'iPad Mini' Pricing to Begin at Approximately $329

[saud0488]

Listen, just because you might be able to afford an extra $30, doesn't mean everyone can as well. Some people have a budget for these type of purchases, and $300 might be their absolute max for all we know. If they say they'll buy it at $299 and not $330, then let it be...don't be a jerk about it.

It's like if I have an absolute max on a house purchase of $300,000....I'm not just going to be like, "oh, that house is only $30,000 more, what's $30,000 more when we're already spending $300,000." It just doesn't work that way.

It's not being a jerk, it's being logical. Chances are if you're on this forum you've already dropped a few thousand on Apple products. I know I have. Smart budgeting doesn't involve sticking to a number for something that you first of all don't need, and second don't know the price of. Smart budgeting is saying, "I hope it's x price, but I'll be willing to spend x amount more."

Besides, 30 bucks is nothing nowdays if you're into apple products. If it REALLY bothers you that much, than you probably shouldn't be buying apple products. Go out to eat less once this week or go on one less date with your significant other. That's all that 30 bucks is.

It's so annoying to see people crying about 30 bucks on here.

 

[gugy]

I don't get people's reaction here.

1) Why would you expect this to be the same price as tablets Amazon/Google make no profit on? Apple already dominates the tablet market with a highly profitable tablet. No way they would cannibalize its sales with a smaller tablet that generate no profit. Why would you expect Apple to lose money on purpose? It's like people can only see this from a consumer's point of view and can't analyze Apple's strategy from a business point of view, resulting in totally non-realistic expectations.

2) Why does everybody here talk of a 8GB starting capacity? This speculation has only started since the fake price list leak starting at $249, which this rumor contradicts. Either you believe one rumor, either you believe the other. People here just take the worse from each rumor. 9to5Mac is way more reliable than the other site, this is likely the real deal, and there probably won't be a 8GB iPad mini.

3) Stop talking about Retina. No way you will see a 2048x1536 7.85" tablet for only $329. Like I said, Apple is here to make money, not to lose some.

Good for you bro.
People just have ridiculous expectations and then they all get angry and frustrate when reality sets in.
They claim Apple will lose money and they will buy Android stuff. In the end they all buy Apple products and Apple continues to make a killing quarter after quarter.

 

[PlutoniusX]

See that's my point. If you give the mini a A6 processor, 1 gig of ram, retina like resolution and a $330 price tag you're going to hurt the iPad 3 which has a bigger profit margin. Which would you buy; a souped up mini for $329 or a 6 month old power hungry iPad 3 at $499? It's a dangerous game Apple is playing right now. I think no matter how you cut it Apple will only hurt sales between the iPad touch and the iPad 3.

Very true. I never got the iPad 3 just because it was too big. But if the iPad Mini is priced like the thread indicates, then it will either be a Nexus 7 or a iPad 3. If Apple is more concerned with maintaining a 40-50 percent markup, they will in the end lose. Very dangerous.

 

[saud0488]

If you can afford $330 you can afford $360.

If you can afford $360 you can afford $390.

If you can afford $390 you can afford $420.

If you can afford $420 you can afford $450.

At what point does it stop and you say "that's too damn much". For me, that price point is $299. Even a penny above that and I ain't buying this thing.

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There's a sucker born every minute.

But it's not 360, 390, etc. It's only 30 bucks more than you wanted to spend. Suck it up and save it somewhere else if you really want this. It's quite simple.

 

[cdmoore74]

Exactly. I wouldnt even mind paying $400 for an ipad mini . But that fact that it has no retina is a turn off. All current ios devices have retina. So why downgrade the screen on I pad mini and still make people pay premium prices?

Apple has been hitting that crack pipe a little too hard lately.

I knew from the very beginning that the term Retina was going to come back and bite Apple in the butt. They plucked this imaginary term out of thin air and tied a DPI to it. People don't realize that if you put a 1024x768 screen in a 7.85" device from a 9.7" device your DPI automatically goes up. The screen will be better than an iPad 2 but worst than a iPad 3. I call it a even trade because every iPad app should be compatible unlike what we're seeing with iPhone Apps and black bars. Plus you don't need some crazy battery hog A5X to push a super high resolution.

 

[TreyCox]

All of you saying yes to $299 and no to $329... Seriously? You spend $30 on dinner. This tablet will be well worth $329 at 16gb, retina or not. The specs are obviously going to be better than iPad 2. It's a year and a half newer for god's sake. Kudos to Apple for giving us a size choice. Hell I'd give my fiancé $30 to get this over the nexus 7 any day.

