Apple Introduces New 7.9-Inch iPad Mini Starting at $329

[osofast240sx]

All of them are easy to use. The difference are minor these days. You'll find quality products outside of the Apple world that are on par and sometimes above level. This idea that Apple is without question 'the best' is very narrow minded.

If u feel this way why are u even on a Apple forum? Sometimes I think you guys get paid by android. I seriously hope so. I could understand. If not your just a sick person with nothing else better to do. You may need to rethink your life. Moderators need to start checking IPs.

 

[jazzkids]

This bad marketing decision is the starting point of the downfall of Apple, whether you like it or not.

I agree. I made the switch to the S3 and there is nothing that I miss about iOS. Google services like Docs and Drive are awesome. It seems that the major tech companies today are all trying to keep you in the "ecosystem."

The difference with Apple is that their ecosystem plays with nobody else. Whereas Google, and Amazon allow you to CHOOSE your device. They do not punish you for deciding to watch instant video on an iPad rather than a Kindle. They allow you to read books on multiple devices. Google allows you access to you documents across any computer connected to the net.

I love the Apple hardware, but for me, I think I'll be move away from these smaller devices offered by Apple. The price point on these devices is much higher than their competitors, and IF they blew the competitors out of the water (like they did on the first iPhone) and were truly groundbreaking (As with the first iPhone) then I could see the higher price point.

With Apples "innovation" seeming to be waning in recent months, in my opinion, I know that I'll be looking to a Google Nexus rather than an overprices iPad mini.

 

[osofast240sx]

I agree. I made the switch to the S3 and there is nothing that I miss about iOS. Google services like Docs and Drive are awesome. It seems that the major tech companies today are all trying to keep you in the "ecosystem."

The difference with Apple is that their ecosystem plays with nobody else. Whereas Google, and Amazon allow you to CHOOSE your device. They do not punish you for deciding to watch instant video on an iPad rather than a Kindle. They allow you to read books on multiple devices. Google allows you access to you documents across any computer connected to the net.

I love the Apple hardware, but for me, I think I'll be move away from these smaller devices offered by Apple. The price point on these devices is much higher than their competitors, and IF they blew the competitors out of the water (like they did on the first iPhone) and were truly groundbreaking (As with the first iPhone) then I could see the higher price point.

With Apples "innovation" seeming to be waning in recent months, in my opinion, I know that I'll be looking to a Google Nexus rather than an overprices iPad mini.

So u prefer android? Do u own or ever owned and apple products? Just curious.

 

[jazzkids]

So u prefer android? Do u own or ever owned and apple products? Just curious.

Uh yeah. I've owned apple products since the Quadra 605. Right now, We have 2 mac laptops and 6 desktops. I've bought every iPhone since #1, except for the iphone 5. Bought 2 ipad 1st gen, 2 ipad 2's and an ipad3.

I would say that I have quite a bit of experience with Mac. However, Jelly Bean is pretty nice. It is also nice to not be locked into Apple's proprietary system. For instance, after 9 years, now bam, new dock connector. Why? because someone didn't like how it looked? Apple has a habit of doing this, establishing something new then abandoning it years later. Thunderbolt will have a short life span. Give it 5 years and something different will be there.

I'm for innovation, but only when innovation meets real change. Multitouch was a real innovation in my opinion. Changing a dock connector is a pain because now ALL peripherals no longer work with a "standard" that Apple created. While, the rest of the world incorporates USB.

 

[natd1993]

This is such a mistake, moreover a waste of time for Apple.

Firstly, the pricing. Customers new to Apple are going to have a hard time choosing which product to buy. Who would buy a $399 iPod Touch over an iPad 2 at the same price? Better yet, who would buy the same iPod Touch over this new 'iPad Mini'?.

Tim Cook himself pointed out that iPad already accounts for a large amount of internet trafficking, and this number will only increase. To introduce an iPad Mini, which is only marginally bigger than the new iPod touch is ridiculous. iPad is an established leader in the tablet market place, so why introduce a product that is simply smaller just to compete with the likes of Google and Amazon?

Customers HAVE been choosing iPads over Nexus' and Fire's for the past few months. To introduce an iPad mini with a ridiculously high price tag makes no sense either. Its not cheap enough for current iPad owners (like myself) to buy one to complement their current devices. Its not cheap enough to directly compete with the competition, and its odd price tag further complicates the buying process and therefore may alienate new Apple customers.

