Who is the target iPad Mini buyer? (And does non-Retina make sense?)

[KittyKatta]

So I've been reading a lot of speculative info on the iPad Mini and if the rumored soecs are right (low cost, non-retina) then Im not sure where this product fits. I am reading a lot about it being great for EDU.

Just curious what everyone thinks.

To me, the lower price seems to be aimed at readers and education but would a non-retina smaller screen be very comfortable for long reading? The iPad Mini speculated price has the 16GB at $349 but with the iPad 4 a few months away then the iPad 3 could get a price drop making it a $399 so wouldn't a larger retina model be a better iTextbook or iBook reader?

 

[drjsway]

Kids. A regular iPad is a bit too big and unwieldy for mine. They would mostly be streaming Netflix and playing games on it.

However, for reading, it's all about PPI. I would rather read on the new iPod Touch than an iPad mini. Video, casual gaming, simple apps, light web browsing, these things would work great on the iPad mini.

 

[ANMA dojo]

medical students, residents, physicians, and other health professionals.

there are lots of great medical apps (as well as EMR access) available for the ipad, but the ipad is simply too large and inconvenient to carry around. a 7-8" ipad mini on the other hand would be perfect for the white coat pocket.

not fitting in my white coat was the reason I ditched my ipad for a smaller 7" android tablet, so I've been really looking forward to an ipad mini for quite some time!

 

[KeepCalmPeople]

That is the six million dollar question. We will soon find out what market(s) Apple is after if/when the iPad mini is announced and we see the specs...

 

[725032]

Its aimed at everyone... No need to try and attach it to any particular group or type.

 

[Rob9874]

My mom, who wants a tablet, and I don't want to drop $500+ on a regular iPad for her 60th birthday next month, so I'm looking forward to a $299 model coming out. She wouldn't appreciate retina. I can't even get her to realize the difference between DVD and blu-ray. She doesn't care. It all looks good to her. And a smaller display will look better as non-retina than a larger screen. I think it'll be fine.

 

[DanWindel]

I have no idea but I have a feeling it won't sell even close to the amount of the regular sized IPad.

 

[eric89074]

I have no idea but I have a feeling it won't sell even close to the amount of the regular sized IPad.

I think Apple will sell at least 25 million the first year and that's being conservative. The iPad mini is for those that want an iPad but don't want to spend $400-$500. There's still a lot of potential tablet customers and they name they know and want is iPad.

 

[Candlelight]

I have no idea but I have a feeling it won't sell even close to the amount of the regular sized IPad.

I think it will outsell the iPad the same way the 13" MacBook Pro beats the 15".

 

[725032]

I have no idea but I have a feeling it won't sell even close to the amount of the regular sized IPad.

I think you're wrong... Very wrong

 

[Lara F]

medical students, residents, physicians, and other health professionals.

there are lots of great medical apps (as well as EMR access) available for the ipad, but the ipad is simply too large and inconvenient to carry around. a 7-8" ipad mini on the other hand would be perfect for the white coat pocket.

not fitting in my white coat was the reason I ditched my ipad for a smaller 7" android tablet, so I've been really looking forward to an ipad mini for quite some time!

Agreed - but hopefully the slightly larger than 7'' size won't make the difference between fitting in a white coat and not. That would be a shame. There's a little bit of room left in mine using the Nexus 7 so hopefully it'd still slip inside easily.

No retina display is still a deal breaker for me though.

 

[WilliamLondon]

I'm part of one 7" market, of which I'm sure there are several. The one I'm in has nothing to do with price. I have a Kindle, which I love. If Apple had produced an ebook reader I'd probably have bought Apple, but they didn't and I went elsewhere and love the device. The form factor is perfect, it's one of my favourite devices I own. What it doesn't do well is display PDFs (not really designed to do that). For school I've got lots of PDFs that I read and I need a screen that can display them properly, but I don't want to go with something larger. I've had an iPad (gen 1) in the past and reading was okay, but it's too large really, and I've got an 11" MBA which seems redundant (and silly) if I were to cart around also a full sized tablet (when I really don't need one). So, I want a 7" model (prefer it to be built by Apple) that has a high resolution screen that I can more easily carry around, and if I can read ebooks as enjoyably on it as I can on my Kindle, then my Kindle may just find itself ignored (which is sad).

If they don't produce a model that meets those requirements I'll look to one of the other manufacturers (not because of price, but because of superior specs), and finally as a last resort (if I still can't find what I want) I'll look at getting an iPad 3.

