Production of 7.85-Inch iPad Reportedly Moving Closer as More Suppliers Named

[nagromme]

This makes little sense, except it one (possible I suppose) important scenario. If the regular iPad’s screen manufacturing is a bottleneck, more than other components, then that limits the number of people Apple can reach. If a totally different screen can be made in vast quantities by different factories/lines without too much harm to the full-size screen quantities, then fragmenting the iPad line in this way could hugely increase sales by removing the bottleneck. That could, possibly, be worth the downsides.

 

[the8thark]

I doubt it.

Quoted for truth.

Apple would be mad to release another size of iPad or other tablet like this. I doubt they will. Sure they probably have a prototype at Apple HQ. But for sale? A very bad idea indeed.

And a 2nd iPad release date in the same year?
Another not going to happen.

Everyone (MacRumors included on numerous occasions) said there would be a 2nd iPad release in 2011. Though the then CEO (steve Jobs) said "2011 year of the iPad 2". And to no surprise everyone who believed this was wrong and the Apple CEO was right.

Of cause the Apple CEO was correct. Why anyone would believe some half-baked rumour over the direct words of the Apple CEO is beyond me. I do not understand how some people can be that foolish.

So will there be a 2nd iPad release in 2012? No. The best guess is that iPad 3 will come in a few days and no new iPad after that to 2013 at the earliest. But if this tablet is an iTouch-large then that'd be silly. Cause the same size for iTouch and iPhone is very good for developers.

So my verdict on this rumour?
Total BS. Apple will stick with for the foreseeable future their winning product line up. Just improved roughly every year.

 

[nuckinfutz]

This makes little sense, except it one (possible I suppose) important scenario. If the regular iPad’s screen manufacturing is a bottleneck, more than other components, then that limits the number of people Apple can reach. If a totally different screen can be made in vast quantities by different factories/lines without too much harm to the full-size screen quantities, then fragmenting the iPad line in this way could hugely increase sales by removing the bottleneck. That could, possibly, be worth the downsides.

Yup ...chances are the Retina display for the iPad is going to be tough to manufacture in huge numbers. The potential fault here is Q4..if there's an iPad mini as an option it gives Apple leverage and keeps people in the iOS ecosystem which is where the money is.

Let's not forget this is Apple against EVERY Android competitor. They don't have the luxury of sitting back and letting markets get established by others.

----------

Quoted for truth.

Apple would be mad to release another size of iPad or other tablet like this. I doubt they will. Sure they probably have a prototype at Apple HQ. But for sale? A very bad idea indeed.

You guys really need to keep your posts a little shorter LOL. Way too much content here for me to mull over.

 

[D.T.]

More Likely Small iPad: 1920x1280 @ 7.85 = 293.96 ppi

Makes lots of sense. I'd bet on it.

Except iPads so far have been ~1.33 aspect ratio, and that’s a resolution scaled up from an iPhone which is 1.5 ratio. Not to say they might not go that way, but I think Apple’s tablet design is for a wider product (for better use in portrait mode).

 

[ericrwalker]

Apple would be mad to release another size of iPad or other tablet like this. I doubt they will. Sure they probably have a prototype at Apple HQ. But for sale? A very bad idea indeed.

I'd buy it, and my wife also said she wishes the iPad was just a little smaller. They'd be mad not to release one for sale.

 

[the8thark]

I'd buy it, and my wife also said she wishes the iPad was just a little smaller. They'd be mad not to release one for sale.

We can agree to disagree. And Apple billions of profits say the current lineup without a mid sized machine is working well for them.

There is a lot of mid sized tablets out there. You can purchase those. Lots of choice. All not Apple products though.

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You guys really need to keep your posts a little shorter LOL. Way too much content here for me to mull over.

Sorry mate.
But that's how some of us roll. We post few posts but each one has a lot of content.

 

[ericrwalker]

Of course they are doing well, the iPad is a great product. Doesn't mean that a one size fits is the best option.

We can agree to disagree. And Apple billions of profits say the current lineup without a mid sized machine is working well for them.

There is a lot of mid sized tablets out there. You can purchase those. Lots of choice. All not Apple products though.

----------



Sorry mate.
But that's how some of us roll. We post few posts but each one has a lot of content.

 

[nuckinfutz]

I'd buy it, and my wife also said she wishes the iPad was just a little smaller. They'd be mad not to release one for sale.

Don't worry it'll happen. The naysayers points center around

1. A departed Steve Jobs comments
2. Fragmentation mythology
3. Inability to see any needs beyond their own.

Reality is more likely

Apple owns the highest volume media store in the land
They just built a huge data center and are looking to build another
iCloud makes it easy to add devices and manage them

All logical signs point to these rumors being true.

 

[xoggyux]

Don't care about Digitimes really but when I start to see others talking about 7.85 iPads I start to listen a bit more.

Then I ask myself does a smaller iPad make sense and it does to me provided it offers a couple of things.

