Eddy Cue Worked to Convince Steve Jobs of Need for 7-Inch iPad in Early 2011

[Piggie]

Or maybe the people who aren't interested in the device stop participating in the conversation and people who are interested start participating. Nobody changes their mind, there is no 'herd' mentality, there is no 180 turn people make at all.

You never specify any individual changing what they say about the device, you just carry on with this stupid story over and over again.

It'd be a superb spectacle to see you make a decent observation or argument for a change instead of making the same empty smears for months on end.

Just go back a few posts on this page

When I first read all the rumors of the "iPad mini" I thought it was pointless. However, after really thinking about it it would be a great move for Apple to release a smaller iPad. People looking for e-readers and cheaper tablets that are easier to carry around will now be looking at iPads. After all e-readers seems to be where nobody wants to pay $500 for a giant iPad.

 

[Miharu]

16 Gb, 1024x768 7,85" screen and specs at or better than iPad 2 at 299€ = purchase.

 

[JGowan]

Give me a smaller iPad with Retina and I'm in

I think you'll have to wait. I think they'll keep this thing 1024-by-768 in order to keep the cost down and enter this "new" 7-inch market competitively.

With the Nexus 7 coming at at 8GB for $199 and 16GB for $249, my guess is that Apple won't even bother with an 8GB... it's just too small. They don't even do a 16GB iPhone... so they'll come out with a 16GB model for $249.

They won't make a lot but they'll sell a zillion of them. Once that happens, you'll get your Retina model. Holiday 2013 probably.

 

[jonnyb]

Or, he has a Chingford-Stafford-Newcastle Upon Tyne-San Francisco accent(?!), there isn't an 'English' accent, as such.

Ha ha, true. What I meant was that when people, usually Americans, talk about a 'British' accent, what they usually have in mind is an English one. 'British' accent is so broad a term as to be meaningless.

But yes, 'English' accent is almost as broad.

Meanwhile, back on topic, I'd find it odd if Apple released an iOS device without a Retina screen at this stage. Why not release it with the less expensive iPod Touch version of the Retina display?

 

[sinsin07]

Ask and you shall receive:

From Engdaget 8-4-12: Alleged images of 7-inch iPad shell appear from the east

 

[damir00]

Too little too late - already grabbed a Nexus 7 - unless Apple puts in a LOT more goodies (ie, voiceless LTE) for about the same price.

 

[AppleScruff1]

One word - hypocrite.

I'm a hypocrite because I don't the Apple/Jobs Kool Aid? Because I value myself and don't blindly worship a for profit company? Because I can be objective and see Apple's flaws along with the good? More here should give it a try.

 

[Piggie]

Too little too late - already grabbed a Nexus 7 - unless Apple puts in a LOT more goodies (ie, voiceless LTE) for about the same price.

but the vast, and I mean the VAST percentage of the population don't own iPads and for many they are simply too expensive.

A cheaper model had the potential to sell to those people, and kids also as gifts, where the current pricing is just way over a sensible price point for a typical family.

 

[unlinked]

The Nexus7 is the only good one. Granted, since Google is only selling it direct, it's not a mass market product despite its more than reasonable price.

Regardless, I haven't touched my ipad since I got my Nexus7. Of course "Jelly Bean" helps as well, it's the first version of Android that I actually sort of like.

What makes you think Google is only selling it direct?

 

[hobo.hopkins]

This will be very interesting - Apple had a first-mover advantage with the original iPad, and they haven't been caught since. We'll have to see how they fare in a market of tablets where they aren't the first/primary vendor.

 

[k3roro]

I'm ready for it, bring on the 7 inch please!!

 

[AidenShaw]

The Nexus7 is the only good one. Granted, since Google is only selling it direct, it's not a mass market product despite its more than reasonable price.

Regardless, I haven't touched my ipad since I got my Nexus7. Of course "Jelly Bean" helps as well, it's the first version of Android that I actually sort of like.

What makes you think Google is only selling it direct?

I picked up 8 GiB of SO-DIMM memory and a Nexus 7 at Central yesterday.

