iPad mini $199, iPad 2 $299, iPad 3 $399

[ThatsMeRight]

Hi everybody,

Just sharing some thoughts here about the rumoured iPad mini. iMore.com, a site who has been very reliable in the past 12 months or so regarding rumours, believes the iPad mini will cost $199 to $249.

Basically, for that price you get an iPad that's almost identical to the iPad 3 (assuming it gets a retina display) that costs $499 or an iPad 2 (if it doesn't get a retina display) that costs $399.

I think that if they are going to sell an iPad mini for $199, than the gap in price is too big between the iPad mini and the 9.7" $499 iPad. You'll basically get this:

- $199, iPad mini
- $399, iPad 2
- $499, iPad (2012)

So I was wondering: is it possible that Apple will lower the price?

- $199, iPad mini
- $299, iPad 2
- $399, iPad (2012)

Basically, what they could do is release an iPad mini with identical specs to the iPad 2. They'll tell you: here's our 7.85" iPad, if you want a bigger display you'll have to pay an extra $100. If you want the latest and greatest tech (like the retina display), you'll again have to pay another $100.

Basically, I see them doing this:
- $199, iPad mini (7.85") last year's iPad 2 specs
- $299, iPad 2 (9.7") equal specs to iPad mini, only a bigger screen
- $399, iPad 3 (9.7") newest specs

And than next year:

$199, iPad mini (7.85") last year's iPad 3 specs
$299, iPad 3 (9.7") equal specs to iPad mini, only a bigger screen
$399, iPad 4 (9.7") newest specs

But is this too agressively priced?
I believe Apple really wants to shut down any competitors in the tablet market and thus I believe they'll price the iPad mini at $199 to $249. However, I also find it hard to believe that they'll lower the retina display iPad to $399 (and next year even to $299).

So? What do you think? VOTE!

 

[ThatsMeRight]

The poll is now fully visible.

 

[gpatrick15]

I don't think there's any chance it'll be cheaper than $300 at its base configuration. And they also won't drop the price of the iPad 3rd Gen either. They don't need to, and they won't. I'd love it if they did, since I'm about to buy one soon, but I just don't think it's likely.

 

[myrtlebee]

Nope. A new iPod Touch is being released - there's your $199. iPad mini (still not convinced of that name) $299-$399 (leaning towards $299). iPad 2 either dropped or stays at $399 until the next full-sized iPad release. iPad 3rd Gen $499.

 

[ucfgrad93]

No way do I see an iPad mini priced at $199. I think it will be $299 for 16GB. The iPad 2 stays at $399 and the iPad 3 at $499.

 

[Buckeyestar]

I'm going with iPad Nano/Mini/Air starting at $299. Of course this is somewhat of wishful thinking for me since I'd like it to have a retina display and the more expensive it is, the more likely that this will come to pass. If the iPod Touch has a retina display at $199, I don't think it's too much of a a stretch for the smaller iPad to have one as well. But then again, it would be like Apple to hold it back for next years upgrade.

 

[gnasher729]

Dream on.

 

[ZZ Bottom]

Delusional much? Look at the prices of all of the iPod devices. No way on this earth will an iPad mini be 199. These are not android devices competing against themselves.

Would you sell them at 199 if you ran Apple? Hell no you wouldn't, because you wouldn't need to.

 

[irDigital0l]

iPad mini
16GB - $299

iPad 2
16GB - $399

iPad 3
16GB - $499
32GB - $599
64GB - $699

 

[LastDayDawn]

I voted for the last option
Just can't see the iPad Mini costing less than $299

 

[ucfgrad93]

iPad mini
16GB - $299

iPad 2
16GB - $399

iPad 3
16GB - $499
32GB - $599
64GB - $699

16GB will be baseline for all of Apple's iOS devices...

iPod touch (this fall) 16GB - $199
iPhone (this fall) 16GB - $199
iPad mini (this fall) 16GB - $199

So, what will the price of the iPad mini be? You have 2 different prices listed for the same storage.

 

[irDigital0l]

So, what will the price of the iPad mini be? You have 2 different prices listed for the same storage.

opps, 16GB - $299.

 

[aneftp]

People are forgetting that Apple has been selling 8GB iPhone models for over 5 years.

I say $299 for 8gb iPad mini model and they promote icloud. Than charge $399 for 16GB model. That is just the apple way of jacking jump memory prices to increase profits . I don't think they will have more than 32gb storage either

 

[thewitt]

No way apple will sell an iPad mini cheap. It will be priced between the iPod touch and iPad.

Likely $349 for the entry model

 

[ThatsMeRight]

People are forgetting that Apple has been selling 8GB iPhone models for over 5 years.

I say $299 for 8gb iPad mini model and they promote icloud. Than charge $399 for 16GB model. That is just the apple way of jacking jump memory prices to increase profits . I don't think they will have more than 32gb storage either

Nah, we've already got a 9.7" 16 GB iPad at $399. Why would you go for a $399 iPad mini if there's a bigger, maybe superior, 9.7" iPad for that exact same price?

 

[tann]

aw man! in the poll no one mentioned that the ipad mini in question was a 16gb!

I voted 249, 399, 499 for 8gb mini/16gb ipad 2/16gb ipad

If they have a 16gb mini I think it will be 299 resulting in a nice looking 299, 399, 499!

----------

People are forgetting that Apple has been selling 8GB iPhone models for over 5 years.

