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Part Numbers Reveal Apple's Plan for 24 Different 'iPad Mini' Models [Updated x2]

lewisdorigo said:
I'd point out that P101 and P103 also have "BTR" in their part numbers, while P105 and P107 do not.

I'd, therefore, speculate thusly:


  • ....
  • P101 and P103, would be Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular, with Retina Displays, making them "Better" than P105 and P107.
Thoughts?

As for pricing, I'd speculate starting at $249.
+ $50 for more storage.
+ $100 for Cellular.
+ $100 for Retina.
Click to expand...

+$100 for Retina is unlikely. Pragmatically "Retina" means pixel doubling in the context of Apple. Pushing the 7.8" screen to the same number of pixels as the iPad 2012 would mean driving into the 400+ ppi zone. I don't believe that is going to happen for under $100 with Apple's margins built in. In fact, not sure if there are any over 7" screens with that resolution at all even in demonstrations.

Just taking the number of vertical and horizontal pixels from the 9" iPad 2 down to 7.8" is going to increase the ppi. In that "Retina" sense, just shrinking the screen is already "Retina". I'm not sure the point of "Super Duper Retina" at 400 ppi.

The LTE frequency space is fragmented. Apple can't really get around that since they don't own it or provide it. "BTR" , better, could count just as easily mean frequency coverage ( from a specific perspective).
 
If that lowest end model ends up being only $199 then Apple will have effectively decimated the competition on the tablet market. The Kindle Fire took the largest chunk of tablet marketshare from Apple recently and it was mostly due to price. This might break Amazon in the tablet space.

I couldn't justify buying an iPad for myself at $400. Just couldn't find a significant use for it. At $199 I'm sure I can use it for something.
 
8/16/32

Retina* (not sure what this looks like - to qualify, they need 264 ppi)

EDIT: With a 16:9 ratio the "retina" resolution of a 7.85" iPad mini would need to be in the neighborhood of full 1080p (1920x1080). With the traditional iPad's 4:3 ratio, the resolution would need to be roughly 1600x1200. These are the closest standard resolutions I could find to make the iPad mini "retina".

White/Black

Wifi Only/+CDMA/+GSM

Starting at $249
 
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I bet that the four models are four colors.
Black, White, Grey, (product) Red, or maybe 3 bright colors and white.

Good, Better, Best is 16GB, 32GB, 64GB like the rest of the line.

And A/B is Wifi Only / LTE

I doubt Apple is going to have four different connectivity combinations!

Apple wants to keep it very simple.

So, people will see this as ONE iPad Mini product, with three options- choose its color, choose its capacity, and whether you want LTE or not. That's not so confusing.

But four different models with different capacities across 4 connectivity options? Way too confusing.

----------
Mr Hill said:
The Kindle Fire took the largest chunk of tablet marketshare from Apple recently and it was mostly due to price.
Click to expand...

I'm not aware of any actual numbers for the kindle fire. Only that Amazon sold 5 million kindles over the course of the year, and likely most of those were the cheaper ones... and even then it seems like a small product.

Of course, android fans have been claiming, for the past year, even though Amazon never released any actual sales numbers, that the kindle fire was selling great....

I think they do this because if you tell a lie often enough, people will start to believe it.
 
deconstruct60 said:
+$100 for Retina is unlikely. Pragmatically "Retina" means pixel doubling in the context of Apple. Pushing the 7.8" screen to the same number of pixels as the iPad 2012 would mean driving into the 400+ ppi zone. I don't believe that is going to happen for under $100 with Apple's margins built in. In fact, not sure if there are any over 7" screens with that resolution at all even in demonstrations. .
Click to expand...

The rumours have Apple using the same display tech as the pre-retina iPhones for the iPad Mini: a 1024x768 display at the same pixel density as pre-retina iPhones works out at 7.85".

A Retina iPad Mini, then, would use the same display tech as Retina iPhones at 326PPI, and at 2048x1536 would be 7.85".

Apple have gotten very good at making 326PPI displays in the past 2 years. I'm sure the yield rate for a 7.85" one would be high enough for them to be able to do it.

It's a $100 increase from the iPad 2 to the iPad 3, so I don't see it as much of a stretch to assume the same price increase for an iPad Mini with Retina Display.
 
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1. WiFi-Only
2. LTE (GSM model) for Band 4 & 17.
3. LTE (CDMA model) for Band 1, 3, 5, 13, 25.
4. LTE (GSM model) for Band 1, 3, 5.

:D
 
apolloa said:
Ignore them all! NO ONE KNOWS THE PRICES. All leaks are BS, ONLY Apple knows the price.

----------------------------------------------------

And as for the 8GB model being a Kindle Fire HD killer... hmm well as Amazon stated 8GB is DEAD! Hence the 16GB starting point.
Click to expand...

just wait and see ;)
 
teknikal90 said:
I'm just gonna say it... Screw lightning!
Click to expand...

