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Apple to Ramp Up 7.85″ iPad Mini Production in September?

I have to echo several of the readers above - at $249, why would anyone buy an iPod touch when they could have the iPad mini? With music stored in the cloud, you don't need a ton of storage (apps and books only).

Unless Apple is planning on killing the iPod touch (which they might considering how relatively few they sell), then the iPad mini makes sense. But they won't do it at a loss the way other pad makers do - not in Apple's business model.

We shall see I suppose. Can't imagine they would combine the iPad mini announcement with the iPhone 5 - would seem more like 2 different events...

My $0.02 anyway
 
Michael Scrip said:
Last quarter Apple sold 26 million iPhones and 17 million iPads.

But only 4 million iPod Touches.
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Which makes the iPod Touch a hugely successful product. In the same quarter, Microsoft sold about 1.3 to 1.4 million XBox 360.


anewman143 said:
I have to echo several of the readers above - at $249, why would anyone buy an iPod touch when they could have the iPad mini? With music stored in the cloud, you don't need a ton of storage (apps and books only).
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I suggest you do a quick calculation what it costs you to play music over 3G for just an hour. And a 7" iPad WiFi won't be sold for $249, and it won't play music over 3G.
 
Given how Apple operates with their pricing, I just don't see $199 (nor even $249) for the smaller iPad.

I think the more likely scenario is they'll say, "Look, you can get the Nexus 7 16gb at $250 or you can add X% more screen real estate, better battery life, and access to a larger app ecosystem for only 50 bucks more."

Apple has always been about getting you to pay that extra premium and this release won't be any different.
 
gnasher729 said:
Which makes the iPod Touch a hugely successful product. In the same quarter, Microsoft sold about 1.3 to 1.4 million XBox 360.
Click to expand...


You're comparing a mobile device to a gaming console? A console that has been out how many years and has already saturated the market? Lets not compare apples to oranges.
 
My thought on the whole 'mini' thing:
 

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To me, it seems hard to believe that we'll hear of an iPad Mini announcement during the "usual" iPhone/iPod(s) event. However, it would make sense that they start shipping it around the holidays.

I've been waiting out on an iPad for a long time and now that these rumors are becoming more and more convincing, I would have to think hard about which model I would choose. Having an iPhone, the "regular" iPad has always seemed like a perfect size when it comes to reading books or such things. But with a lower starting price, the iPad Mini would be a really attractive option. And I would really have to compare both of them side by side. I have a feeling I would go towards the Mini.
 
If this thing doesn't actually exist, the nerdra... nerdfury on Sept 12 is going to be hi-larious. And it will all be misdirected at Apple.
 
The fact that Steve Jobs didn't want to make a 7" tablet doesn't mean he wouldn't allow it.
He trashed so many projects just to congratulate them 2 days later because of his mood swings.
If you read the biography (or knew SJ) you would know his opinions changed all the time and if he was still alive, he would make a 7" iPad too, but maybe a little more expensive.
 
b166er said:
I really did not believe they would make a smaller iPad. But these rumors just ain't quitting. I think there is a definite market for 7 inch tablets if they can get the price point down a bit. The nexus 7 is a lot of tablet for $200 and I know apple can do better.
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There's a huge market for 7" tablets. If you've got a toddler, you quickly find the iPad is too big (and expensive) for them. I brought a refurbished Nook Color ($99) and flashed Gingerbread on to it for my 3 year old. She finds it much more usable than the 10" iPad. And if it breaks it doesn't sting as bad. Give a 3 year old something, sooner or later (sooner more likely;)) it's gonna break. The only question is: how many pieces.:p

I've never camped out for an :apple: product, but I'm willing to for a kidsized 7" iPad.
 
I don't want to make the same mistake I did last time, when the iPad was announced ("I don't need a big iPhone"). Apparently, I did need a big iPhone :D

But still, 7 inches...I just don't know...
 
kevinbal said:
Given how Apple operates with their pricing, I just don't see $199 (nor even $249) for the smaller iPad.

I think the more likely scenario is they'll say, "Look, you can get the Nexus 7 16gb at $250 or you can add X% more screen real estate, better battery life, and access to a larger app ecosystem for only 50 bucks more."

