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Steve Jobs Criticizes 7-Inch Tablets, Says 10-Inches Minimum

NebulaClash said:
LOL, he just totally dissed all of the coming competitors who went with 7" to save costs and because Apple was sucking up the supply of 10" screens.

How'd you like to be in the final stages of a 7" me-too tablet, and the whole world is about to reprint Steve's diss of the form factor...
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And just what difference does it make that he dissed the 7" screen? If those competitors can't sell their own product on their own merit and they have to fear that one person in this whole world (SJ) is going to say something negative and destroy their destiny before it begins then they shouldn't waste their time creating such a product.
 
macshark said:
Steve at a new product introduction some time next year:

"I did say that a 7" iPad will be difficult for application developers to work with last year. However, we solved all these issues with the great retina display on our new 7" iPad..."
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He addressed the resolution argument by I think saying that people would have to sandpaper their fingertips to properly interact with it.

Like I said, this denial was substantively different than past denials.
 
emotion said:
I've used all these on crowded trains. Trust me a 7" would work.

One reason the me too android tablets are all going 7" is that Gingerbread hasn't landed yet. A blown up phone looks ok on 7" (kinda).

I'm not saying that 9.6" is bad and I love my iPad but there is a point in a 7" form factor.
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Oh, I agree that a 7" would be nice, but it depends on developers supporting the size for it to really work. I'm not sure that will happen.

What you say makes sense about why the Android guys are picking 7" screens. Short-sighted approach, in my opinion. They are creating a generation of devices with their own obsolescence built in. Steve is right that Google does not recommend Android on a tablet yet. But they won't listen.
 
7" - Too Small

YEAH!!!

7" screen for a tablet device of any sort, my opinion, is lunacy... 4" is the top end of screen size for phones - seems that current iPad specs drive the 'reasonability' factor in that market.....

YEAH !!!!
 
Hahahaha!!!

Didn't he bash the EVO and Droid X (4.3") for being too big? Now 7" is too small?

If 7" is too small that people can't touch it... then how do people get by with the iPhone (3.5")?
 
jb1280 said:
He addressed the resolution argument by I think saying that people would have to sandpaper their fingertips to properly interact with it.

Like I said, this denial was substantively different than past denials.
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I agree, the way he said it makes it clear that Apple won't be making 7" iPads any time soon. 10" minimum means just that.
 
"Hold an iPad in portrait view and draw a horizontal line halfway down. What's left is a 7" screen...too small. There are clear limits to how close elements can be on the screen before users can't touch accurately. We believe 10-inch screen is minimum necessary."

he's just saying that to make the 7" tablets look inferior but there's no truth in it. the iphone has a much smaller screen and even with its higher pixel density and resolution people can touch it just fine.
 
ViViDboarder said:
If 7" is too small that people can't touch it... then how do people get by with the iPhone (3.5")?
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I already explained that in this thread. The 3.5" is the right size for software meant for that size. But the tablet software needs a bigger screen. 7" could work but you need a whole new set of software built just for 7" screens. Until then, it's not the right size for anything.
 
I guess I'm one in the few, where a 7inch tablet would be perfect. Screen size doesnt matter as much as functionality though. A 7inch (or 10 inch) tablet would suck (to me) if it could only do what a 4inch smartphone could. Thats just me though. Honestly, if you have the extra screen real estate (and I am assuming extra chassis real estate) add some more functions that would differentiate the tablet from a 4inch smartphone (not just screen size)...then I'm sold.
 
paul4339 said:
The consumer will be the judges. To me the 10" seems about right, but I wouldn't want to bet against 7" or 5" until I actually used and held one... I can understand why someone would want the additional portability, yet still be able to read/surf (comfortably).

it is nice that Jobs made a statement about the 7" rumors, though.
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It means nothing. A couple years ago, he's said that people don't read books anymore and wouldn't need a book reader, now he has an ebook store. Among other things.

My complaint about the iPad's size is that it's hard to thumb type even in portrait mode. Using one arm to cradle the iPad while typing with the other hand is awkward and incredibly slow. Setting it down on a table to type rocks the tablet, leaving thumb typing the best but still very awkward way to enter text, short of buying a separate keyboard, at which point a notebook might be better.

WiiDSmoker said:
He also said there was no reason for video on the iPod a few days before the iPod Video.
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I don't know about a few days, I only remember a year, he said that when he introduced the iPod photo, it was more than half a year before the first iPod video was introduced.
 
NebulaClash said:
NO, no, no! Don't use this as an excuse to trash iPhones!

The smaller screen works for iPhones because of the apps on it that work well in that size.

The 10" screen works well for iPads because of the specialized apps on it that work well in that size (and would not work as well on an iPhone).

What will the 7" tablets run? Blown-up phone apps that look ugly? Crunched down tablet apps that don't run touch very well because of the squeezing?

It would be fine if 7" tablets came out and then there was a dedicated development ecosystem that created apps specialized for the 7" screens. I'm sure the Android tablet makers are hoping for just that. Maybe that will happen. Steve Jobs bets it won't.

I don't bet against Steve Jobs.

A year from now when all the me-toos are switching to 10" and higher, those developers who dove into the 7" market are going to be pissed. Unless Steve Jobs is wrong about this.

I don't guess against Steve Jobs.
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Umm... iOS developers started developing apps for the iPhone and iPad. If you used classic iPhone apps on the iPad all the time it'd be just as stupid.

Why would it be any different with Android developers? I don't see any reason why Steve Jobs would be right about that. There will be developers for whatever screen size is on the market and whatever is selling.
 
I'm wondering if the markets other than cashing out on the news (400,000 stocks sold the first minute after the trading stoppage was lifted), was on iPad numbers, and then the 'bounce' stopped, when Steve announced no 7". Trader/Analysts are weird, and I could see them think that AAPL will be exposed if they can't put a $350 iPad out there to keep all the $299 7" from getting under their 'pricing umbrella.'
 
NebulaClash said:
Oh, I agree that a 7" would be nice, but it depends on developers supporting the size for it to really work. I'm not sure that will happen.

What you say makes sense about why the Android guys are picking 7" screens. Short-sighted approach, in my opinion. They are creating a generation of devices with their own obsolescence built in. Steve is right that Google does not recommend Android on a tablet yet. But they won't listen.
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Seems we mostly agree.

I think we're early in the genesis of tablets as the dominant form factor for computing. There's sure to be every size and smart ways for apps to scale interface according to size.

I just have to say that Jobs is just flogging what he has on his stall today. I mean, why wouldn't he? :)
 
I never believed the 7" rumors to begin with.

And I don't agree with a lot of Steve's decisions, but this one I do. 9.7" is a nice goldilocks size for a tablet, not too big, not too small.
 
7" too small?

There are clear limits to how close elements can be on the screen before users can't touch accurately. We believe 10-inch screen is minimum necessary.
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Except for the iPhone's 3.5" screen!
 
TorontoLRT said:
Thank God we're not getting a 7'!
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I could not agree more.. that would have been so damn embarrassing....:eek:

In a follow up conversation, rumor has it that Steve is going to end the incredible travesty of having so many cars to choose from.

Just one will be made going forward. Thankfully it will have 10" wheels to save on tire costs.
 
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