'iPad Mini' Pricing to Begin at Approximately $329

[apolloa]

I've been into a local HMV and tried out some of the other tablets available here in the UK and honestly none of them compare brilliantly against an iPad.

Asus tablets are horrid. The screen quality is the worst I've seen on anything intended for mobile use since the first color screen mobile phones. Plus the touch sensitivity is nowhere near as accurate as iOS devices. Played Angry Birds on a Transformer TF300T and it was impossible to aim let alone fire a shot.

The less expensive Arnova options didn't have anything better in the screen department except maybe a bit more responsiveness. The problem was they felt cheap and plastic alongside the unimpressive screen. Granted at £129 to £149 they are what they were intended to be.

The Nexus 7 had the only screen that could even come close to a iPad, but the OS was rubbish. All the non-iPad tablets there were on some form of Android operating system. The Nexus 7 however, just felt over complicated and made me appreciate the simplicity of iOS.

Both the iPad 2 and the new iPad were better and easier to use than the alternatives on offer. $329 will probably be around £279 with Apple's rates for selling over here in the UK. That's a good price for the best OS on the market. Even if it only has iPad 2 features.

I reckon we will see 16GB as a minimum on storage, 1GB of RAM, and a high-quality screen. Maybe Retina, maybe not, but better than the competition.

So you didn't try the Galaxy Note 10.1 or the Asus Transformer Infinity then?

And fair enough if YOU found Jelly Bean complicated, but that does NOT make the OS 'rubbish', it is just your opinion.
And in the UK I bet you anything the iPad Mini will cost £300 and up at least, even at £280 it's too much.

Meh I don't care as come Christmas I'll be getting a 32GB Nexus 7 for a lot less! I like Android on a tablet, much more useful.

Oh and the screens, just don't compare a iPhone 4S or 5 next to a Galaxy S3, it may shock you. So don't assume an iPad Mini will offer a better screen.

 

[Taeser]

$329 is just weird a starting point. The market is going to be pissed if they don't hit that $299 price point.

One of the main reasons apple priced it at $329 instead of $299 is because they can't MAKE 30 million of these, they can only make 10 million. So it would be foolish to price lower

 

[SHirsch999]

Apple can charge whatever it wants for this. Apples are premium products, and if they wanted to charge $400, then this would sell off quickly like pancakes.

Mmmmmmm. Apple pancakes! (thoughts going through my head of Homer Simpson drooling)

 

[apolloa]

Currently my iPad 64 and iTouch 64 are maxed out on games, photo's, music and a few other matters - hence, I'd jump at a 128G iPad or iTouch, if only to expand on games on the go and some TV/movies for long flights/travelling.

Basically my Apple iToy's are used by wife and daughter - me I use a iMac, Mac Mini and old choc bar phones - but storage is an issue to me and many others and wireless powered small 2.5in HDD's are no answer, MicroSD is an answer though, apart from bottlenecks they create.

You need to go and check out Synology mate, highly regarded backup and storage solutions that have apps compatible with OSX, Windows, Android and iOS, you can access files stored on the devices anywhere in the world across the internet. And use then as NAS drives in the home and Time Capsule backup drives.

Check out the home and small office devices:

http://www.synology.com/products/index.php?lang=uk

That's the UK website by the way but you can most likely buy them anywhere.

 

[Kendo]

I want one, but I wouldn't hesitate to snap one up at $299. Now I'm going to have to think about it.

$30? Even if you make $10 an hour, just work 3 more hours. Or don't buy 3 value meals at McDonald's.

 

[apolloa]

But the Kindle makes no money, it costs money with the hope, that they can earn with content. Apple on the other hand makes there money with the hardware, the content in the App store is only there to make the product more atractive. The money earned with that store stands in no relation to the earnings from the hardware.
Besides, the Kindle can not compete with the iPad on any level, they are different devices for a different purpose.

So the 30% cut Apple takes from every app sale and in app purchase is a myth then is it?
Apple could VERY confidently sell you an iPad for cost and STILL make multi billions of profit from it's apps.

 

[kas23]

Actually, most people who buy stuff with an Apple logo on it are adults who make middle to high incomes.

Yes, for their kids. The highest selling, in units, is the iPod, which is a toy. Plus, I don't see the majority of adults going out and buying an iPad Mini for themselves, but rather as gifts for kids. Remember, this product is supposed to be aimed at the educational market. Do me a favor, go into your local Apple Store and look at the age demographic of the people drooling over the iDevices. It's like a high school in there.

 

[Kendo]

So the 30% cut Apple takes from every app sale and in app purchase is a myth then is it?
Apple could VERY confidently sell you an iPad for cost and STILL make multi billions of profit from it's apps.

Nope. Their revenue from the App Store and iTunes is very small compared to their hardware. They pulled 40 billion in revenue in Q2, but only 1.9 billion from the App Store. 30% of that is 600 million or so? A small percentage compared to 40 billion.

http://www.appolicious.com/articles...asses-600k-apps-1-9-billion-in-revenue-for-q2

iTunes is even smaller.

https://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/2...6-billion-profit-on-46-33-billion-in-revenue/

 

[bahamutzero]

$249 for 8GB, and $299 for 16GB model - that would be ok in my book, even with A5X and 1024x768 screen. $329 for 16GB is not an option for me. It's just a matter of personal principle, nothing else.

