iPad Mini Event Said to Focus on iBooks

[Alena k]

I think the iPad Mini has to be $199 to avoid the possibility of being a flop. It essentially needs to be a cheaper iPad alternative that is Apple branded to keep/gain people in the Apple ecosystem.

The iPod touch can be more expensive. Laptops are more expensive than desktops. Smart Cars are over priced. Your paying for portability.

Apple might focus on iBooks with the mini, but I personally think it's really to push themselves into more hands. There are plenty of older, younger, and poor college kids still without a tablet or an apple device.

I really think they need to take the slight profit hit to keep themselves in the picture for the long haul.

 

[wrkactjob]

I really want to buy this ipad mini, hoping for the best possible screen resolution for movies and 3G functionality.

As far as reading books goes?...I just don't like reading an electronic book, I tried and can't get into it, nothing beats the tactility of a paper book and I like bookshelves covered with books.

Maybe just me!

 

[Yvan256]

I don't think highly of myself. But Apple can certainly elevate people by providing to them the products that WILL elevate one in social status.

People who buy Apple products demonstrate their elevated social status and their good taste.

Because, of course, everyone buys products for their social status...

You could buy six or even seven Mac minis for the price of a maxed out Alienware Windows laptop. What's your reply to that?

I'm guessing you're still very young, because social status is one of the most shallow thing to be concerned about. Friends are people with whom you share values, ideas, hobbies and passions, not people who own the same stuff as you.

Be yourself and make real friends, not superficial ones.

 

[thisisdallas]

This better be a huge hit so i can make more money on my apps.. iOS6 is killing off alot of indie devs!!

How exactly is iOS 6 killing off indie devs? I didn't realize anything changed for developers aside from a nicer app store and the job of making apps fit the new screen size.

 

[KnightWRX]

Because, of course, everyone buys products for their social status...

Anyway, Apple products are far from "social status" items. Ferraris, Rolex watches, designer clothing (and not that mass market "designer stuff" like True Religion or Affliction, true hand made, clothing made for you by designers) are "social status" items. The elite owns this stuff because only they can afford it.

Apple ? Mass market consumer products. Anyone can afford this stuff. iPhone ? Dime a dozen, literally in the case of their lowest end one which is now free on contract.

If you think you're some kind of "social" hotshot with your Apple product in hand, you've got reality heading towards you at several hundred mph, and it's going to hit like a ton of bricks when it gets there.

 

[thasan]

To all those who think you can only read properly on eink: reading is not just something you do by the pool. Reading is done everywhere in all kinds of ways. Reading is also done by:

- Students in class
- Staff in shops/showrooms/etc. (10" iPads do look a bit odd on Apple Store staff, don't you think?)
- Quick PDA-like devices in companies to check for meetings, notes, .etc while on the go
- Mechanics and workers checking instructions and procedures

Don't just think of it as an ereader, think of it has the modern PDA. For some people (especially in business), the transition from PDA's to smartphones never really worked. The iPad Mini will fill that gap.

Normal iPad: great for in house, on the couch, in bed, travel, etc.
iPad Mini: for people who use it all day every where

If you want to read on the beach or by the pool, get a cheap Kindle, Apple has nothing to offer you. However, if you want to do anything more than reading (quick document switching, taking notes, browsing, whatever), eink devices are useless.

The iPad Mini will be huge, I'm a 100% sure.

+1.
Spot on!

 

[435713]

Not personally interested in ebooks. I will always buy physical copies of everything, and when I can't one day then I will only do rental type services. No thanks for co-ownership with Amazon or Apple. Personal preference. Kind of wish movies went to SD cards instead of the DL push.

Anyway what I would like to see on the keynote is:

iPad Mini 16GB retina starting at $299 (can't see $250 happening)
Retina MBP 13"
iMac update
Mac Pro update
Mac Mini update
iWork update
iLife update (please fix that iMovie color banding)


Obviously won't see most of that, but if thats what we got that would be a sweet keynote.

 

[Macist]

I think Apple has lost on eReader/Books battle. I just think what Amazon and their bookstore has done is better.

The trouble is, many people can only enjoy (or stomach) reading whole books on an eInk screen. If you go down the iBooks route you have no way to read your purchases on an eInk display.

The Kindle App is cool to have on my iPhone, though, so I can read a little in bits of dead time when I don't have my Kindle with me.

Apple should have just thrown an eInk reader onto the market to supplement the iPad. Probably too late now.

 

[milo]

Unless they also announce a mac (and PC) version of iBooks, highlighting that app will be a complete waste of time.

 

[mattnotis]

I think the iPad mini is probably the most superfluous product that Apple has ever released. The regular-sized iPad is plenty small. How much **** are you carrying around with you that something that light is a nuisance to accomodate?