1. Cheaper price. $299 entry.
2. Good battery and display
3. Decent gaming performance
4. Less weight

Not everyone wants to carry around over a pound especially if you plan to do some reading.

add to that list:

5. Real magic
6. Button for instant leprecon and/or santa

Not everyone wants to carry around over a pound especially if you plan to do some reading.

I don't know if you have noticed but pretty much most of the books in existence already weight more than the ipad and neither of those books have access to the interwebs. My anatomy textbook weights about the same as 8-9 ipads =)

 

[nuckinfutz]

add to that list:

5. Real magic
6. Button for instant leprecon and/or santa

7. Unicorn Farts

 

[ericrwalker]

I don't know if you have noticed but pretty much most of the books in existence already weight more than the ipad and neither of those books have access to the interwebs. My anatomy textbook weights about the same as 8-9 ipads =)

You are talking school text books. I think others might be referring to books people read for enjoyment. (paperbacks).

 

[ABernardoJr]

Don't care about Digitimes really but when I start to see others talking about 7.85 iPads I start to listen a bit more.

Then I ask myself does a smaller iPad make sense and it does to me provided it offers a couple of things.

1. Cheaper price. $299 entry.
2. Good battery and display
3. Decent gaming performance
4. Less weight

Not everyone wants to carry around over a pound especially if you plan to do some reading.

I know, how can anyone ever get along with carrying over a pound? Such a travesty. That's like, 15 oz too heavy.

 

[lilo777]

I know, how can anyone ever get along with carrying over a pound? Such a travesty. That's like, 15 oz too heavy.

It's not the weight by itself it's the weight rated against what it allows you to do. Since iPads are used mostly for web browsing, social media and some gaming, all this could be done just as well with a lighter device. It's hard to justify hauling such a heavy tablet when the extra size and weight does not offer any meaningful advantages (compared, say, to Galaxy Tab 7.7)

 

[tonytiger13]

People want convenience. Thats all there is to it. If the 7.8 tablet is more convenient to take out, carry around, and hold for a prolonged amount of time, you bet there are people who will want one. BTW, most people just use a tablet for media consumption, so the 10 inch ipad is less convenient, yet not more useful for them.

How many people is the question and is Apple willing to waste their time if it's not enough people. Filling niche's isn't Apple's thing. They don't change products to appease a small market. If it's the future of computing in their opinion, they'll do it. Apple doesn't do market research in the traditional sense (read Steve's Bio), they are intelligent enough to figure out what the people want because it's something THEY would want (many times before the people knew they wanted it themselves).

 

[xoggyux]

You are talking school text books. I think others might be referring to books people read for enjoyment. (paperbacks).

my point is, only tiny books with less than 200 pages or so are really considerable ligher than the ipad or any other eReader. Most importantly, comparing the ipad to a book is not the most accurate comparison, try comparing it with a whole library, how many libraries can you put in your backpack?
Also I dont believe the ipad is an eReader, at least it is not its primary, most important, reason to exist. You want a nice eReader that is better an cheaper than the ipad? get the kindle (the cheap one, the Black and white one) that is the best device out there for a real hardcore reader. Kindle fire, ipad, samsung galaxy, etc those do not compare favorable with the original kindle as a reader device. They are harder on the eye and the battery life is wasted in burning up your retinas.
The ipad should remain focused on what it is, a media consumption device. Everything else are "alternate" functions. Reading is secondary to web-browsing in the ipad. Don't get me wrong, I believe is a good tool for reading, but its definitely not the best and won't be the best either even if it existed in a 5" or 6" or 7" inches version. For more than casual reading the original Black and White kindle blows the ipad away.

 

[ABernardoJr]

It's not the weight by itself it's the weight rated against what it allows you to do. Since iPads are used mostly for web browsing, social media and some gaming, all this could be done just as well with a lighter device. It's hard to justify hauling such a heavy tablet when the extra size and weight does not offer any meaningful advantages (compared, say, to Galaxy Tab 7.7)

I can see where people are making their arguments but I figure the issue for me is that the iPad was never "heavy" to begin with. I'm thinking the way things have gotten so light as it is, people are starting to go overboard with how "light" or even "thin" something is. I can imagine some people getting upset over the supposed extra .8 mm of thickness of the iPad 3, and I just don't get how people would really argue that 1.3 pounds is too heavy or maybe how .8 mm of extra thickness would be too much.

Not saying both groups overlap or anything but just making an observation that turned into a rant lol

 

[the8thark]

Don't worry it'll happen. The naysayers points center around

1. A departed Steve Jobs comments
2. Fragmentation mythology
3. Inability to see any needs beyond their own.

Reality is more likely

Apple owns the highest volume media store in the land
They just built a huge data center and are looking to build another
iCloud makes it easy to add devices and manage them

All logical signs point to these rumors being true.