 

[apolloa]

You are very welcome to buy anything you like.

On the other hand, I see Nexus sales dropping dead. Fact is, people don't want tablets, they want iPads, and Google better get used to it. What Apple offers is not a "tiny tablet", it is an iPad.

I see you being totally and utterly wrong as proved by the ever increasing sales of 7" Android tablets.
Apple is going to offer an overpriced device that's no different to it's bigger product, same OS, features, apps. And people are beginning to get bored with iOS.
On the other hand Android is constantly improving and changing, it has Google Maps for one!

People don't want iPads they want something different, even the iPhone 5 hasn't been declared as better then the Galaxy S3 in many reviews, unlike previous iPhones with many again commenting on iOS and how it's exactly the same, in fact less, then previous versions with the removal of Maps etc.

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Nope. Their revenue from the App Store and iTunes is very small compared to their hardware. They pulled 40 billion in revenue in Q2, but only 1.9 billion from the App Store. 30% of that is 600 million or so? A small percentage compared to 40 billion.

http://www.appolicious.com/articles...asses-600k-apps-1-9-billion-in-revenue-for-q2

iTunes is even smaller.

https://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/2...6-billion-profit-on-46-33-billion-in-revenue/

You'd have thought with iPhone sales like that Apple would have actually moved Siri out of beta and also not launched a new beta map app! But neither link seem to specify exact app sales? Still you can see where the bulk comes from iPhone sales, I bet they have 100% mark up or more.

 

[Rogifan]

So the 30% cut Apple takes from every app sale and in app purchase is a myth then is it?
Apple could VERY confidently sell you an iPad for cost and STILL make multi billions of profit from it's apps.

You have some facts to back up that statement?

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Well it just shows how much Apple tax they slap on then and is yet ANOTHER reason why this mini iPad will be more then anyone thinks. $330 is too low an estimate, $350 to $400 is more likely.

What does the alleged "apple tax" have to do with anything? Numbers are what they are and Apple makes very little profit on content. Because content is a low margin business. Look at Amazon. Their profits are next to nothing.

 

[uknowimright]

Android?

what an unintelligent comment

 

[TopKatz]

I'm not saying anything about the price or what the product is yet because we still don't know. However everyone saying at 299 I would have but at 329 its to much that's just crazy. How is 30 the tipping point? I would gladly pay $30 more for the product I want.

 

[apolloa]

You have some facts to back up that statement?

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What does the alleged "apple tax" have to do with anything? Numbers are what they are and Apple makes very little profit on content. Because content is a low margin business. Look at Amazon. Their profits are next to nothing.

Horses mouth:

You get 70% of sales revenue

https://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/distribute.html

And Apple tax is the reason, obviously, they have so much money. If it isn't from apps or music which they sell tons of, then it's from high product mark ups.

Oh, and you should have refreshed the page before you replied

 

[rendevouspoo]

It will be tough to beat the nexus 7. The form factor combined with Jelly Beans tough to beat.

 

[timcullis]

Where is all this 8GB nonsense coming from? It will be 16, 32, 64 just like the iPod touch, iPhone 5, and iPad. It will be thin, light and beautiful. It will sell millions and demand will far outstrip production, so what is the point of a cheaper price? If everyone of everything you can make is sold, what more could Apple do?

Agreed. Assuming the 9to5Mac pricing is correct, if the base $329 model is just 8GB, the 16GB model would have be the next one up which is $429.

And at $429, the 16GB iPad mini would be more expensive than the 16GB iPad2 at $399 which clearly doesn't make sense. Ergo, the base model is 16GB and the other two are 32 and 64GB.

 

[ncbill]

How much money does Gillette make on the razor handles?

Both devices are designed to lock you into a specific ecosystem, where both companies take a substantial cut of any content you choose to consume.

How different do you think the iPad Mini's actual use will be from the Kindle?

One might be able to get some work done on the big iPad or on a Surface tablet (designed to easily add a keyboard), but on the smaller tablets one is realistically limited to little more than checking email.

Since both are for consumption, not production I see no significant difference, apart from whatever store you prefer, and there Amazon has the edge (more flexible licensing, cheaper content).

But the Kindle makes no money, it costs money with the hope, that they can earn with content. Apple on the other hand makes there money with the hardware, the content in the App store is only there to make the product more atractive. The money earned with that store stands in no relation to the earnings from the hardware.
Besides, the Kindle can not compete with the iPad on any level, they are different devices for a different purpose.

 

[gpat]

It will be tough to beat the nexus 7. The form factor combined with Jelly Beans tough to beat.

I see this iPad mini as a weak competitor on the market. But maybe it doesn't need to compete at all, because people rarely buy Apple because of value for money.
That actually makes me sad, because the competition will be seeing my money from now on. Pricing on Apple products is crazy in Europe.

