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From Apple's point of view, why wouldn't they want to monopolize the whole tablet industry. In fact, from Apple's point of view, why wouldn't it want to monopolize the whole electronics industry. Apple's purpose is to make as much money as possible. Apple is not a non-profit, it is a profit making venture.If Apple could be the sole supplier of all electronics, why wouldn't Apple be happy with that?

Now, from a consumer point of view, that would not be so hot, considering the benefits that competition confers upon the consumer. No competition, no price restraint at all (not that Apple worries too much about pricing, but without competition it would be uncontrolled), no pressure to improve and innovate, and so on. It would be a disaster for the consumer.

But from Apple's point of view, I don't see the downside to monopolizing the tablet market.

thanks, my thoughts exactly..
 
As a develolper I hope not, unless they maintain the 1024x768 resolution it is going to cause fragmentation in UI requirements.

As a user I really don't care, I don't see myself wanting smaller than 9.7", it is the perfect size IMO.

I think I'd like the smaller one, the first thing I thought about my Kindle Fire was that it was a great size (although still a little heavy). And then I eventually sent it back because it wasn't an iPad.

I was playing Euchre 3D on my iPhone last night and thought a little bigger would be perfect but thought it might be too bulky on the iPad...

I guess I'll know for sure on Friday...

Gary
 
are people against a smaller iPad b/c Jobs said so or do they actually believe it is bad?

Me personally I hope it happens. Small iPad that's LTE would be perfect. I was going to wait until fall to upgrade from iPad 1 anyway so I'm excited at this happening.
 
It sounds like Samsung are going to leak Apple info like a sieve, at least until these court cases come to a conclusion I guess. Probably after that as well if they lose.....imagine what SJ would have had to say about that, not that TC is not also very capable mind you.
 
I Have my doubts but it is all about implementation I think.

Would it be a small iPad? Or would it be a big iPod Touch?

That may sound senseless but it is they key question because it is all about how the UI will be implemented and which kinds of apps it will run!

The issues surrounding this with screen resolution, developer support, UI implementation, app type, etc. are all very key in making this viable and desirable! They would have to answer all those questions in a way that does not fragment the platform.

I agree with Steve about this not being ideal as mini iPad. But a bigger iPod Touch could make some sense and would not necessarily render Steve's feelings false on this issue.

I personally would stay with the 9.7" iPad though.
 
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There's not going to be any 7 inch iPad. Perhaps they're going to make a 7 inch touch screen remote for the Apple TV? I'd dig that. (Apple TV set top box, or actual TV set.)
 
Apple needs to start working with Samsung on its Macs too. Maybe then we could find out what's going on.
 
There's not going to be any 7 inch iPad. Perhaps they're going to make a 7 inch touch screen remote for the Apple TV? I'd dig that. (Apple TV set top box, or actual TV set.)

why do people keep saying that?

The 7in is a nice in between zone. 10" is great for a lot of things but the biggest problem with 10" design is you really need a book bag to transport it. 7: could fit in a coat pocket or a purse very easily.

I would say go look at some of the reviews that talk about the usefulness of the size of the 7 in more in the transportation and what it is used for. Yes there is a lot of cross over but it comes down to right tool right job in terms of size.
 
why do people keep saying that?

The 7in is a nice in between zone. 10" is great for a lot of things but the biggest problem with 10" design is you really need a book bag to transport it. 7: could fit in a coat pocket or a purse very easily.

I would say go look at some of the reviews that talk about the usefulness of the size of the 7 in more in the transportation and what it is used for. Yes there is a lot of cross over but it comes down to right tool right job in terms of size.
I don't doubt that it would be more portable and usable for many, but I'll explain why I think this:

1) I don't believe it will draw many new customers. I don't think there's many people who won't buy a 9.7 inch iPad but will buy a 7 inch iPad, the majority of sales would be from people shifting from buying the 9.7 inch iPad to the 7 inch iPad.

2) It's somewhat tricky in a sense. If they use the 1024x768 resolution, some small elements in apps may become difficult to tap as everything on screen would be physically 20-30% smaller, but you'd be able to use existing iPad apps. On the other hand, if they use a different resolution, they'll need another whole App Store category for the new device.

3) It wouldn't be too much lighter, it wouldn't have as powerful hardware, and it would have less battery life due to a smaller battery.

I'm sure many would love such a device, but I don't see it happening.
 
Here we go again.

As I have posted before there is sound reasoning for a mid sized tablet device, particularly when you accept that this would not be a "mini iPad" but rather the replacement for the Ipod Touch. As a gaming controller/TV remote it would be a better size. As a reader for school children the size would be more appropriate, as would the price. I suspect that the impact of the Kindle Fire has had a greater impact on the iPod Touch than the iPad. Also Apple neglected to give the iPT significant attention last year, this is their usual practice when they are not sure of a products future.