I point to:

1. Product fragmentation
2. Product canabilisation (some people would buy an iPad mini instead of an iPad proper)
3. Developer fragmentation. As in having to develop apps for yet another screen size.
4. Additional costs to design and have manufactured another size of iPad. And the profits for this are not guaranteed. All of the competitors inbetween sized tables didn't exactly sell all that well.
5. I'm sure people like Tim Cook, Sir Jonny Ive, Scott Forstall and more still all agree with Jobs old statement that inbetween sized tablets served no real purpose.

So for these reasons I say a inbetween sized iPad is not the right move for Apple at the current time. in the future it might be the way to go. But now it's not right.

And yes fragmentation is real. And not a myth. Just look at the Android universe. Product fragmentation id alive and well there. And it's not a good thing for Android. Just one example.

 

[nuckinfutz]

I know, how can anyone ever get along with carrying over a pound? Such a travesty. That's like, 15 oz too heavy.

Wow was this your Mensa entry? I'm duly impressed by your powers of observation. You so keenly pulled out a portion of my post to inject your snark. And finished it off with that oh so clever roll eyes emotion. Gold star coming your way!

I point to:

1. Product fragmentation
2. Product canabilisation (some people would buy an iPad mini instead of an iPad proper)
3. Developer fragmentation. As in having to develop apps for yet another screen size.
4. Additional costs to design and have manufactured another size of iPad. And the profits for this are not guaranteed. All of the competitors inbetween sized tables didn't exactly sell all that well.

So for these reasons I say a inbetween sized iPad is not the right move for Apple at the current time. in the future it might be the way to go. But now it's not right.

And yes fragmentation is real. And not a myth. Just look at the Android universe. Product fragmentation id alive and well there. And it's not a good thing for Android. Just one example.

1 Overused. Android fragmentation is based on a wide variance in Operating Systems. Display fragmentation is far less of a problem because artwork can be scaled or supplied at different resolutions

2. LOL. Will these actually get harder. Tim Cook quote 2/14/2012 “I think that iPad has cannibalized some Mac sales. And the way that we always view cannibalization is that we’d prefer to do it"

3. LOL the 7.85 screen has the SAME resolution that the current iPad has. Apps need no modification to run.

4. Pie in sky conjecture.


I didn't think you knew what you were talking about and you just proved it.

 

[ericrwalker]

So if there is a "perfect" size for the iPad who's to say there isn't a perfect size for a MBP or MBA?

Why doesn't Apple just release one size notebook and one size iMac. Then the sales for the size would be much higher. This logic is the same logic people are using for not allowing another iPad size.

 

[iSee]

Hypothetically, if given the choice, do you think you would prefer:

- a 7.8" iPad form factor
Or
- a 7.8 iPod form factor (no side bezel)... a more bit like a kindle in shape.

Would you prefer:

- less expensive but less memory and more dependent on iCloud
Or
- more expensive but more local memory

.

I *think* you could get rid of the bezel on a 7.8" screen because it would be comfortable enough to hold at the bottom... But I'm not sure. If it was unweildly like that then you'd need the bezel... or go down a little in size.

Regarding the memory, I guess Apple has made that a choice customers can make, so I think they'd do the same here.

 

[xoggyux]

3. LOL the 7.85 screen has the SAME resolution that the current iPad has. Apps need no modification to run.

True. But Apple already committed to retina display in the ipod, iphone line, rummors say (and to be honest at this point I think its 99.999999% true, we only need 2 more days to wait and see) that the next ipad will also be retina. And last but not least, there are additional rumors about higher resolution macbook pros, etc. So if they dont make it retina display it would be the only product in the iOS line without retina display (perhaps even the only product in apple to not have retina display if the MBP and MBA rumors turn out to be accurate.) That does not sound like apple to me...
Also, for the most part, apple spends the first few months following a product introduction trying to catch up with demand, they probably sell each single unit they produce within a weak during the first few months.. Why would they hinder production of their most popular products to introduce a product which only difference to the old product is that someone pressed the 75% magnify button in the fotocopy?

 

[knucklehead]

I point to:
So for these reasons I say a inbetween sized iPad is not the right move for Apple at the current time. in the future it might be the way to go. But now it's not right.

Later this year is in the future -- isn't it?

 

[iSee]

It's not the weight by itself it's the weight rated against what it allows you to do. Since iPads are used mostly for web browsing, social media and some gaming, all this could be done just as well with a lighter device. It's hard to justify hauling such a heavy tablet when the extra size and weight does not offer any meaningful advantages (compared, say, to Galaxy Tab 7.7)

The additional screen size offers very siginificant advantages. I think there's plenty of room in the lineup for a 7.85" iPad, but it would not come close to replacing the 9.8" version. All of those things you mention are much better with more screen space than a 7.85" offers. Also, you left personal video viewing off the list, which the iPad is great at.

 

[zephyrnoid]

Well, if the form-factor of the 'new device' is a reality, then we may be inching closer to the rest of my wish list. Let's see.
- 7" formfactor. CHECK
- Wireless input for monitoring HD video
- HDMI input for hard wired HD video monitoring
- SDHC Media slot
- totally flat back surface

How am I doing?

 

[Apple...]

Doubt it. "Digitimes" says it all...