Two form factors
Although Steve Jobs mentioned that the current iPad form factor was ideal, albeit in his eyes, it's possible that Apple will release a second form factor to the iPad. There are some folks, myself included, that would appreciate a 7" iPad as opposed to the 10" screen.
There is already a family of iPods:
- Shuffle
- Nano
- Classic
- Touch
The invitation for March 2 seems to indicate a focus on the iPad, and that 2011 will be the year of the iPad. In the last few years, Apple has striven to minimize weight along its product lines and it seems logical that this trend should continue in the iPad. It's improbable that Apple would market a second iteration of a product to be heavier than a predecessor, thus making it a sound belief that the iPad will only "lose weight" in the future.
It seems likely to me that along with an update to the current iPad, Apple will introduce a second form factor to the iPad. Some people argue that Apple will not update the current form factor either in processor, screen resolution, I/O ports, memory, etc only to alienate buyers of the "early 2011" revision a few months. Although not specifically recanting or withdrawing previous statements, Steve Jobs has probably concluded that although a smaller form factor was not lucrative at a previous date, that the smaller factor makes sense now. All exercise and physical strengths matters aside, the iPad can be made lighter. People who have clamored for improved screen resolution may have indirectly dictated that although a 10" Retina-like display may be economically difficult to achieve, a smaller form factor with Retina-like resolution may be less economically impacting profit margins, while offering consumers a path that fulfills the wants of Retina-like advocates.