This scenario still only 3 tablet products, iPhone, mid sized Ipod touch, and Ipad. If you ask me that is better product differentiation than the current lineup.

I only hope that we do not have to refer to them as the "Maxi Pad" and the "Mini Pad"
 
As I have posted before there is sound reasoning for a mid sized tablet device, particularly when you accept that this would not be a "mini iPad" but rather the replacement for the Ipod Touch.

I agree. It's just as much a large iPod as it is a smaller iPad.

However having used a 7" tablet for a while, personally I don't think the market for it is as big as the 10". If you love reading paperback stuff and just need to browse the web on the go, then I suppose it's a good compromise size, but often I find it's too big to be truly portable and too small to do things that iPad does. In other words it's too much of a 'tweener.

I do expect Apple to find some "hook", or narration if you will, that'll position the device inbetween the iPhone/iPod and the iPad. I just don't know what that'll be.

However this is for sure - those tablet makers who thought they could make some market penetration through the differentiated screen size and the lower price will be very frustrated to hear the news.
 
This again?

Come on, I can appreciate the rumor mill as much as anyone, but this story is still popping up? Why would Apple want to do ANOTHER device right in between the iphone and ipad? In no way, shape or form have I seen any indication that the company wants to put another device into people's homes in this fashion. If anything, the price of the ipad will lower over time, making the whole point of a smaller ipad(cheaper option) moot.
 
why do people keep saying that?

The 7in is a nice in between zone. 10" is great for a lot of things but the biggest problem with 10" design is you really need a book bag to transport it. 7: could fit in a coat pocket or a purse very easily.

I would say go look at some of the reviews that talk about the usefulness of the size of the 7 in more in the transportation and what it is used for. Yes there is a lot of cross over but it comes down to right tool right job in terms of size.

I'm not convinced that the 7" size is really enormously more portable than the 10". I've held a Playbook and while I probably could fit it in some of my coat pockets I think it would be pretty awkward given it's size and rigidity. Macrumors' mockup of the rumoured smaller iPad is pretty much exactly the size of the screen on the current iPad. That is definitely larger than I would want to carry in a pocket. The smaller size will have an advantage in fitting in smaller bags but I think you need to go do to large smartphone sizes to get something that is truly pocketable.

This isn't to say that I think a smaller iPad is non-starter. If the 7.85" size meant that it could be made lighter and more cheaply than I think it could find it's place. Keeping the same resolution would allow existing apps to run at the cost of making the device a bit more fiddly but looking at the mockup I don't think it would be impossible to use. Plus there is something rather "cute" about the proportions of the mockup that would make for a very appealing "kids' iPad".
 
I don't doubt that it would be more portable and usable for many, but I'll explain why I think this:

1) I don't believe it will draw many new customers. I don't think there's many people who won't buy a 9.7 inch iPad but will buy a 7 inch iPad, the majority of sales would be from people shifting from buying the 9.7 inch iPad to the 7 inch iPad.

2) It's somewhat tricky in a sense. If they use the 1024x768 resolution, some small elements in apps may become difficult to tap as everything on screen would be physically 20-30% smaller, but you'd be able to use existing iPad apps. On the other hand, if they use a different resolution, they'll need another whole App Store category for the new device.

3) It wouldn't be too much lighter, it wouldn't have as powerful hardware, and it would have less battery life due to a smaller battery.

I'm sure many would love such a device, but I don't see it happening.

Well I do not see having to create an entire new App store at all for it providing it followed the same screen ratio as the iPad so point 2 is a non issue.

Point 1.) I have to more agree with most of the sales would come from iPad owners shifting down but at the same time it might be enough to push quite a few people over the edge.

Point 3.) Weight is not the issue with the ipad but more the size is. It is not something that could easily be shoved into a purse or coat pocket. Another pocket that it could be nice to shove it into is the outside backpack pocket.

For example I will toss my kindle in the outside pocket of my backpack every now and then because it is easier to pull things out of there for a quick use but compare that with my Galaxy tab 10.1 which has to go into my main 2 pockets, it is a lot harder to pull things out of those 2 larger pockets.

It sometimes would be nice for the inbetween area.

Now I would go for the 10in area over the 7in but I figure those are good examples in terms of size. It is useful to look at and I have seen some reviews that more compare the galaxy 10.1 to 7in and the talk about how the size is pretty nice for what it is used for but yeah it is more of a nich product
 
I do expect Apple to find some "hook", or narration if you will, that'll position the device inbetween the iPhone/iPod and the iPad. I just don't know what that'll be.