Bull to whatever Eddie Cue said to Steve about the wonders of 7" tablets, this is Tim Cooks new strategy to introduce a mediocre product with no thought or consideration for the quality and simplicity of the brand. I think the golden era of Apple has passed, I mean the new iPods look horrible compared to their predecessors, with horrific colours, not to mention the terrible OS of the new iPod Nano.

What happened to 'simplicity is the ultimate sophistication'? This belief needs to not only be held in the appearance of the products, but also the product structure. Obviously Apple is near bankruptcy like in 1997, but I feel that if Steve Jobs where to return now, he'd see the horrible product structure from Apple, and the over complicated business model.

 

[everything-i]

Comparing the new 32GB Nexus 7 to the 32GB Mini, the Nexus has a far faster CPU, a slightly better GPU, a standard USB port, a higher resolution screen and thus a far higher PPI, but yet costs over $180 less. Sure, the new iPad Mini will be a hit.... People will also surely love the new crApple maps app on iOS 6, which will work even better since the wi-fi mini will not a have a GPS, unlike the Nexus 7, and passbook will work great, especially with no NFC capabilities, again, unlike the Nexus 7. What a failure of a product Apple has excreted...

It also has crap build quality and was obviously put together to get the lowest price. If that is good for you then great on the other hand the iPad mini has been built to very high standards and is ultra light so for some people that is going to be worth paying for. All this spec envy is just BS.

 

[7709876]

If u feel this way why are u even on a Apple forum? Sometimes I think you guys get paid by android. I seriously hope so. I could understand. If not your just a sick person with nothing else better to do. You may need to rethink your life. Moderators need to start checking IPs.

The fanboy is strong with this one.

 

[inscrewtable]

... who would buy the same iPod Touch over this new 'iPad Mini'?.

I would, I have a big ass imac at home and something small and light in my top pocket when I'm out makes the ipod touch perfect

To introduce an iPad mini with a ridiculously high price tag makes no sense either...

This might help you make sense out of it... Listen, if you can’t afford an iPad mini, you’re not in the target market. Stop whining. Nobody cares. Developers aren’t interested in those who can’t muster at least $329 for iPad mini. Neither are advertisers. Neither is Apple, who are running a business, not a charity. If you want an iPad mini, but you can’t afford it, either save up for one or trot on over to Costco and settle for a cheesy, plastic, tiny screen pretend iPad mini and all that doesn’t go with it. The choice is yours. It’s like an IQ test.

 

[MuddyPaws1]

Stock price and shareholder confidence consider otherwise.

Really? Do you own shares? Have you checked the price? I don't think you do, or have and are just talking through the kool-aid.

I checked mine this morning and it's down 20.67. It's down 46.03 from the beginning of the month.

From the Washington Post business section:

Apple’s strategy didn’t seem to agree with Wall Street. As soon as the price was unveiled, a sell-off in the firm’s stock accelerated. Shares ended down about 3.3 percent, dropping more than $20.

 

[Mustafa]

Impertinence

Thanks for pointing out that YOU did not see black people in the audience and Tim Cook not dressing well enough for YOU?

Apologies for not reaching this in time to see your removed insult. Perhaps you could email it to me, than we can have a private discussion on who should determine what should and should not be posted on a public forum.

 

[7709876]

I would, I have a big ass imac at home and something small and light in my top pocket when I'm out makes the ipod touch perfect



This might help you make sense out of it... Listen, if you can’t afford an iPad mini, you’re not in the target market. Stop whining. Nobody cares. Developers aren’t interested in those who can’t muster at least $329 for iPad mini. Neither are advertisers. Neither is Apple, who are running a business, not a charity. If you want an iPad mini, but you can’t afford it, either save up for one or trot on over to Costco and settle for a cheesy, plastic, tiny screen pretend iPad mini and all that doesn’t go with it. The choice is yours. It’s like an IQ test.

I can afford an iPad mini. I can afford two of them. Heck, I could afford 10 of them. I still think it is overpriced for what it is.

It is too close in price to the iPad and not close enough in price to the likes of the Nexus 7.

