Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I bet the 7.85" iPad is a color e-ink reader
- Thread starter Yr Blues
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
but the screen is so small that you turn page too often, it's very annoying. Not enough datas on screen due to size and/or screen ratio (title, page number, and at best a paragraph in the middle in iBooks). These are too small devices for a good e-books reading experience, Apple needs something else.
---
People advocating for a 7.85" mini iPad and comparing its size to other tablets always forget about the screen ratio
a 7" at 1024 x 600 (ex: Galaxy Tab 2) screen is about 3.55" (90 mm) wide
a 7.85" screen at 1024 x 768 screen would be about 4.71" (120 mm) wide
while the screen height would only differ of ~5mm, such an iPad would be 1/3 wider than other tablet it is compared to, for their portability and small design.
Anyway, Apple needs a business model if they make a smaller iPad. The 10" model is hardly concurrenced by any offer, in term of specs and unit sold, and in term of usage possibilities.
Apple needs something else than a shrinked and cheaper iPad, something that people who do not need an iPad could buy, something more capable than an iPod Touch but still very portable, and still, something iPad owners could be also interested in.
Anybody has info if Apple and Qualcomm or LG are working on these promising screens for the hypothetical new iOS-device, as used in these 5.7" 1024x768 devices?
Last edited:
Very true. This is a significantly larger display than the current 7" ones.
What you're advocating is basically a larger iPod Touch, literally. Either that, or you're proposing Apple adds a third development size to the ecosystem. It's an interesting idea but I doubt Apple will do that. I see that you're also suggesting to make this device without any 3rd party developer support but that's... just too far fetched and wouldn't work all too well since it means giving up on all the existing ecosystem other than iTunes/iBooks stuff.
The 7.85" iPad Mini idea sounds reasonable because it at least matches the old iPhone's UI size. If you're fine with using iPhone's touch UI, then the new iPad Mini should at least be fairly usable.
No, the rumor is that it's just a regular LCD. But the persistent rumor says that Apple is requesting LG to do everything possible in order to minimize the size of the bezel. A 7.85" iPad with small bezel would be different enough from the current iPad in its portability proposition since it'll be more Kindle-sized.
sorry i was editing my previous post while you were answering
Why not a first year as a closed walled garden for Apple media stores, and as more people will buy it and if there is a call for it (and there would if people buy it), open it to 3rd app party developpers (i don't think a 3rd kind of device would be a problem, that just mean new kind of usages, and new apps to build and sell).
They lack something between the iPad and the iPod Touch.
The already different form factor and screen ratio (well i actually do not really like the look of this 16:9 mockup attempt, too tall, i was just trying to match other iOS devices' screens' size, and at a 326 ppi density. A smaller one for example at 1536x1024 would look better and would be 5.66" at 326ppi or 6.4" at 288ppi) already imply to lose every existing 3rd party apps.
Why not a first year as a closed walled garden for Apple media stores, and as more people will buy it and if there is a call for it (and there would if people buy it), open it to 3rd app party developpers (i don't think a 3rd kind of device would be a problem, that just mean new kind of usages, and new apps to build and sell).
They lack something between the iPad and the iPod Touch.
yep and I think we can debate nights and days if it will be usable with iPad apps built with a 10" in mind, before to see it in real use if they really launch a 7.85" iPad
ok
Last edited:
If apple wants to be serious about e-books they should develop a e-book centric device, a 500 dollar ipad isn't practical for people who just want to read books.
I actually think it makes some sense, a backlit e-ink reader would be pretty good competition to the market if it is as easy on the eyes as the regular e-ink. Using a crippled iOS platform to keep it from nudging into other product lines and I think it would be rather successful. Its not necessary to create a brand new ecosystem for a e-reader.
In fact, if Apple did release a cheaper crippled ipad designed for books I'd be more interested in apple's e-books and there is a good chance I'd buy one.
Tablets aren't very practical price wise, eye strain wise, and battery life wise for being e-readers, obviously this is just my opinion but I still use my old kindle for e- book reading despite having a 7 inch kindle fire and 10.1 motorola xoom.
If apple wants to get serious with their e-book library there is going to have to be something cheaper than a 500 ipad, larger than a 200 ipod touch and something offered that other e-book products don't offer.
I actually think it makes some sense, a backlit e-ink reader would be pretty good competition to the market if it is as easy on the eyes as the regular e-ink. Using a crippled iOS platform to keep it from nudging into other product lines and I think it would be rather successful. Its not necessary to create a brand new ecosystem for a e-reader.
In fact, if Apple did release a cheaper crippled ipad designed for books I'd be more interested in apple's e-books and there is a good chance I'd buy one.
Tablets aren't very practical price wise, eye strain wise, and battery life wise for being e-readers, obviously this is just my opinion but I still use my old kindle for e- book reading despite having a 7 inch kindle fire and 10.1 motorola xoom.
If apple wants to get serious with their e-book library there is going to have to be something cheaper than a 500 ipad, larger than a 200 ipod touch and something offered that other e-book products don't offer.
Last edited:
If I recall e-ink refresh rates are much slower than even the original iPad. IF Apple releases a smaller iPad bet your bottom dollar Apple will have designed it so that apps have the same feel as on either the iPhone, iPod touch, or the larger iPad.
The Fire is going to need to be more powerful to compete with the iPad. But I agree that a smaller iPad only needs to get in touching distance of the Fire price to steal siginificant sales from it.
The iPod Touch is $199. The iPad 2 is $399. So the missing SKU is for $299. Makes sense given the higher quality parts.
Last edited:
The iPod Touch sells for $199, so $249-$299 would be the most logical price point. Some more recent rumors have pegged this device as more of a replacement for the Touch than a smaller iPad, which could put the price on the lower end of that range.
If amazon are clever enough though (and they are) they ll come up with a larger fire too though, price the original fire even lower, and they can easily cut a larger % off the ipad's market. Watch this space.
Aren't they already selling the Fire at a loss, hoping to make the money back selling content for it?
Like everyone I would think it would be competing with the kindle fire. I do hope they release it tho, I will pick one up for sure if they do
If Apple comes out with a ~7" model it won't be e-ink for sure. It will have a normal LCD screen like all the others and will compete with the hugely successful Kindle Fire and the 'brother' from Samsung.
Apple didn't believe the 7" had potential, and they were definitively right about that a few years ago. But now the market is there.
This said, I would love to get a color e-ink device in 6-7" range. I am happy with my Sony eReader, but color would be nice to read some books with i.e. C++ script in it.
Apple didn't believe the 7" had potential, and they were definitively right about that a few years ago. But now the market is there.
This said, I would love to get a color e-ink device in 6-7" range. I am happy with my Sony eReader, but color would be nice to read some books with i.e. C++ script in it.