I am an iPhone 5 and iPad 2 owner. Yeah, it's annoying for now. But they couldn't use that old 30 pin connector forever, and this really is better in the long run. There will be some growing pains, but progress requires that sometimes. As long as they stick with this for a good long time, it was a good move.
 
it's marketing principles which Microsoft never learn, isn't it?
Samsung making huge discounts over the online sales
blackberry selling for much lower prices
Google doing ok with nexus
amazon doing amazingly good job in terms of tablet selling
and now apple releasing it's more "approachable" tablets. Microsoft still having negatively overwhelmed tablet delivery, they haw money but no simple market understanding. (or it's just me??)
 
Without the 3 LTE variants, Apple will just screw themselves in terms of sales outside of USA.

The world is not just about USA and the potential sales to be tap on isn't in USA at all.

So, without the 3 LTE variants, iPad Mini will just not sell well outside of USA, same like the fate which 'the new iPad' (aka iPad 3) suffered outside of USA due to its LTE non-compatibility.
 
kingtj said:
I gotta admit, I'm starting to shake my head and wonder how much sense it really makes for Apple to maintain this many versions of essentially the same product.

I mean, if they would have only designed the iPad so the back cover was possible to unsnap, they could have made custom memory upgrade modules and cellular upgrade modules for them.

Then you'd only have to sell a black and a white version of the iPad mini and regular size iPad. Buy one with 16GB and wi-fi only as the standard configuration and add your choice of upgrade modules if you want anything over and above that. Since they'd have to be custom boards, Apple could still charge enough mark-up on them so they'd make the same amount of money they make now on upgraded models -- but they wouldn't be stuck in situations where retail stores are out of models people desire, and have too much stock of ones that are selling too slowly for them.
Click to expand...

If you look at the mobile line including MBP's, everything is milled from aluminum plate/bar to minimize assembly height and maximize structural integrity (the iPod Touch looks like a formed sheet part). Putting any kind of cover on one of these will reduce structural integrity and that will add weight and bulk to compensate for the cover cutout.

Then there are the added connectors, which compromise reliability and add more bulk.

Very unlikely to ever happen.
 
If they actually start at 8gb and charge a full $100 for the upgrade to 16gb that'll be a joke! Especially when they offer 32>64 for the same price on other products.
 
azdude said:
P101: WiFi only
P103: GSM (USA) + LTE (Bands 4 and 17)
P105: CDMA + LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25)
P107: GSM (world) + LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5)

...just as it is on the iPhone 5.
Click to expand...

I think it'll be something like this. 4 connectivity models x 3 capacities x 2 colours.

It doesn't make sense to update the 3rd gen iPad to lightning now, when it's due for an update in Marchish, I don't think there will be different display types either. Too confusing!
 
QCassidy352 said:
I am an iPhone 5 and iPad 2 owner. Yeah, it's annoying for now. But they couldn't use that old 30 pin connector forever, and this really is better in the long run. There will be some growing pains, but progress requires that sometimes. As long as they stick with this for a good long time, it was a good move.
Click to expand...

Totally agrees. I can understand and accept the "lightning" change as long as it's going to be an investment for a good 8-10 years.

If we look at it from an ROI perspective, it's already way better than any of those other smartphone brands out there who are forever changing connectors and charger within a short less than handful of years.
 
Why don't i just go to 9to5Mac? :D

----------

The new connector thing is painful but well worth it IMHO
 
kralnor said:
Pricing already leaked, 8gb/wifi only is the "cheap" kindle fire killer.
Click to expand...

The $249 Euros leak? That's around $299 after adjustment and VAT factored out. $299 isn't going to compete heavily with $199. That's a 33% increase in cost versus the 7" models. This is much more competition for the Kindle 9" model than the 7" models; which are in that price zone. It isn't going to 'kill' any of the 7" models at all. Not any more than the 7" models are killing the iPad. They are didn't product segments.
 
I want more... I mean less!!!!!!!!!

I'm not a techno-ego-maniac - meaning I don't feel like a better, smarter person based on how many devices I carry around. I'm simple, pragmatic and functional. I carry a simple MacBook Air because it is light and easy to carry, holds a charge for HOURS.

Recently, I've inventoried the devices I have in my bag and pocket. I have the original iPad and an iPhone 4S. And it just hit me. I have too much stuff. The iPad perfectly capable of receiving calls. I have my bluetooth headset on all the time anyway so I am reachable. Why can't Apple just turn the iPad into a Pad that has a phone. Yeah, it may mean that they don't sell as many duplicative devices but it would mean they would keep this customer.

I'm sure there are many others out there like me. We bought Macs (iMac, MBA, and MBP) along with iPad and iPhone. We LOVE how everything integrates. But now, it's all getting a bit heavy - in every since of the word - not to mention expensive. With Windows 8 on the horizon and a SamSung Galaxy Note in reality, life just seems simpler to stop waiting for Apple to get their heads... well, back on their shoulders.

I see the mini-iPad as the last opportunity they have to combine the iPhone and iPad. If that's not the reality next Tuesday, you won't have to worry about me posting here again. I'll be a FORMER Apple customer.

Regards!
 
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