Now, as the iPad mini has been launched AFTER the other 7" tablets doesn't that make it a pretend Nexus7 rather than the other way around.

 

[MuddyPaws1]

If u feel this way why are u even on a Apple forum? Sometimes I think you guys get paid by android. I seriously hope so. I could understand. If not your just a sick person with nothing else better to do. You may need to rethink your life. Moderators need to start checking IPs.

Really? So just because someone feels that there might just possibly be equal....or dare say it....better devices on the market and everything Apple makes is not perfect in every way, for every person, in every condition, at every price point, then they aren't allowed to ever come to a forum for Apple products?

Wow.

It would be a pretty boring forum if all the posts were:

My Apple bla bla is awesome.

Yea, mine is too.

Mine is uber cool and I love it.

Mine fits in my pocket so good.

I love my Apple bla bla so much i'm going to marry it.

I kiss my Apple bla bla every morning.

 

[ncaissie]

Upset for what? Do you also get upset when your car's model gets a facelift?

The old iPad still works, nothing has changed.

I would if they held back on my model just to release the new one in less than 6 months. People who purchased the ipad 3 in the past month were not expecting a new ipad for another 6 months.
It's common sense fanboy.

 

[RjaylinS06]

This is such a mistake, moreover a waste of time for Apple.

Firstly, the pricing. Customers new to Apple are going to have a hard time choosing which product to buy. Who would buy a $399 iPod Touch over an iPad 2 at the same price? Better yet, who would buy the same iPod Touch over this new 'iPad Mini'?.

Tim Cook himself pointed out that iPad already accounts for a large amount of internet trafficking, and this number will only increase. To introduce an iPad Mini, which is only marginally bigger than the new iPod touch is ridiculous. iPad is an established leader in the tablet market place, so why introduce a product that is simply smaller just to compete with the likes of Google and Amazon?

Customers HAVE been choosing iPads over Nexus' and Fire's for the past few months. To introduce an iPad mini with a ridiculously high price tag makes no sense either. Its not cheap enough for current iPad owners (like myself) to buy one to complement their current devices. Its not cheap enough to directly compete with the competition, and its odd price tag further complicates the buying process and therefore may alienate new Apple customers.

Bull to whatever Eddie Cue said to Steve about the wonders of 7" tablets, this is Tim Cooks new strategy to introduce a mediocre product with no thought or consideration for the quality and simplicity of the brand. I think the golden era of Apple has passed, I mean the new iPods look horrible compared to their predecessors, with horrific colours, not to mention the terrible OS of the new iPod Nano.

What happened to 'simplicity is the ultimate sophistication'? This belief needs to not only be held in the appearance of the products, but also the product structure. Obviously Apple is near bankruptcy like in 1997, but I feel that if Steve Jobs where to return now, he'd see the horrible product structure from Apple, and the over complicated business model.

I totally agree!! The price is just awfully high and makes buying one product over another a struggle. Why buy an ipod touch when you can get this mini? Why buy a mini when you can get an ipad 2 for a little more? Why buy a iPad 2 when you can just get this 4th gen iPad? LOL!! I mean its too much being released that doesn't need to be. iPad 3 was just fine but nooooo they gotta release a 4th gen 7 month later smh. I mean talk about playing everyone who bought an iPad 3!! Apple has seemed to lose its "simplicity".

 

[lamerica80]

it's not that small after all

i thought that it would be too small

Thats what she said.

 

[spiralynth]

I believe two things when it comes to the iPad mini:

1. It is mainly targeted at the educational system, particulary the younger crowd. iPad's footprint in that space is already strong and Apple understands that customer's need and desires better than anyone based on experience, imo. Schools can afford this price point (especially seeing how much they've forked over for iPads) and can get discounts for bulk buys.

2. Average retail consumer interest may or may not be there for this device, but I don't think Apple is really counting on that (they may be testing the waters, however). I think Apple quite well knows the other "mini" devices have a head start in that space and they're not really interested in playing down to that competition at the sacrifice of their margins. What they really want is for the average retail consumer to get a full sized iPad.

I don't know whether this is the best strategy (only time will tell), but if it works, patient investors should be rewarded handsomely and Apple will once again hush the naysayers.

