'iPad Mini' Pricing to Begin at Approximately $329

[Belly-laughs]

Silly argument. Price is relevant to competitors in 2012 not random products in random years past. It's not that $329 isn't affordable it's that it's not a barn burner for the 7" category. To shareholders like me it cedes market share to Android. That makes us nervous.

That said as another poster mentioned the price point isn't Apple-esque so still hope it will start at $299.

what competitors?

like the sony walkman of the past, in current market apple dictates the price.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I could honestly see a 299/349/449 price point for 16/32/64 respectively. The RUMOR prices are crazy high.

Charging 200 dollars more is not good business sense (32gb iPad Mini vs 32gb Nexus 7).

It is good business sense when legions of fools will be lining up to buy them by the millions. And Apple laughs all the way to the bank.

 

[vvebsta]

I hear u. I can tell that this iPad mini is going to be popular at the golf course. It will be just the right size for golf gps apps.

indeed

 

[ncbill]

Change 'Apple' to 'Amazon' & 'iPad Mini' to 'Kindle Fire' and it is equally true.

Both are heavily locked-down and designed to be used within a closed ecosystem.

Consumers refuse to be guided by price when it comes to Apple. Consumers want in on Apple's unbeatable ecosystem. Consumers want this smaller form factor and they are willing to pay for a premium product. Apple will sell hundreds of millions of iPad Mini at any price.

 

[DeathChill]

It is good business sense when legions of fools will be lining up to buy them by the millions. And Apple laughs all the way to the bank.

Just curious, but why do you consider them legions of fools?

 

[Xiroteus]

Consumers refuse to be guided by price when it comes to Apple. Consumers want in on Apple's unbeatable ecosystem. Consumers want this smaller form factor and they are willing to pay for a premium product. Apple will sell hundreds of millions of iPad Mini at any price.

At a standard Apple price they likely will, I know a lot of people will say they are willing to pay a bit more just to have a smaller iPad. Some could wonder why anyone would spend too much on an iPod Touch, extra portable. If there were two phones, one the size on an iPad mini and a standard iPhone people would pay more for something easier to carry around. I am sure for 329 this will still sell well.

And for those who wait the used market will be help even more.

 

[Giuly]

Apple is not going to be selling a 7" tablet! They will be selling an iPad that has a screen size of 7.85" and a full ecosystem to go with it. Not to mention quality second to none

The iPad Mini enclosure leaks look a lot like the iPhone 5, I hope that doesn't go for QC as well.

 

[435713]

It is good business sense when legions of fools will be lining up to buy them by the millions. And Apple laughs all the way to the bank.

They should go $350 in all honesty. I would milk this fanbase with no mercy.

 

[osofast240sx]

Change 'Apple' to 'Amazon' & 'iPad Mini' to 'Kindle Fire' and it is equally true.

Both are heavily locked-down and designed to be used within a closed ecosystem.

Apple's ecosystem goes across all of their devices and extends seamlessly to the laptops and desktops. How is this equall true for amazon?

 

[andigital]

For those asking if it would fit in your pocket... One word:


FAIL!

 

[314631]

IF this is true,


all I can say is RETINA confirmed.

Not that we've got that said, 329$ is just too high.

Retina display will not be in the first gen iPad Mini. $329 is insanely affordable for an iPad and consumers will buy it.

 

[Bokes]

At this rumored cost it needs a better Rez spec than what's available for much less. Will they seriously under deliver with simply a shrunken iPad2?

I doubt it.

 

[ilmman]

Retina display will not be in the first gen iPad Mini. $329 is insanely affordable for an iPad and consumers will buy it.

Oh jeez, that can't be a good thing can't it?

Oh wait its Apple... of course that statements correct Stephen>> OF COURSE!

 

[Karma*Police]

I could maybe accept $329 as a starting price if the low end was 16GB. For only 8GB is far too high.