 

[Rogifan]

I think the iPad Mini has to be $199 to avoid the possibility of being a flop. It essentially needs to be a cheaper iPad alternative that is Apple branded to keep/gain people in the Apple ecosystem.

The iPod touch can be more expensive. Laptops are more expensive than desktops. Smart Cars are over priced. Your paying for portability.

Apple might focus on iBooks with the mini, but I personally think it's really to push themselves into more hands. There are plenty of older, younger, and poor college kids still without a tablet or an apple device.

I really think they need to take the slight profit hit to keep themselves in the picture for the long haul.

No way is this going to be $199 and no way does it have to be. Apples not interested in a race to the bottom. Playing in that space would just dilute the brand. What they need to do is make a superior device to the $199 tablets and then people will be willing to pay more.

 

[trevelyn]

It'll be called the iPod Jumbo. You'll see.

 

[iGrip]

All very well to focus on books, but in my experience iBooks are far more expensive than their Kindle counterparts.

You get what you pay for.

----------

Because, of course, everyone buys products for their social status...

You could buy six or even seven Mac minis for the price of a maxed out Alienware Windows laptop. What's your reply to that?

I'm guessing you're still very young, because social status is one of the most shallow thing to be concerned about. Friends are people with whom you share values, ideas, hobbies and passions, not people who own the same stuff as you.

Be yourself and make real friends, not superficial ones.

But the Alienware piece of junk runs Windows, and Microsoft has no taste.

Personally, I prefer Apple products.

 

[GoldenJoe]

It would be pretty funny if this turned out to be an e-ink device. At least the $200 price point people are fantasizing about would be feasible.

 

[Ankaa]

It would be pretty funny if this turned out to be an e-ink device. At least the $200 price point people are fantasizing about would be feasible.

This is honestly my greatest fear and at this point I don't even think that it's exactly unlikely....everybody's looking for a small iPad .... but Apple's always (ALWAYS) full of surprises!

 

[sineplex]

The non-tech media says that the "iPad mini" will go for $299. I was hoping for $199 to $249, but we'll see.

relax. it will be $249 and almost as slim as the new ipod touch. I promise!

 

[Nungster]

Has Apple actually secured all the publishers that Amazon has yet?

Don't need to. There's an app for that. It's called Kindle. And it's free in the App Store.

 

[sticky.chicken]

Apple executive Eddy Cue said in an email released during the Apple v. Samsung trial that he "found email, books, Facebook and video very compelling" on a 7-inch Samsung Galaxy tablet. It seems likely that Apple will focus on similar uses for the iPad Mini.

Wait, how is looking at videos on a smaller screen compelling? When looking at videos bigger is better! It's why I don't bother with video on my iPhone, the screen is just too small.

I'll keep my full sized iPad thanks.

----------

Want phone app. I only talk on headset. Wish I could replace iPhone with iPad mini.... never gonna happen

Ok, but the concept of mobile/cellular phones is they are small and can go in a pocket. The iPad mini (or whatever it will be called) is too big to be a practical phone.

 

[bushido]

people asking for LTE, A6 etc on the iPad Mini is a bit redic. isnt the whole point to be a cheaper alternative to the "big" iPad?

i say 8GB & 16GB, Wifi Only & the A5x chip or its simply a eBook Reader

 

[yakapo]

Will they ship it with sandpaper?

I guess they'll focus on picture books since "no one reads books anymore".


I kid. I kid. =D

 

[ConCat]

Image

I absolutely loved that show.

 

[Mackan]

people asking for LTE, A6 etc on the iPad Mini is a bit redic. isnt the whole point to be a cheaper alternative to the "big" iPad?

i say 8GB & 16GB, Wifi Only & the A5x chip or its simply a eBook Reader

Maybe I would like to have everything the normal iPad has, but in a smaller package?

The "whole point" you are talking about is likely how Apple will do it though. They will differentiate the products as much as they can, by removing features by purpose, so that you have to buy and own 10 different Apple products to cover your needs, when you would actually only need 5 of them if Apple removed the $$ in front of their eyes.

 

[PDFierro]

Maybe I would like to have everything the normal iPad has, but in a smaller package?

The "whole point" you are talking about is likely how Apple will do it though. They will differentiate the products as much as they can, by removing features by purpose, so that you have to buy and own 10 different Apple products to cover your needs, when you would actually only need 5 of them if Apple removed the $$ in front of their eyes.

Agreed. I'm really only getting up my hopes for Wi-Fi only and 32GB, but would love 4G LTE and 64GB. I've been waiting for a smaller iPad, so I guess I will have to settle for whatever Apple puts in it. But lack of 4G would be a big omission.

 

[TM WAZZA]

Should we expect the invites on monday?

 

[charlituna]

ibooks sucks in New Zealand. we have nothing but free books. all old classics. none of the newer ones,

Blame the publishers, they have the control on that front