 

[kas23]

But what I really, really find humorous is that they say that the iPad Mini has the perfect display size and that you can use it with one hand -- and that all of a sudden, everybody here buys into that.

I even have trouble using my iPhone with one hand. When people read a book, something Apple is trying to ape with the iPad mini, they are often doing so in a reclined position, perhaps even laying down in bed. Good luck trying to lay horizontal and read from the iPad mini one-handed. People just seem to be unable to use common sense when Apple is telling them otherwise.

Do you guys remember when you said that a Galaxy Note is way to big and that you cannot use it with one hand? And the Note only has a 5" screen, and you found that too unwieldy. But now a 7.something" device is perfectly fine for one handed use. Wow. Just wow.

Black isn't black until Apple says it is. And all the apologists who are trying to explain how Apple just couldn't put a retina display on the mini will be leading the Retina parade a year from now saying how it only made sense for the mini to have a RD.

 

[osofast240sx]

Really? So just because someone feels that there might just possibly be equal....or dare say it....better devices on the market and everything Apple makes is not perfect in every way, for every person, in every condition, at every price point, then they aren't allowed to ever come to a forum for Apple products?

Wow.

It would be a pretty boring forum if all the posts were:

I go on to forums to learn more about the products I own and plan to buy. You are trolling if your going on to bash a brand name. A pissing contest on every thread makes no sense.

 

[Anghammarad]

The real difference between Android and iOS is rather simple, but goes very deep: Android is all about openness and freedom. iOS is all about restricting the users and locking them into Apple's Walled Garden ecosystem.

Are you really that naive? Do you honestly believe that there is a difference between Google and Apple?

 

[boomhaueruk]

It also has crap build quality and was obviously put together to get the lowest price. If that is good for you then great on the other hand the iPad mini has been built to very high standards and is ultra light so for some people that is going to be worth paying for. All this spec envy is just BS.

Now, I'm not about to buy either of these and am here mostly to see what people's take on the mini were, but I have to query this.

From Pcpro's July 2012 review (a UK magazine I've trusted for 10 years) - (and bearing in mind their full size A-list tablet at this point is the Ipad and this review was made before the announcment of the mini. Don't want this well respected magazines review foolishly accused of anti apple bias!)

"Summary:

The Nexus 7 isn’t a budget tablet in anything but price. It’s fast, it has a perfectly good screen, and it’s built to a quality rarely seen from such a cheap device. Android’s Jelly Bean update brings its own advancements, and for the first time we can look at an Android tablet as a whole package and say: it all works. The fact that we’re saying that about a £199 device is remarkable."

Read more: Google Nexus 7 by Asus review, specs and battery life | Tablets | Reviews | PC Pro http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/tablets/375886/nexus-7/2#ixzz2ADnnKkUj

To say crap build quality just isn't true. The Nexus 7 was an Asus tablet that Google rebranded - one that had been aimed at a higher price point.

As to weight - 304g to 340g. 36g difference. the weight of a dart. 'Ultra light'? There's next to nothing in it!

FYI: I've an iphone 4, a Sony Xperia Play, a Mac Mini, macbook 13" at home and a work hp laptop. Android, Ios, OSX, Windows...I'm no great buyer of new kit, I tend to use things until they don't work, but in this instance, I'm feeling if I want a light tablet, the Nexus 7 has no downsides - though perhaps I'd like a better camera, I don't understand the premium this time round, maybe time will tell.

 

[Rich Gibson]

When you can't provide an objective reply personally insult the person, this is the Apple way.

I own a Mac Pro, two mini's and an iPad 1. Since 2006 I've owned three macbooks and a second Mac Pro. Claiming that Apple's products are cool and over engineered is fine unless they are over priced and lack significant advances.

Recently I sold my iPhone 4S for a Galaxy S3 and bought a 7" and 10" tablet over Apple's offerings. The Galaxy devices have several major design features which which overcome iOS deficiencies.

- Visible file structure. When I moved to Android I found an old friend 'Total Commander' a two pane file manager. I can see all my folders and files.

- Ability to add internal memory (and swap it out) as in looking at images taken with my digital camera while on travel.

- Android sees external mass storage. For $15 I got a small hub which has three USB ports as well as 4 memory card types. At one time I had a 2.5" 500gb external hard drive, SD card and a WD 1T drive mounted which showed up on either my 7" or 10" tablet.

