This is the end of 9.7" iPad era

[k995]

I don't think so. There will be markets for both form factors. Especially if Apple limits the "premium" features (like Retina display) to a 9.7" model. 7.85" will be an entry-level iPad and 9.7" will be a high-end model.

Anyway, there is no such thing as "cannibalizing" your own products - it's a silly made up concept. Prior to 7" iPad - those who desire a smaller form factor just give their money to Google for Nexus 7. Now, Apple can compete for these customers and get the revenues that would otherwise go to Google and Amazon.

I think it was Steve Jobs himself who said once - "if you are too afraid to cannibalize your products - your competitor will do it for you".

Thats not true , its easier for compaies to think that way becuase they like to put people into categorys .

But people wanting a tablet and perhaps preferring the 7" formfactor but buying 9.7" because they like ios or have an iphone or whatever will sooner turn tothe smaller tablet, costing apple profit margin on the more epensive product.

 

[mac jones]

The Mini will have a 7.85" screen at 4:3 aspect ratio, meaning it will be 40% bigger than the 7" 16:9 screens on the nexus and kindles.

This will be a great in the middle, which is why I am psyched.

I agree with the ratio. The longer screens annoy me.
But the bottom line is this:

I WILL beat you to the pre-order. Mark my words

 

[slch]

No way, the 7-8" displays are better for nothing but reading and holding the device with one hand (I had a N7 and sold it to get an iPad).

I think people at Apple really cracked it with the first design. 4:3 is worse for watching movies, but far better for other purposes, and around 10" is THE SIZE for a non windows based personal display (would be too small for a MacBook for instance).

I see millions of people buying the iPad mini because of the price and the novelty but i guess they will be soon deceived beause of the small size to play games and browse the web (in general mobile-based webs are too simple and normal webs are too complicated for 7").

As always there is a third point. ¿How many apps will be "natively" compatible with this device if the screen resolution is new? ¿Is this the year of the black bars? It it shares the resolution with the iPad2 ¿won't be the graphical resources too small?

I see lots of people decided to buy this new device, but I think they've not asked themselves those questions yet.

 

[barkomatic]

Why would anyone barring those with excess cash reserves to buy both pretty much just for the heck of it need to buy both?

Several posters on Macrumors have stated they will do just this. They claim their full sized iPad will be used only at home--because, you know its so HEAVY right? While the iPad mini will be the portable version. I think its more than a little excessive as well, but there you have it.

 

[knemonic]

I agree with the ratio. The longer screens annoy me.
But the bottom line is this:

I WILL beat you to the pre-order. Mark my words

Doubt it. I sit on a computer at work all day long. I will be pre-ordering it before the event is even over.

 

[mac jones]

Doubt it. I sit on a computer at work all day long. I will be pre-ordering it before the event is even over.

I think these may sell out quickly, but there may be quite a few versions, so who knows which ones will sell out first. Probably the cheapest one. Don't know.

Should be fun

 

[ctyrider]

Thats not true , its easier for compaies to think that way becuase they like to put people into categorys .

But people wanting a tablet and perhaps preferring the 7" formfactor but buying 9.7" because they like ios or have an iphone or whatever will sooner turn tothe smaller tablet, costing apple profit margin on the more epensive product.

It's better for Apple to lose the profit margin on the more expensive product, then to lose the entire customer to a competitor.

Clearly, many people desire a smaller form-factor and lower-cost tablets. Those people will never spend $600 on a 9.7" iPad. Apple can either lose those customers to Google and Amazon, or they can keep them as Apple customers by offering them Mini.

 

[Night Spring]

Doubt it. I sit on a computer at work all day long. I will be pre-ordering it before the event is even over.

They usually don't open pre-orders until after the event is over.

 

[knemonic]

They usually don't open pre-orders until after the event is over.

When the ipad 3 was being debuted, I was able to nearly checkout in the iPhone Apple Store App. They had updated that before the website, while the event was still going on.

 

[Jinzen]

Aren't they different devices?

In the same way you have 13" Macbook Pro and 15" Macbook Pro. They have different uses and appeal to different people.

No, they have the same use that appeals to different preferences. I do think the smaller iPad is more preferable as an additional device to most people.

----------

Several posters on Macrumors have stated they will do just this. They claim their full sized iPad will be used only at home--because, you know its so HEAVY right? While the iPad mini will be the portable version. I think its more than a little excessive as well, but there you have it.