I say $299 for 8gb iPad mini model and they promote icloud. Than charge $399 for 16GB model. That is just the apple way of jacking jump memory prices to increase profits . I don't think they will have more than 32gb storage either

this makes little sense for them, why bother entering the 7" market to then have a price that's $150 more than your rival (Nexus 7 is $249 for 16gb i believe).

Makes sense for them in this case to go for $249 if they have an 8gb version (50$ 'premium' over googles) and $299 for 16gb.

at a stretch maybe $349 for 16gb but then in this day and age they are not going to get away with charging you 100$ for a paltry 8gb increase in storage.

For example the iPod touch in the US is $199, $299, $399 BUT they are 8gb, 32gb and 64gb. So I would expect the iPad mini to offer 16gb for only $50 more than the 8gb. No way would I see them offering more than 16gb though, if you want that you got to save up for the $600 ipad.

 

[thewitt]

Today they increase the price of existing models $100 for more memory. Why would that change?

They also won't sell anything at less than the iPod touch, and I don't see them releasing an 8g version. You can do that on a phone, but not a tablet. If they release an iPod touch 5g it will likely start at 16g as well.

They won't price a mini to compete with the competition on price. They have never done that with their products, always taking the premium quality and premium price options.

 

[tann]

Today they increase the price of existing models $100 for more memory. Why would that change?

They also won't sell anything at less than the iPod touch, and I don't see them releasing an 8g version. You can do that on a phone, but not a tablet. If they release an iPod touch 5g it will likely start at 16g as well.

They won't price a mini to compete with the competition on price. They have never done that with their products, always taking the premium quality and premium price options.

But $100 more now gets you either 16,24 or 32 more gbs, I don't think they would go back to charging $100 for 8!

Also, at $349 the mini would definitely be taking away sales from the $399 one, or vice versa.

Of they don't have an 8gb model I see the 16gb being $299. Makes it a nice $100 to go up iPad models then ($399 iPad 2, $499 new iPad).

I do agree they should drop the 8gb iPod touch and move that to a 16gb so that it would then be $199,$299,$399,$499 across the board, all 16gb.

 

[aneftp]

I still think they go 8GB iPad mini. And it's going to be $299.

They are still stripping down iPhone 3GS/4 and selling 8GB. Pure profit.

They will force the consumers hands. That way they can promote the (2) in the pricing.

Selling a tablet at $199 or $249 makes no sense to Apple. They know people will still pay $299. Why not maximize profits? After all it's not a "7" I'm tablet. It's a 7.85 inch(8 inch) tablet.

 

[IXDoubleDXI]

Any thoughts on how many variations they're going to offer? I'm thinking 16gb, and 32gb only. 64gb would be sweet, but if they're gearing this towards a budget market, starting at $299, increasing by $100 each storage bump, a 64gb would be at $499. If someone is willing to drop $499 on an iPad, Apple could be thinking that price point would start to cannibalize the 9.7 inch iPads. Sure the 32gb would be matching the iPad 2 at $399, but, I could also see them dropping the iPad 2. That was the budget iPad, but the mini would be replacing this. Just my $.02.

 

[thewitt]

Any thoughts on how many variations they're going to offer? I'm thinking 16gb, and 32gb only. 64gb would be sweet, but if they're gearing this towards a budget market, starting at $299, increasing by $100 each storage bump, a 64gb would be at $499. If someone is willing to drop $499 on an iPad, Apple could be thinking that price point would start to cannibalize the 9.7 inch iPads. Sure the 32gb would be matching the iPad 2 at $399, but, I could also see them dropping the iPad 2. That was the budget iPad, but the mini would be replacing this. Just my $.02.

I don't know that a 7" tablet is targeting a budget market. Where do you come up with that assumption?

 

[tigres]

Apple does not price @49 points. Only 99

So my guess is 299, about half of the larger brother.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Any thoughts on how many variations they're going to offer? I'm thinking 16gb, and 32gb only. 64gb would be sweet, but if they're gearing this towards a budget market, starting at $299, increasing by $100 each storage bump, a 64gb would be at $499. If someone is willing to drop $499 on an iPad, Apple could be thinking that price point would start to cannibalize the 9.7 inch iPads. Sure the 32gb would be matching the iPad 2 at $399, but, I could also see them dropping the iPad 2. That was the budget iPad, but the mini would be replacing this. Just my $.02.

I think that it will be a 16GB only model priced at $299. That is only $50 more than the Nexus 7. Also, it keeps the line up from getting to mucked up.

 

[tann]

Apple does not price @49 points. Only 99

So my guess is 299, about half of the larger brother.

Good point, $299 16gb iPad mini, $399 16gb iPad 2 and $499 16gb iPad sound good to me.

Let's just sit back and wait!

 

[63dot]

I don't want to speculate on exact pricing, but if there are three viable prices (low, medium, and high), Apple still tends towards a price between medium and high.

That being said, their still too high pricing is better than the 1980s and 1990s where all things Apple were priced at the highest levels on the market.

As Apple continues to have their Microsoft or Toyota like dominance, but in consumer electronics, the prices will middle out and even be lower in some products than the average, but at the same time quality will inevitably fall as is the case with all products from mega-companies.

We are no longer the unique boutique company we once were and high demand will force high production numbers and less attention to industrial design and overall quality. This has probably already happened from the peak of Apple's designs and quality (vs. the field) when we had the TiBook, the Cube, and consumer notebook category leading iBooks and the rest of the world was lagging behind with Dells running Windows 98.