Apple has always been about getting you to pay that extra premium and this release won't be any different.
Click to expand...

quite doubtful when you can get an iPad2 for $319:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC769LL/A
 
locust76 said:
I actually think they might "discontinue" the iPod Touch and reintroduce it as an iPad Nano, because really, the iPod Touch is so much more than an iPod, so it actually kinda deserves to bear the iPad Nano name.

From a marketing standpoint, the iPad is the new iPod, as far as status symbols are concerned, so just on the name "iPad Nano" alone, you'd probably generate a lot of appeal and interest in the product. iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Nano. It fits the lineup quite well, I think.
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I was thinking the same, assuming the rumors are true. With so many leaked iPhone parts with a new screen size, where are the iPod touch part leaks? I doubt apple would change the iPhone screen size and keep the touch at the old size...
 
Yay! I just love all these iOS rumors - In case you didn't know that was sarcasm. I am absolutely sick of this iPad mini/iToy crap. Need I remind you that this site is called MAC-rumors and all there is is iToy crap, what about the 2012 iMac or mini!?
 
Totally anecdotal, but I had two different people, both family, contact me regarding the iPad Mini rumors (that have gone way beyond the geek inner circles) and ask if it was true, pricing, and say if it is (and it's ~$300) they would both be buying, most likely for Christmas.

I don't think in either case, they're considering the form factor nearly as much as the price (that was the focus of the PM/Email exchanges). I really think there's a psychological price point for this particular technology that makes $300- much more palatable than $500+.

Funny enough I mentioned to them that Apple has $399 iPad2s available, and _both_ said they'd prefer the "new one" (even though it's likely they will be internally the same).
 
IMO.. Time for a split. Spread those shares around a little and then watch it go back up to $500+ again. I know my 50 shares would appreciate it. ^^
 
I really want to use one of the minis side-by-side with a full size iPad. Psychologically, the mini really appeals to me, but I need to see it to really know if it's the right fit. The iPad just seems to big/bulky/awkward for me.
 
agengler said:
Although businesswise, Apple might not consider it.

But, I'll bet there's a market to have a min-tablet, plus a phone...... the best of both worlds.

Then have a really thin photo for the just-phone people.
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A giant iPhone or something like skype?

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kevinbal said:
Given how Apple operates with their pricing, I just don't see $199 (nor even $249) for the smaller iPad.

I think the more likely scenario is they'll say, "Look, you can get the Nexus 7 16gb at $250 or you can add X% more screen real estate, better battery life, and access to a larger app ecosystem for only 50 bucks more."

Apple has always been about getting you to pay that extra premium and this release won't be any different.
Click to expand...

You are probably right, but I am hoping that the price tops out around 250.

It would be pushing it to pay 300 for product.
 
Ryth said:
I think this iPad mini though comes in at $299.
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^

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KdParker said:
You are probably right, but I am hoping that the price tops out around 250.

It would be pushing it to pay 300 for product.
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Hardly. If you get a rear camera and retina, then the $300 is justified easily...especially with the Eco-System and Apps.

Apple is not going to come in at $200 with an inferior product just to 'price' compete. They don't need to do that.

They will come in with a superior product that is justified at $299.
 
ihuman:D said:
Yay! I just love all these iOS rumors - In case you didn't know that was sarcasm. I am absolutely sick of this iPad mini/iToy crap. Need I remind you that this site is called MAC-rumors and all there is is iToy crap, what about the 2012 iMac or mini!?
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Lmao. Funniest post I read in a while on here.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
It would be a problem if the mini were to sell for $200, but it won't. It's been widely reported that both the Fire and Nexus 7 are sold at or below cost.
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Google isn't but I don't think Asus is losing money on making them though. A BoM analysis pegged down the cost of a Nexus 7 8GB at $160 and the 16GB version at $167. $200 is probably pushing it but IMHO $250 is definitely doable even for Apple, especially if they put the 8GB version at $250 but hopefully Apple will feel less stingy and give us 16GB as the base model.

Plus Apple will have the 3G/LTE version which will carry a much higher margin. I'd imagine many people will buy the 3G/LTE version since it makes a lot more sense for the more mobile iPad.
 
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