 

[gugy]

All of you saying yes to $299 and no to $329... Seriously? You spend $30 on dinner. This tablet will be well worth $329 at 16gb, retina or not. The specs are obviously going to be better than iPad 2. It's a year and a half newer for god's sake. Kudos to Apple for giving us a size choice.

Where can you have a nice dinner for $30?

 

[bushido]

It's not being a jerk, it's being logical. Chances are if you're on this forum you've already dropped a few thousand on Apple products. I know I have. Smart budgeting doesn't involve sticking to a number for something that you first of all don't need, and second don't know the price of. Smart budgeting is saying, "I hope it's x price, but I'll be willing to spend x amount more."

Besides, 30 bucks is nothing nowdays if you're into apple products. If it REALLY bothers you that much, than you probably shouldn't be buying apple products. Go out to eat less once this week or go on one less date with your significant other. That's all that 30 bucks is.

It's so annoying to see people crying about 30 bucks on here.

lol eat less to afford an apple product. its just gadgets u know

u make it sound like Apple is only for the "privileged" or the "rich kids on instagram" generation.

 

[PlutoniusX]

It's not being a jerk, it's being logical. Chances are if you're on this forum you've already dropped a few thousand on Apple products. I know I have. Smart budgeting doesn't involve sticking to a number for something that you first of all don't need, and second don't know the price of. Smart budgeting is saying, "I hope it's x price, but I'll be willing to spend x amount more."

Besides, 30 bucks is nothing nowdays if you're into apple products. If it REALLY bothers you that much, than you probably shouldn't be buying apple products. Go out to eat less once this week or go on one less date with your significant other. That's all that 30 bucks is.

It's so annoying to see people crying about 30 bucks on here.

One could use the same argument for 50 bucks more, 100 bucks more, 150 bucks more, etc. There is a point where you have to stop.

16gigs at 330? What a Joke. Its not even good value if it has a 1024x768 screen. It HAS to be top of line in terms of specs.

 

[Chlloret]

Uhhh… You know that's one in the same…. Market share has a DIRECT correlation with profits. I can't believe I even have to say that. Of COURSE they want a larger market share! That's their ultimate goal - 100% of the tablet market in their pocket. And at a $150 increase over the kindle fire HD, they won't be stealing those customers anytime soon. If it's only a $50 premium however…. well, what would you do?

No, it is not the same. Look at Amazon with there "iPad Killer" Kindle Fire? Rumored 5Million units where shifted (nobody ever published real numbers) with, according to Amazon, 27% of the US Tablet market share.
Profits? None. On the contrary, they may have put money on top to get these numbers.
Same with Google and there Nexus. With build cost of $169 to $180 and a retail of $199 you do not make money. Thats why Apple could not care less.
There in it for the profit and it really got nothing to do with market share.

I run a small but never the less quite resillent little company and in my segment we have about 7% of Europeen market share while the two largest competitors here in Spain and in France (together 40%) both are in receivership now.

Look in the US, you got the market leader, 90% market share, Facebook. Really?
In the computer world, I think Microsoft is still far ahaid of Apple, but profit wise? No way.
Android? Samsung makes money. Granted. Not on the skale with Apple but still insane amounts of money. All other Android Brands, HTC,Moto,Sony,Huawei,LG ect, all together, are loosing money allthou they got nearly 50% of the market between them.

No, market share and profits are two diffent things.

 

[TreyCox]

Where can you have a nice dinner for $30?

Applebee's 2 for $20! Plus tax and tip

 

[TC400]

Thats too much for a 7 inch tablet. I still don't think its something they are going to announce.

 

[gugy]

Applebee's 2 for $20! Plus tax and tip

what?
Not possible bro. Are you sure that's fillet mignon and not cat mignon?

 

[armandxp]

Now this is just a wish list:

349 beginning price point
Ipad 3 resolution would give it roughly 320ppi, close to iPhone 4-5
A6 1gb ram for processor
16gb ram


If they did this, even at 399 it would knock the competition out of the water. That screen would be killer!

Oh, I almost forgot. How about stereo freakin speakers? Something that is louder so I can hear it on video footage that is too quiet.

I really do think if apple doesn't make this a retina product, they are taking a step backwards. They are updating most of their product line to retina. It would look silly to bring out a subpar display now. Charge 350-400 and have an awesome ipad mini and people will run in droves because of the specs. Do you disagree?????