I'm getting rid of mine as long as the mini has LTE which it should. Problem is one handed reading is not much better on the 7 class tablets and that's all tablets are really good at.

 

[stuaz]

No, they have the same use that appeals to different preferences. I do think the smaller iPad is more preferable as an additional device to most people.

Thats just being pedantic - the fact remains they won't cannibalise each other.

 

[jcliden]

no way. the ipad is the perfect size. not as portable as the 7" tablets but they are too small. iPad is perfect size for watching movies, reading ebooks, surfing the net, etc.

 

[Jinzen]

Thats just being pedantic - the fact remains they won't cannibalise each other.

Yes. They will.

No one buys both a 13 and 15 MacBook Pro. No one is going to buy both iPads.

 

[Jinzen]

no way. the ipad is the perfect size. not as portable as the 7" tablets but they are too small. iPad is perfect size for watching movies, reading ebooks, surfing the net, etc.

If the iPad was your only portable device, that would be true.

Most people have laptops and iPhones, so the 2x iPad sizes will give them an option for preference with device size and use ability.

I don't like reading books for very long on my iPad. It's too big for that. Kindle size is perfect as are most books that are printed in smaller paperback sizes.

 

[MrMacBookPro]

----------

[/COLOR]

I'm getting rid of mine as long as the mini has LTE which it should. Problem is one handed reading is not much better on the 7 class tablets and that's all tablets are really good at.[/QUOTE]

lets hope the ipad 4 for 2013 9.7'' will have LTE...

 

[sinser]

I don't care about the mini. I like the 9.7" iPad way too much. I mostly use it to read comics and ebooks and the size for that is just perfect. I also like that the size reminds me of a copybook.

 

[k995]

It's better for Apple to lose the profit margin on the more expensive product, then to lose the entire customer to a competitor.

The issue is with customers already locked in the apple ecoo system

Clearly, many people desire a smaller form-factor and lower-cost tablets. Those people will never spend on a 9.7" iPad. Apple can either lose those customers to Google and Amazon, or they can keep them as Apple customers by offering them Mini.

And the mini will be a lot cheaper? You dont seem to know apple.

250$ nexus 7 (and a 99$ version on the way) you dont even have an ipod touch for that with apple.

 

[GoodBoy]

I see millions of people buying the iPad mini because of the price and the novelty but i guess they will be soon deceived beause of the small size to play games and browse the web (in general mobile-based webs are too simple and normal webs are too complicated for 7").

Too small? Are you serious? Is PSVita's 5" too small for gaming? Is 3DS or 3DS XL too small for gaming? Don't forget milions of people still play on their 3,5" iPhones and iPod touches. You're justyfying your decition not to get the mini, and the excuses not to do it are pretty lame tbh. For me 10" tablet is nonsense. If I want to use this size I turn on not so much bigger 12" netbook and have a lot more real-estate experience when browsing web and doing practically everything else. When it comes to tablets they have to be smaller than netbook, more pocketable and light. iPad 9,7" is heavy and very exhausting when used for more than half an hour.

I see lots of people decided to buy this new device, but I think they've not asked themselves those questions yet.

Yeah right... Keep making excuses... Guess what tens of milions will get the iPad mini and be totally happy

----------

And the mini will be a lot cheaper? You dont seem to know apple.

250$ nexus 7 (and a 99$ version on the way) you dont even have an ipod touch for that with apple.

Apple doesn't have to sell for the same prices like Google etc. Apple can easyliy put cheap-tablet competition to grave just by making a slightly more expensive product. Tons of people will be willing to pay additional 50-100$ for iOS, Apple logo, better design and trend-value.

 

[slch]

Too small? Are you serious? Is PSVita's 5" too small for gaming? Is 3DS or 3DS XL too small for gaming? Don't forget milions of people still play on their 3,5" iPhones and iPod touches. You're justyfying your decition not to get the mini, and the excuses not to do it are pretty lame tbh. For me 10" tablet is nonsense. If I want to use this size I turn on not so much bigger 12" netbook and have a lot more real-estate experience when browsing web and doing practically everything else. When it comes to tablets they have to be smaller than netbook, more pocketable and light. iPad 9,7" is heavy and very exhausting when used for more than half an hour.


