Wall Street Journal: Apple Has Begun Mass Production of the iPad Mini

[WilliamLondon]

I think that there is. Surely, there are people out there who want an iPad but do not need/want features such as larger screen, "retina" display, or more advanced hardware specifications. These people cannot justify paying full price for the current "big" iPad but an iPad mini would be perfect for them. I've been waiting for something like this for a while and I am sure I am not the only one.

But there are people out there who don't want the larger iPad, and aren't satisfied with the smaller iPhone/iPod Touch size either, but actually do want all the features of each of those, such as hi-res screen, "more advanced hardware specifications" and where price has nothing whatsoever to do wanting a mini iPad. This is the market Apple should pursue, not the one chasing price, that's a market they leave to commodity manufacturers who are all competing to see who can reach $0 (and its complement, zero-value) first.

 

[Casey4147]

I wish they would, I'd actually watch it.

They did that, with the PowerBook 13" and 17" commercial. Of course, Mini Me had the 17" model.

 

[D.T.]

Great size for my kids. They have the vision to deal with the smaller screen, but desire something bigger than their touch. With the deep App library of games, this will be a perfect alternative to PSPs and Gameboys, with far more functionality.

Great post, and I've been saying that to friends/relatives for over a year (about the iPad or iPod Touch). A $349-ish device with a HUGE library of games from free to $1.99 makes the cost even out quickly vs. a dedicated handheld game machine. Then add in the creative/productive apps, learning apps, ebook capabilities, camera/video, etc., it has way more value.

 

[CNeufeld]

On the one hand, I guess it's great that the iPad Mini will have Lightening. On the other, the only advantage it offers is that its more compact. Can somebody please explain to me why they didn't make the Lightening cable USB3? I mostly sync over wi-fi of course, but when I need to transfer a LOT of data between my Mac and iDevice (and this does happen occasionally), it would be so handy to have USB3 speed Lightening! Now that would have been something to really justify the adapter size change!

The problem isn't likely the Lightning cable/connector itself (notice the spelling, BTW). It's that the devices can't handle anything faster than USB 2.0 speeds. There's nothing saying that when faster devices come out that they can't stick a USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt connector on the other end of the Lightning cable and get higher performance.

They could have started off with USB 3.0 on the current new cable, but then everyone would whine and complain that their sync's weren't any faster. Again, because the limitation is the device, not the cable or connector.

Clint

 

[doelcm82]

Apple will be tripling down on secrecy next year, since just doubling failed miserably

They've managed to keep the new iMac and Mac Pro under wraps.

 

[KdParker]

I am stunned that there are still some non believers on the iPad mini.

 

[newyorksole]

No retina? No purchase.

So dumb that it won't have a retina. Like ummm all your new iPod touches, iPads and iPhones do

 

[KdParker]

Apple will be tripling down on secrecy next year, since just doubling failed miserably

I think this is doubling down..seems like controlled leaks to let people know what is coming before the holiday shopping season.

 

[doelcm82]

iPad mini. That would be a really silly product. In my opinion the current iPad is to small already, and now they are maby coming out with something smaller with less resolution ? Facepalm!


How about they start thinking about the pro marked again, and come out with new imac's and mac pro's ?

Release an 32 inch oled imac with 6core cpu and I will convert from PC to mac again.

Apple probably did market research and found that your opinion doesn't count for much.

 

[DotCom2]

No retina? No purchase.

GAH!
I want one of these sooo bad but after having a beautiful iPhone 5 display and an iPad 3, I just don't know if I could handle a non-retina device.
SIGH

 

[EbookReader]

This is good news for consumers. More choices and hopefully at a more affordable price.

This will also help Apple in the table market share battle.


http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/02/pew-research-center-tablet-ownership-report/

USA tablet marketshare (through August 2012)

 

[StoneJack]

What I found that since we bought out iPads, usage of our Playstation has plummeted that now its actually lies disconnected from TV. The impact of iPad has been tremendous on gaming and I would say that with new mini iPad new Wiis, Xboxes and PS will find even more difficult since many of them will go to kids as gifts.

 

[needfx]

They've managed to keep the new iMac and Mac Pro under wraps.

now that's what I call a borderline under-the-belt blow

 

[SunshineFires]

Seriously, those that still think this isn't gonna happen are just kidding themselves.

 

[calderone]

$199 for dominance.
$249 for record sales.

 

[EbookReader]

Will Apple retain their dominance with the tablet market or will history repeat itself (windows 95, mac os)? Or will it actually be split? Only time will tell.

It's going to be very hard to maintain market share when Apple competitors are selling tablets at cost. Amazon, Google and even Barnes & Noble are pretty much selling tablets at break-even hoping to make profits from selling digital books/videos/music.

The latest survey from Pew Research points toward this trend:

 

[CausticPuppy]

Exactly! the lack of iMac rumors (in comparable numbers to iPad mini and what we saw with iPhone 5) really worries me

The Retina MBP wasn't preceded by as many rumors as the iPhone5 either... no parts leaked, a few speculative renderings, and a few unconfirmed benchmarks which later proved to be real.

And yet we still got a new RMBP.

 

[Navdakilla]

iPad, iPad, iPad, iPad, iPad, iPhone, iPhone, iPad, iPad.

Where are the MAC rumours????????????

Agreeeeeedddddd

 

[VenusianSky]

It's going to be very hard to maintain market share when Apple competitors are selling tablets at cost. Amazon, Google and even Barnes & Noble are pretty much selling tablets at break-even hoping to make profits from selling digital books/videos/music.

The latest survey from Pew Research points toward this trend:

Image

Yes. It will also come down to features. Customers will pay a little more or less when it comes to features. I personally think Microsoft has got their ducks in a row with Windows 8 on the tablet. They just need to get the developers of iOS apps on board with WinRT. If they can do that and also have full compatibility of desktop apps on the x86 tablets, it will be sad times for Apple all over again.

TBO, I am actually thinking about buying stock in Microsoft at this point.

 

[iMrNiceGuy0023]

if its at a starting price of $299, I expect it to be a great seller this holiday season

 

[MacFather]

Deleted.

 

[jamesryanbell]

Apple will be tripling down on secrecy next year, since just doubling failed miserably

By far the best post of the thread.

 

[lamerica80]

Oh we go again. Just as with the original ipad, i predict the following in terms of my relation with the ipad mini:

1. Buy it because of the novelty and it looks cool.
2. Justify purchase and fight buyers remorse by inventing reasons i need an ipad mini.
3. Play with it for a while only to realize i can do most things with my iphone that i always carry with me anyway.
4. Force myself to bring it on at least one trip for movie viewing / gaming.
5. Realise casual gaming and watching south park episodes works just as fine on my iphone (that i always carry with me anyway)
6. Let it collect dust with battery completely drained for 6-12 months.
7. Sell it for under half of what i paid for it.

 

[calderone]

there is no price place for iPad mini

iPod touch 16GB - $199
iPod touch 32GB - $249
_________________________
iPod touch 32GB - $299
iPod touch 64GB - $399
_________________________
iPad 2 16GB - $399
_________________________
The New iPad 16GB - $499

Have some imagination. This thing will be under $249.

 

[ivan2002]

This is sooooo not going to happen. And if it does will be Apple's biggest blunder in a long time.

So, let me get this straight:
you will either be better informed than WSJ, or it will be Apple's fault?