 (which I still use daily)
To me the Dell streak looks to be about the optimum size with a screen of 4.8'' (of course it is the outside dimensions that I am talking about so a larger screen may be made to fit on the same area). This is about as large as a device can get while still being truly pocketable. . Without pocketability you may as well have a 10'' screen.

Compared to 3.5'' a 5''-6'' screen is quite an improvement (with these devices the screen dictates the experience).

I am not sure how many others are in my target market, but I do know that Android phones seem to be trending towards larger screens and net books started at 7'' before the market pushed them to 10''. With the Samsung Galaxy 5 coming I can only hope that the iPt goes the same way.

If it does I will pre-order the day of the announcement!

 

[BC2009]

I doubt there's 6/7 inch ipad especially with SJ saying no to it but that doesn't stop a 6/7 inch ipod touch.... there's plenty of portable video players out there this size and there's a 'retina' display around this size too (likely the source of rumour again). It's all about semantics

If a 6/7 inch ipod touch is released (not saying it will be) SJ is not going back on the 7inch slates being too small while they still release one albeit under the banner of the ipod touch and then rename it a year later, a bit like the aluminium macbook/macbook pro

That's the first thing I thought when I read this story. I could see Apple developing a 6 or 7 inch iPod Touch and not calling it a tablet. If they did it they would essentially get the media to start comparing 7-inch "tablets" to Apple's 7-inch iPod Touch. Which would essentially take the Playbook out of comparisons with the iPad and other 9 to 10-inch tablets. I just don't know sort of screen resolution you use on that device.

 

[MRU]

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6 is just an obscure size...

And yet 6" is actually the average....

 

[roadbloc]

I'm 6 inch.

 

[mambodancer]

Can we just stop with the stupid, asinine rumors about smaller iPads and iPhones? People are just making this s&*t up now.

Here, let's start a few new rumors since they all have equal validity:

The iPhone nano will be have the size of the iPhone 3 and half the screen resolution. Apple will pay you to buy it.

The iPhone Maxi will be twice the size of the iPhone 4 but the screen resolution will only be 1.5 times the current rez. and it'll only be available on T-Mobile and Cricket networks but it will have CDMA, GMS and wifi MAX.

The iPad 1.5 will come out in 6", 7" and 8" versions. There will be an assortment of colors as Apple harkens back and pay homage to the iMac "colors of the rainbow." People will be bashing them in MacRumors when the white and dalmatian versions are delayed in shipping.

The iPad Maxi 2.0 will ship in either September, October or November. Possibly January, February or March. Maybe April, May, June, July or August but definitely NOT December.

The iPhone 5 will have a special "Yellow" edition and come pre-installed with all the Beatles music.

The iPhone 6 will ship 1 month after the iPhone 5 is available from ATT. It will be a Verizon exclusive and have both 18Mp front, rear and side facing cameras. It'll support 4K video recording and have a 1TB hard drive using some holographic storage media nobody has ever heard of before. It'll have antenna problems, probably explode on somebody and definitely burn you if you hold it too long.

Apple, Inc. will change their name to App, Inc.

The MacBook Air will get as thin as a sheet of 20lb paper.

Apple will have to come out with 5 different versions of their iOS stores to support each of the new devices because of differences in resolution.

Apple will probably buy Spotify, NetFlix, Hulu, California and/or Microsoft.

 

[itsvdiddy]

This just in, rumored iPad 8.125" in the works!

 

[zenio]

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Steve is right as usual!

I'm just thrilled that I have am high functioning and don't have to rely on Daddy Steve to think for me, tell me what's best for me. Or tell me how it's gonna be.

The freedom I enjoy will never be experienced by Steve's minions.

 

[appleguy123]

I wouldn't buy it ( I like big things like my 17" MacBook Pro, over the ear headphones, and iPad), but I can see that others would. IT might be pocketable, my 6" Kindle is, and it has a keypad the bottom.

 

[MattInOz]

I would have thought 6" would be an iPod Touch not an iPad family member.

 

[Lesser Evets]

This just in, rumored iPad 8.125" in the works!

I heard they have a 1" going. It will be the same resolution as the current iPad and will have 50x the battery life, but it doesn't have a home button.