I thought about that too, and it occurs to me that the haptic feedback rumour that surfaced just prior to the iPad 3 launch would be a superb differentiator for this device, particularly if it were promoted as a gaming device/TV remote.
Haptics for gaming is obvious, but many have commented that Siri would be less than ideal in a noisy home theatre environment. A tactile remote could be part of a killer interface.
 
I don't doubt that it would be more portable and usable for many, but I'll explain why I think this:

1) I don't believe it will draw many new customers. I don't think there's many people who won't buy a 9.7 inch iPad but will buy a 7 inch iPad, the majority of sales would be from people shifting from buying the 9.7 inch iPad to the 7 inch iPad.

2) It's somewhat tricky in a sense. If they use the 1024x768 resolution, some small elements in apps may become difficult to tap as everything on screen would be physically 20-30% smaller, but you'd be able to use existing iPad apps. On the other hand, if they use a different resolution, they'll need another whole App Store category for the new device.

3) It wouldn't be too much lighter, it wouldn't have as powerful hardware, and it would have less battery life due to a smaller battery.

I'm sure many would love such a device, but I don't see it happening.

So you are saying that many people would love to buy such device but at the same time you say that many people would not draw many customers? WTF?

Smaller battery? Yes and smaller SCREEN ALSO (!!??) and the battery life would be just the same.

And that about the screen being too small.. nonsense. There is plenty of same PPI Android 7" tablets and people love them.

I cannot understand Apple Fanboys logic.

Oh yes I can. There is none.
 
To be fair.. Although I don't think a 7" is necessary; Apple could put out a Nano sized iPad & an iMac sized iPhone and people would still buy millions of them. So, the whole point of discussion is mute.
 
So you are saying that many people would love to buy such device but at the same time you say that many people would not draw many customers? WTF?

Smaller battery? Yes and smaller SCREEN ALSO (!!??) and the battery life would be just the same.

And that about the screen being too small.. nonsense. There is plenty of same PPI Android 7" tablets and people love them.

I cannot understand Apple Fanboys logic.

Oh yes I can. There is none.

Let me help you with the logic part:

* Apple is the greatest company in the World
* Apple products are the best products in the World
* Steve Jobs is a genius
* iPad is the best tablet in the World
* I hate everything Apple is not producing (including non iPad sized tablets)
* When Apple releases iPad mini I will change my mind
* I Love Apple

And BTW, what's logic?
 
Interesting to read so many anti-Samsung comments given that without them we wouldn't have the fantastic new iPad 3 screen that everyone is raving about. If Apple can live with their new frenemy for the sake of better products then so should the rest of us.

I think a 7" iPad is a fantastic idea. If you don't want it then don't buy it. I'm sure there will be more than enough people lined up to buy it ensuring another sure fire hit.

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Come on, I can appreciate the rumor mill as much as anyone, but this story is still popping up? Why would Apple want to do ANOTHER device right in between the iphone and ipad? In no way, shape or form have I seen any indication that the company wants to put another device into people's homes in this fashion. If anything, the price of the ipad will lower over time, making the whole point of a smaller ipad(cheaper option) moot.

It's not just about price, it's also about portability. The reason the basic Kindle sells so well is because it fits into the average womans handbag apparently. A smaller iPad would also make for a much better eBook reading experience - have you ever tried to hold the iPad in the air with one hand for any length of time? Now imagine you're a child trying to read your text books on it. That's why a smaller/lighter/cheaper iPad would work.
 
There is NO place for a smaller iPad between an iPhone and the new iPad.

Yes there is. Havent you noticed that everyone does 7" tablets put Apple wont?

How do you carry your gigantic iPad around btw? is it more portable than MBA? no it is not... So there IS a place for smaller iOS device that is for sure!
 
It's funny: Samsung, one of Apple's greatest tablet competitors, is claiming Apple is following in Samsung's footsteps!

Sounds like they want us to buy Samsung tablets now, since they're the iPad of the future... :D

This rumor is to Samsung advantage not Apples, In reality I don't believe it actually from Samsung at all - but some crazy Android fanboy.

This is false because
1. I believe Apple stated they would never do it
2. Apple does not release an iPad more than one product a year.

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Yes there is. Havent you noticed that everyone does 7" tablets put Apple wont?

How do you carry your gigantic iPad around btw? is it more portable than MBA? no it is not... So there IS a place for smaller iOS device that is for sure!


We don't need a Apple eReader class - unless it only iBook reader an extremely cheap.
 
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