 

[iBaloney]

is there anyone else whos disappointed at the lack of secrecy behind apple's future information/products since the death of steve?

 

[Rogifan]

Horses mouth:

You get 70% of sales revenue

https://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/distribute.html

And Apple tax is the reason, obviously, they have so much money. If it isn't from apps or music which they sell tons of, then it's from high product mark ups.

That's not the point. What you claimed is Apple could sell sell a tablet at cost and still make billions in profit from app/content sales. Where are the facts to back up that claim? Where are these billions in profit they're making off of content sales?

As far as this alleged "Apple tax" if you think the only reason Apple is so profitable is because they supposedly over charge you then you really are clueless. If people didn't think they were getting value for their money spent they'd spend it elsewhere. It's just like people who claim Apple's success is all down to marketing. Again, eventually people would catch on and the best marketing in the world couldn't continue to sell bad product.

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I see this iPad mini as a weak competitor on the market. But maybe it doesn't need to compete at all, because people rarely buy Apple because of value for money.
That actually makes me sad, because the competition will be seeing my money from now on. Pricing on Apple products is crazy in Europe.

People rarely buy Apple products because of value for money? How do you define value?

 

[freedevil]

Sadly, this will still sell out.

 

[Xiroteus]

8GB->16GB costs about $6 more in parts. Why would Apple draw negative attention to the product by making it under performing and over priced?

I forgot. Apple hates its customers.

Likely even less for them, it just seems like an odd place to go cheap. 8GB was not TOO bad four years ago on a portable device, these days it is such a joke, fancy screens and speed and two dollars in storage space.

 

[Nee412]

Why it is rubbish? And where is the complication of use?

Maybe I'm just used to iOS over Android, but I didn't like the set up. I only played with it for five minutes and maybe there is a way to set it otherwise. On the model I used had no direct links to the Chrome browser or media, apart from the obvious books, magazines, and such on the front page. Plus you have to press a button to access the apps. On my iPhone I have the apps I use on my home screen ready to use straight away. I even found unlocking more complicated than it needs to be.

However, granted these are my personal preferences and I don't know the OS inside out. Maybe 'rubbish' is too stronger word. I just don't think what I saw of it compares to iOS though.

So you didn't try the Galaxy Note 10.1 or the Asus Transformer Infinity then?

And fair enough if YOU found Jelly Bean complicated, but that does NOT make the OS 'rubbish', it is just your opinion.
And in the UK I bet you anything the iPad Mini will cost £300 and up at least, even at £280 it's too much.

Meh I don't care as come Christmas I'll be getting a 32GB Nexus 7 for a lot less! I like Android on a tablet, much more useful.

Oh and the screens, just don't compare a iPhone 4S or 5 next to a Galaxy S3, it may shock you. So don't assume an iPad Mini will offer a better screen.

I haven't tried the Transformer Infinity, but it isn't really applicable when talking about the iPad mini. Two different screen ranges and two different price ranges. Same with the Samsung Galaxy 10.1. Though I have tried that and it is alright as a tablet, but not to my taste.

I have also tried the iPhone 5 next to the Galaxy S3 and I now have an iPhone 5. I thought they were about the same, with the iPhone's smaller size, more robust / non-plastic feeling, and my existing app ecosystem from my iPhone 4 suiting my needs better. If you want a larger screen than the iPhone 5 the S3 is your only real worthwhile option in the UK.

The iPad mini screen may just fall short of the Nexus 7 screen. Which is what you're getting at. I reckon, not that I know, that the difference between the 32GB Nexus 7 and the 16GB iPad mini will be around £80. Worth it for a well built piece of design that suits my needs and can be part of my existing ecosystem. That's just my opinion.

 

[Krazy Bill]

is there anyone else whos disappointed at the lack of secrecy behind apple's future information/products since the death of steve?

Why does this bother you? Seriously, who cares and from a consumer's point of view (you), why wouldn't you want to know about things in the pipeline?

Sadly, this will still sell out.

Indeed it will. Most here are faulting Apple on the price but they forget something called "brand equity" which Apple literally owns. Were I in Cook's position, I'd have a hard time explaining to "the Board" why I priced the mini for bottom feeders.

This high priced iToy will be a hot item.

 

[gpat]

People rarely buy Apple products because of value for money? How do you define value?

I'll define it through a straight comparison.

If rumours turn out to be true, a 32GB iPad Mini will cost $529.
A Nexus 7 with the same memory size will cost $249, which is less than the half.

A Nexus 7 is widely recognized to be a pretty good tablet, so if I'm buying Apple for its value, the iPad mini will have to be more than twice as good a tablet, than the Nexus is. (Which I highly doubt, but YMMV).

Of course, other reasons for buying the iPad may be the presence of specific apps for one's need unavailable on Android (few cases), being tied to Apple's ecosystem (but most good apps for Android are free, so that applies only to some degree), or just liking Apple more to justify an otherwise unfavorable purchase.