Yeah right... Keep making excuses... Guess what tens of milions will get the iPad mini and be totally happy

No offense, it's just my opinion after several weeks using a nexus 7. I'm not trying to justify anything or convince anyone.

Maybe the iPad Mini is getting many more optimized apps vs Google's tablet, but I realized I was always using my laptop for hard tasks and my phone for checking email, twitter, light browsing and so on. That's just because IMHO the 7" form factor did not add any value against my 4.5" smartphone. I think the full-sized iPad does so.

 

[scupking]

It's funny how everyone calls this a 7" device when it's closer to an 8" device. It will be bigger the the 7" tablets on the market. It will be a great device but I like the size of my IPad 3.

 

[ctyrider]

The issue is with customers already locked in the apple ecoo system

No one is really "locked" into anything. I have switched back and forth between Apple ad Android ecosystems several times in the last 5 years. And more importantly, 7" tablets appeal to first time tablet buyers, most of them don't have an iPhone or even a smartphone.

And the mini will be a lot cheaper? You dont seem to know apple.

250$ nexus 7 (and a 99$ version on the way) you dont even have an ipod touch for that with apple.

We will know soon enough, but I predict the iPad Mini will be closer in price to $250 Nexus 7 than an iPad 9.7".

 

[Jinzen]

It's funny how everyone calls this a 7" device when it's closer to an 8" device. It will be bigger the the 7" tablets on the market. It will be a great device but I like the size of my IPad 3.

Yes, same way we don't call the iPad a 10" device or the MacBook Air a 12" computer?

 

[k995]

No one is really "locked" into anything. I have switched back and forth between Apple ad Android ecosystems several times in the last 5 years. And more importantly, 7" tablets appeal to first time tablet buyers, most of them don't have an iPhone or even a smartphone.

With a 100 million smartphones a year thats kinda a stretch

We will know soon enough, but I predict the iPad Mini will be closer in price to Nexus 7 than an iPad 9.7".

250$ nexus 7
399 ipad 2

so less then 324$ , thats barely any difference with the 4" touch, I doubt it.

 

[svensven]

Have you tried this size?

I had a Nexus for while and although it's a nice machine it was too small for me.

Diminutive things attract diminutive people

This.

You realize how much of a tweener the Nexus is and it just didn't get used at all in our house as well. Now that the iPhone 5 screen is bigger, there's even less reason to use a tweener.

Now, fanboy's replies are, well, it's going to be close to 8"! Much bigger screen than a Nexus! That's fine, but it's still significantly smaller than an iPad 9.7 which is the perfect size for fitting the full web on the screen.

What I'm certain will happen if Apple releases an iPad Mini (7.8whatever") is this:

1. There will be an initial sales rush.
2. Reviews will be mostly positive: super light and well designed! There'll be a few sane ones in the mix to the order of "What's the point?"
3. After a month on the market... sales will simmer.
4. Return rates will be high for Apple average return rates.
5. Sales of iPad 9.7 will be driven higher because of iPad Mini's buyer's remorse jumping over to the 9.7. This will contribute to the Mini creating a runway of customers to the iPad 9.7 who may not have been interested in buying a tablet. In other words, it'll create a market for the 9.7.
6. Three months later, the media will be saying... what's the point of the Mini and so will some of you. Things like, "Apple just needs to make the iPad 3 with a reduced bezel and a lighter/thinner form factor and they're golden"!
7. In March of next year, or somewhere around then, Apple will indeed release an iPad 4 that is thinner and lighter than the iPad 3 with a slightly reduced bezel.
8. By this time the Mini's true colors will show: nobody really needs it. It ends up being a blunder: a me too product in a niche area of cheapskate Amazon Kindle "Hipsters".
9. People will further their criticism of Tim Cook and question his leadership again, this time much more seriously as the Mini will go down as one of Apple's biggest product blunders in a while. All hail, the era of Steve Jobs is over and Apple is doomed.

I don't think Apple will release a Mini. A smashed in the middle category tweener even with an 8" screen is still an awkward device where Apps and the web look like *****. It's not really better at anything compared to a smartphone or iPad 9.7 other than being more portable than a 9.7. But they're both portable.

 

[JSalig]

Amazon Kindle hipsters? Kindle buyers are hipsters now? Can't wait to tell that to my grandma. And here I thought people just bought them to store a ton of books and maybe read them on a lightweight device.

Next thing you know reading actual books will be considered elitest. What is wrong with some people?