The 8GB Nexus 7 is $199, this pricing would make the iPad mini 65% more than the Nexus 7. When will look at the 16GB models it is even worst for the iPad mini. To go from 8-16GB Apple charges $100, while for the Nexus 7 it is only $50 more. This makes the iPad mini 16GB model 72% more then the Nexus 7 16GB

I agree about 8GB not being enough, but I'm not understanding all the comparisons to 7" tablets, including the Nexus. If Apple's using a display that's 40% larger, I suspect the difference in UX will be pretty significant; like the difference between a blown up smartphone and a small tablet; especially when you factor in the iPad optimized apps.

 

[PlutoniusX]

It is good business sense when legions of fools will be lining up to buy them by the millions. And Apple laughs all the way to the bank.

As cynical as it sounds, you probably are right. However, the difference in price will definitely have some people do a double take.

 

[greythorne]

I'm already bored of iPad, perhaps time to sell my iPad and go the Android way

 

[PlutoniusX]

I agree about 8GB not being enough, but I'm not understanding all the comparisons to 7" tablets, including the Nexus. If Apple's using a display that's 40% larger, I suspect the difference in UX will be pretty significant; like the difference between a blown up smartphone and a small tablet; especially when you factor in the iPad optimized apps.

7" vs 7.8" How is that 40 percent larger?

 

[osofast240sx]

At this rumored cost it needs a better Rez spec than what's available for much less. Will they seriously under deliver with simply a shrunken iPad2?

I doubt it.

It will be just below the so called "retina" spec, most will not be able to tell the difference. Plus the display tech will be better than the iPad 2. Other than that were just splitting hairs with the specs.

 

[PlutoniusX]

what competitors?

like the sony walkman of the past, in current market apple dictates the price.

Now where is the Walkman?
Bad Business moves lead to wonderful things...

 

[osofast240sx]

7" vs 7.8" How is that 40 percent larger?

New math lol

----------

I agree about 8GB not being enough, but I'm not understanding all the comparisons to 7" tablets, including the Nexus. If Apple's using a display that's 40% larger, I suspect the difference in UX will be pretty significant; like the difference between a blown up smartphone and a small tablet; especially when you factor in the iPad optimized apps.

FYI iPad is 38.5% larger than the nexus, iPad mini is like 12% than nexus

 

[AppleScruff1]

They should go $350 in all honesty. I would milk this fanbase with no mercy.

What would even be even more daring; price it the SAME as the iPad 3. Then the loyalists will convince themselves that the price is justified because it is more expensive to make it smaller. I can just see the apologists defending Apple to the nth degree.

----------

Just curious, but why do you consider them legions of fools?

No matter how high Apple prices it, even if it is a total ripoff, people will still buy them faster than Apple can produce them.

----------

As cynical as it sounds, you probably are right. However, the difference in price will definitely have some people do a double take.

Some will do a double take but most will buy regardless of the price.

 

[Eidorian]

For those asking if it would fit in your pocket... One word:


FAIL!

Did belt clips go out of style? Pocketing things is very popular but some things just need to be attached to your belt.

 

[Lara F]

It will be just below the so called "retina" spec, most will not be able to tell the difference.

I have a Nook Tablet (169 PPI so closest comparison to a non retina Mini). Yes, it was much crisper and better than the original iPad. But I can *easily* see the pixellation compared to the Nexus 7. Without glasses. And the N7 doesn't even have an especially great screen.

 

[314631]

Now where is the Walkman?
Bad Business moves lead to wonderful things...

Today Walkman is a mobile app available on the current Sony Xperia phones. I have to say, it's a gorgeous app too far more elegant than the Music App in iOS.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

what competitors?

like the sony walkman of the past, in current market apple dictates the price.

What competitors? Don't be a total fan boy. Apple owns 60% of the tablet market, down from 80% last year.

But if you insist on using the stupid Walkman analogy - I was a kid back then so remember it well. Yes, the first WM was hella expensive. Then Toshiba, AIWA, Panasonic, Hitachi, & others joined in & the prices of all players in the category dropped rather quickly, even WMs. If Sony had kept the $200 price point in 1983 it would have been smoked.