-The S3 has two other features, a USB port and the ability to swap out the battery. Additionally for a little over $20 I can get a double thickness battery and larger clamshell back rather than use a clumsy 'holder' which significantly increases the iPhone size.

- Best of all I don't have to suffer through using iTunes, possibly the worst designed personal computer software ever made.

I bought the 7" tablet for under $200 and the 10" is now (IIRC) $320 at COSTCO. A 64gb Sandisk goes for $48 at Amazon; what does Apple get for increasing size increments...for non-removable memory?

I switched from Windows in 2006 and was delighted with my choice. Then I saw the flexibility of Apple products gradually decrease and OSX dumbed down to match iOS over the years. I'm seventy years old and went through this in the late 1980's when Apple dried up and became a walled garden. It's deja vu all over again.

 

[bazinga!!]

...and the trolling begins...and will end when Apple announces the sales figures.

 

[thewordiz]

Comparing the new 32GB Nexus 7 to the 32GB Mini, the Nexus has a far faster CPU, a slightly better GPU, a standard USB port, a higher resolution screen and thus a far higher PPI, but yet costs over $180 less. Sure, the new iPad Mini will be a hit.... People will also surely love the new crApple maps app on iOS 6, which will work even better since the wi-fi mini will not a have a GPS, unlike the Nexus 7, and passbook will work great, especially with no NFC capabilities, again, unlike the Nexus 7. What a failure of a product Apple has excreted...

Apple maps are fine and will get better. The Nexus has no environment in which to work in, ugly Android apps, and as usual poor PC/Windows industry construction. Substitute "CHEAP"

NFC, can only be used at what about 6 places around Silicone Valley? And lastly
no support or future path of upgrade to other products.

So, I get ya. If you want a stand alone device, sure get a Nexus 7 or Whatever other POS Android powered crap you want, you can certainly read 50 Shades of Grey on it. But probably not do much else like tying it in to any thing else.

Also, while I don't think these devices are good for photos (although I see a lot of people using them for such) cameras on the other devices either pale in comparison, or don't exist.

I do agree, the unit should have been priced at $269 WiFi, and $399 LTE.

Rest assured, it will sell and Apple has another hit on their hands.

 

[kas23]

Apple couldn't make the iPad mini retina, it had to be 1024x768. Unlike Android, when Apple releases a new screen resolution for iOS app developer have to update their apps to support that new resolution. The two iPad (4:3) resolutions that Apple has made devs support are 1024x768 and 2048x1536. Apple is relying on the fact that the iPad mini will run current iPad apps, so the iPad mini had to be one of these two, developer don't want to have to rewrite their apps for some new resolution, 2048x1536 is just too high for a 7/8" tablet in terms of graphics power required and cost, so it had to be 1024x768. This meant the iPad mini could not be retina and many similar sized Android tablets are higher resolution.

You are only partially correct. Apple certain could have made the iPad Mini Retina. There are definitely no technological barriers for them to do so. Saying that Apple "couldn't" is completely false and you will be witness to this fact next year when the Mini's next iteration has a Retina screen. We have seen this story play out time and time again. Apple's gen 1 devices are always lacking.

And developers will have to rewrite their apps at some point to accommodate this change in resolution. Apple will not worry about that. It's simple economics, write code for a new resolution or lose sales. Apple doesn't really care. If you don't write for a new resolution, another developer will and God knows there are enough of them. We see Natural Selection occurring daily in the App Store. The writing is on the wall now.

Now, I will agree with you that placing a RD in today's iPad Mini would cut into the Mini's profit margin. With today's technology, adding a RD would likely require higher graphics power as well as a better battery to power the device (or sacrifice battery life). These additions likely made the addition of RD prohibitive. But it could be done certainly, but at the cost of lower revenues. Nevertheless, to say that a RD "couldn't be done" is false.

 

[HDJulie]

I read through a few posts but could not find the answer, so I was wondering what time friday do preorders start? I have never preordered from the apple store so I am curious.

I'd like to know this myself. I don't see a time so maybe it starts at 12:00 AM?

Also, the preorders are for both the wifi & cellular, though cellular will take an extra two weeks to ship, right?