Finally!
the roaring sales of Samsung's 7" galaxy Tab.
Well, there probably is a market. Its just not a very big one.
More to the point, adding a third-sized screen to the iOS universe of products (I'm not really counting the cute little Nano) makes things complicated for developers, web site designers, Apple logisticians, and - most importantly - customers.
Apple tried the "tweener" size device before. The Newton, which didn't turn out so well.
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Apple seems to understand this. Their products, within each category, seem easy to understand, with clear demarcations as to the capabilities and features of each.
Adding a third sized screen into the iOS universe would definitely increase consumer choice. But it would end up confusing and depressing a lot of people too. No 7" or 8" devices will be gracing Apple shelves.
I really don't see the need for one but it fills a current display size gap in the whole iPod, iOS and Mac range. Let me explain:
iPod
Shuffle (No screen)
Nano (1,5")
Classic (2.5")
Touch (3.5")
iPhone
iPhone 3Gs (3.5")
iPhone 4 (3.5")
iPhone 5 (3.7"?)
Gap
iPad
iPad 2 (9,7")
Mac
Macbook Air (11")
Macbook Air (13")
Macbook Pro (13")
Macbook Pro (15")
Macbook Pro (17")
I don't think there is a market for a 7-8 inch ipad, but I do think there is a market for a 5-6 inch ipod touch.
And I think they will eventually bring that to market.
The #1 purchaser of Netbooks was women,
who wanted something smaller and lighter to carry around. While the iPad is lighter then most netbooks, it still has a larger footprint then netbooks.
Make a 7~8" iPad that will fit in most women's handbags, and you have a good customer base.
Besides size, it is also a too heavy to hold single handed for too long.
I think the 6" - 8" device market has already taken off: Its composed of the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook. And I think Apple is more than happy to let those companies compete in that particular market space. And while its true that the "dedicated e-reader" is likely to have some e-mail and web-browsing capability, it is unlikely to ever approach the sort of capabilities and pwoer of a device like the iPad.
Its also important to remember that Apple simply isn't a "market follower." Thats not the way Apple is able to achieve the kind of margins it does. Apple didn't jump into the MP3 player market because other companies were doing so well. It started making iPod's because it believed it could do something previous makers couldn't. Ditto with smartphones.
What can you do with 8 inches you can't do better with 10?
Apple can't make a custom tablet for each person in the planet. If tomorrow they release a 8'' tablet, someone will say that they need a 7.5'' tablet instead.
Three sizes please. 7 or 8", 10" as they have now, and 13 or 14"
13-14" would be huge. it certainly would be rather difficult and uncomfortable to hold using one hand...iow a rather niche product and probably not enough selling potential to make worth the effort at current component price points.
as for an 8" model...with current lithium cell technology, we looking at probably at least a 25% reduction in battery life over the 10" model assuming the same thinness in the smaller size factor. imo that would lessen the attractiveness of that model for a segment of the market. [it would for me].
we may eventually get some convergence between the two sizes eventually (esp if a higher resolution screen comes out), but i don't see a convergence happening until the ipad4 (2013) at the earliest.
Funny as I don't recall anyone saying that your typical laptops people have, the 13" to 14" models are HUGE, if anything people would say they are on the small size. It's only when you get 17" laptops that people start saying they are big.
And I'm not considering holding a 13" or 14" model by the corner with one hand. that's not what a larger model would be for.
Resting on your lap to watch a film, or sitting on a stand to read the paper.
I'd just like to see a choice and I know, and would bet money on it, that a 13" to 14" model would sell to those who like using tablets for entertainment purposes.
a 13" 4:3 display tablet is quite large esp when considering typical tablets are used in much closer proximity to the face than laptops.
the tablet market still in a fledging state is some ways...hardware considerations continues to be a primary factor in areas of performance, price point, display technology, wireless speed, etc. not to mention that there is still a pretty broad line in the sand between tablets and laptops as far as software - apps and cross compatibility.
in short, it's going to take some time before there is a significant mainstream demand by consumers for a large tablet.
Apple can't make a custom tablet for each person in the planet. If tomorrow they release a 8'' tablet, someone will say that they need a 7.5'' tablet instead.
That is absurd statement.
The very fact the 10" iPad is actually 9.7" shows they will find sweet-spots for size, so they will not stay fixed to a particular size.
I've never liked small screens in anything.
Years and years ago I went straight for the largest CRT TV that was generally available in stores at the time, and paid a high premium for it.
My 1st LCD Monitor was a 20" 1600x1200 dell IPS model which I still have now and was GIANT compared to what most people had and was very expensive also.
I then jumped directly to a 24" screen and would never consider anything smaller, only a move to a 27" would be my next step.
I once had a 14" laptop and hated it, as I considered the screen tiny and sold it, I would never NEVER EVER buy another laptop unless it was a 17" model.
No. If you want something smaller than 10" than buy an iPod touch.
That is absurd statement.
The very fact the 10" iPad is actually 9.7" shows they will find sweet-spots for size, so they will not stay fixed to a particular size.
As mentioned before, the Kindle and Nook are smaller and lighter and popular despite its very limited function. An iPad of similar size would do very well.
Honestly, I think most posters are not looking past success of iPad.
Consider the typical paperback book is less then 8" diagonal
In Japan their books (include extremely popular Manga) range from 8" to 9"
iPad with its 11" diagonal size approaches that of magazines.
Society is taught to expect books are smaller then the iPad, with school text books and magazines being larger. Any wonder why Kindle and Nook are about the size of paperback books?
Bottom line, their is a natural societal predisposition to using smaller media to interact with
Apple also has a history of making things smaller, to get that right fit for the function.
On a side note, when the first iPod came out (5GB spin wheel), the majority of posters in MacRumors blasted it as a useless device for way too much money ($499).