 

[TreyCox]

what?
Not possible bro. Are you sure that's fillet mignon and not cat mignon?

Well possibly cat. But as long as I think otherwise I'm fine lol.

 

[JayJayAbels]

Anything above $299 for an entry level is too high. If this is the case... it's a missed opportunity imo.

 

[tech4all]

$329 better be 16GB minimum, seeing as Android alternatives are $199-299 for 7" or 8.9" 16GB models or the Kindle Fire HD 32GB is $249.

I think Google is 'updating' the Nexus 7 to 32GB at $249. If that's true that means you're going to be paying $80 more for half the storage. I'm not sure what else could be put into a tablet to justify the price premium. Retina dispaly isn't worth the premium. My Nexus 7 may not be 'retina,' but it's close enough that the screen looking VERY sharp.

If this is true, Apple is full of themselves. I'm not being a FanDroid, I use a Mac, iPod, PC, and Android devices.

As has been said by a few, $329 is fine for a starting price as long as it has both a retina display and 16GB. It'll be very interesting to see exactly what it is once it's made official on Tuesday.

Nope, it's a rip off.

 

[ogun7]

Considering last gen discount of $100, then the good news is next year model update will make the upcoming mini at $229.

A lot of people bitching and moaning fail to understand more than a few things. This stopped surprising me a while ago since people love to post to forums and won't look up anything beforehand.

1. Apple plays a long term game and not price wars with competitors. This year's $329 is next year's $229 like keeponwaitin said for an 8" thinner than the competition model that still is an 'iPad'. with all that having an iPad implies: ecosystem, AppleCare & support, Apple stores, tablet optimized apps.
   
2. With all iOs devices: iPod Touch, iPhones 4, 4S & 5 new iPad and next week's newer new iPad. The last non-retina iPad will bite the dust next week. The iPad mini's screen can be cut from the old iPod touch panels or they can scale up the IGZO panels that the new newer iPad and iPhone 5 use.
   
3. Apple has a deep relationship with the education industry. $329 for us is essentially $279 for them with institutional discounts and $299 for individual higher ed students. They will compete better than Amazon with theie ecosystem of teacher's tools administrative and management software and relationship with the textbook publishers.

Apple knows what they're doing and are playing for the long haul.

 

[knemonic]

Anyone think zagg will come out with one of those new pro keyboards with backlighting?

Also curious, anyone think apple will put magnets in this one too to have smart covers?

 

[inscrewtable]

... oh well guess ill have to tell my sis and mum to get an nexus 7 after all...

Lucky the girls have a bloke around to tell them what to do.

 

[Chlloret]

Where can you have a nice dinner for $30?

Exactly. And that makes the difference of $30 even more rediculous.

 

[WilliamLondon]

If you are right...Apple will fail to reduce the market share of android tablets. More expensive, less features, lower specifications than the competition. Does not sound like a recipe for success. The Ipad 3 is the best in its segment, no doubt about it, but with the specification you have listed, the iPad Mini will be a joke.

What makes you think Apple is producing this product to reduce the market share of Android tablets?

What if Apple merely wants to capitalise on a new segment of the market that is all about premium features in a 7" form factor? Wouldn't that product with its accompanying high price be perfectly in line with Apple brand values and Apple pricing?

What part of "reducing market share of competitors" fits with Apple and its strategy, past or present?

Create a new segment, enter it and dominate it - that's Apple, and that's a classic business school case study success.

 

[Reach9]

$329? That's too expensive for a "mini", was expecting somewhere between $250 and $300. Also, it has to start at 16GB at least.

Also what's the point of getting a Mini for $329, when you can buy a used 3rd gen for around $400?

 

[lunaoso]

What if Apple does what the did with the iPod Touch 5g and have 329 be the price for a 32gb? That would really change the game up. Is it likely? Not very, but possible.

 

[macfacts]

But it's not 360, 390, etc. It's only 30 bucks more than you wanted to spend. Suck it up and save it somewhere else if you really want this. It's quite simple.

Maybe people were willing to spend $250 for 8GB ipad mini and a max of $300 for it. Under that situation, it is not $30 more, so stop saying it is $30 more. It is $80 more, and if the nexus 7/16GB becomes $200, it will seem like $130 more.

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Hell I'd give my fiancé $30 to get this over the nexus 7 any day.

Your fiance will be $100 short cause the nexus 7 with 16GB is rumored to be $200.