 

[hafr]

Ever since I held an iPad for the first time, I've said it's too big for my taste. If used as a standstill screen, it's okay, but for a handheld device my view is that it's probably an inch or two too big.

I'll probably switch the iPad 2 for a smaller one, should it not only be a rumour.

 

[Rogifan]

The difference in their presentations, I think, is that Steve gave you the impression he really believed in a product. Tim very clearly believes in apple, but apart from occasional comments about how much he uses his iPad or apple tv, he doesnt communicate much about the products themselves, and therefore can't really make people believe in them the way Steve could.

Having said that, I think apple is beyond the point of needing a powerful salesman, the brand is doing pretty well at selling itself.

I certainly get that Tim is intense but Steve was still better than anyone at getting you to want something you probably didn't need.

 

[alexgowers]

I can see no point for apple to jump into the 7 inch war. Apple doesn't do cheap products, if you can't afford a full size ipad go buy some cheap plastic crap from samsung that is unusable and pointless.

Just because a market exists doesn't mean it's a profitable one. As far as I'm aware apple don't like having so many choices, this helps a consumer quickly pick the one product for their needs, and this is good business.

Every other manufacturer does too many models with no perceivable reason other than a slight improvement in specs. Apple just makes products that have new features and I don't see a cheap 7 inch as in keeping with that.

 

[hafr]

This will be very interesting - Apple had a first-mover advantage with the original iPad, and they haven't been caught since. We'll have to see how they fare in a market of tablets where they aren't the first/primary vendor.

Since the iPad only really has one competitor - the Nexus7 - it will probably look exactly like in the smart phone market. Some people prefer Android, others iOS.

 

[unlinked]

When I wrote that I was imagining it in Tim Cook's voice. He says "off the charts" quite a lot. I think Tim Cook's style, while very different from Jobs', is quite compelling; quiet and authoritative.

By the way, Jony Ive has an English accent. There isn't a 'British' accent, as such.

Couldn't you make the same argument and claim there isn't an English accent either?

 

[hafr]

I can see no point for apple to jump into the 7 inch war. Apple doesn't do cheap products

Yet the ATV is ridiculously cheap, and the MBP 13" is the cheapest laptop on the market with similar specs and form factor.

if you can't afford a full size ipad go buy some cheap plastic crap from samsung that is unusable and pointless.

Yeah, if you can't afford the 27" iMac, don't get one at all. Seriously? You don't think it can have to do with preference? I can afford a full size iPad, I have one in fact, but I think it's a bit too big. Should I feel poor and go buy something I don't want now?

Just because a market exists doesn't mean it's a profitable one. As far as I'm aware apple don't like having so many choices, this helps a consumer quickly pick the one product for their needs, and this is good business.

Five iPod shuffle, 14 nano, six touch, two classic. 27 iPods in total. Eight different iPhones. Don't even get me started on how many different MacBook Pro's they have. Different screen sizes isn't really something Apple have never done before either.

But yeah, they don't like having too many options, so adding another screen size to the only one they have would be completely un-Apple...

 

[jonnyb]

Couldn't you make the same argument and claim there isn't an English accent either?

Yep.

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15401765/

 

[Dr McKay]

Steve Jobs would never have allowed it.

I knew we'd get this every time Apple did anything after he died.

 

[Kwill]

Whatever decision made at Apple, it always had to be approved by Jobs first.

Oh Steve, you know you can't ALWAYS have your way...

Steve Jobs would never have allowed it.

Or did he? He didn't like the idea of a 7" iPad, but that didn't mean he didn't allow it to be built later on.

We must take Eddie's word for it that Steve was "favorable" to the idea of a smaller iPad. I imagine his actual response was along the lines of, 'Not in my lifetime.'

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

If its got an infrared emitter, it would make a great smart remote...

 

[sinsin07]

I can see no point ... I don't see...snip

The above is where your conundrum begins.

Check out the following: Apple

They make various items of similar functionality at different price points, like iPod, iPod Touch, iPod Nano and iPod shuffle.

 

[pubwvj]

Eddy's email is a great argument against a 7" tablet.

 

[Mr. Gates]

I always thought a 4.5 inch iPad would be ideal