 

[duggram]

No retina display is still a deal breaker for me though.

I don't understand this discriminating attitude. Would a non-retina display make text look so bad you couldn't read it? Would you get a 7" screen for watching movies? What would you be doing on a reading device that you just couldn't accept without a retina display?

BTW does the Nexus 7 have a retina display? I've never looked into this because I already have a fire and the Nexus 7 doesn't have iOS either.

 

[duggram]

I think Apple will sell at least 25 million the first year and that's being conservative. The iPad mini is for those that want an iPad but don't want to spend $400-$500. There's still a lot of potential tablet customers and they name they know and want is iPad.

I totally disagree! Have you seen the iPad mini price list leaked from the German dealer? The price range is great, something like 300 to 700 (it's also noted that other Apple products prices are the same even EU to $ split).

I'd like to be the first in line for the maxed out mini. When I buy a new laptop I don't go looking for the cheapest one. I get the one that suits my use. Don't you think others will think the same way?

Have ever told an iPad owner that you thought they bought it for the name? That's like calling them a poser.

 

[willmtaylor]

So I've been reading a lot of speculative info on the iPad Mini and if the rumored soecs are right (low cost, non-retina) then Im not sure where this product fits. I am reading a lot about it being great for EDU.

Just curious what everyone thinks.

To me, the lower price seems to be aimed at readers and education but would a non-retina smaller screen be very comfortable for long reading? The iPad Mini speculated price has the 16GB at $349 but with the iPad 4 a few months away then the iPad 3 could get a price drop making it a $399 so wouldn't a larger retina model be a better iTextbook or iBook reader?

Making it retina just doesn't make cents.

It's aimed at anyone who's ever used a smaller tablet-like device that doesn't want/need the size of an iPad.

You act like non-retina displays are garbage. Put down the Koolaide, I think you've had enough.

 

[duggram]

I would rather read on the new iPod Touch than an iPad mini.

Isn't that like reading on an iPhone? I have a problem with reading on my iPhone. Sure in line at the post office it's fine, but to read and enjoy it? I don't think so.

 

[mantan]

Some will be the 'early adopters' who want the latest and greatest.

But the overwhelming majority will be sold in the as the 2nd, third tablet in households where people are fighting over one iPad. This will be a huge gift this holiday season. There is a BIG difference for most people between buying a $249-$299 gift and a $500-$700 gift.

There are also lots of buyers who can't justify $500-$700 for a recreational device - but would drop $300.

I think this will easily become the highest volume tablet for Apple.

 

[wolfpackfan]

I see myself as the typical buyer. I have an iPad 1 but I mainly use it for reading (and yes I do a lot of eBook reading on my iPad using both the Kindle and Nook apps, I don't use iBooks that much), browsing the web, email and I also read PDF's quite a bit. I take my iPad with me about 75% and pull it out to read when I have spare time. But I've often thought how tired I am of it being so bulky and have also been envious of my wife's Nook Color for it's smallness. I am very excited about having an iPad device but in the smaller size.

Plus I think there are many, many people who would love to have an iPad but just can't justify the paying the high cost. I know I will probably buy one for my daughter for Christmas. She has been wanting an iPad but she doesn't have the money and I just haven't wanted to pay the money either. I predict it will be a huge seller.

As far as the non-retina screen, that doesn't bother me at all. I'd much rather have a lower cost. My iPad 1 doesn't have retina and I spend hours at a time reading on it with no problems at all.

 

[PDFierro]

I'm not sure if I would be the typical iPad Mini buyer, but I've been waiting on it for a long time. I don't have an iPad presently, or a tablet for that matter, but I've been wanting a smaller iPad. I will use the Mini the same way I would use a larger iPad.

I'm sure this will be targeted at students and people who want to read or watch movies. But there are those of us who just want the current iPad in a smaller package.

 

[brewno]

I personally like it that it's not retina; it makes the device faster.
Can't wait for my 32Gb one.

 

[PDFierro]

I personally like it that it's not retina; it makes the device faster.
Can't wait for my 32Gb one.

How does a non-Retina screen make it faster?

 

[GoodBoy]

So I've been reading a lot of speculative info on the iPad Mini and if the rumored soecs are right (low cost, non-retina) then Im not sure where this product fits. I am reading a lot about it being great for EDU.

Just curious what everyone thinks.

To me, the lower price seems to be aimed at readers and education but would a non-retina smaller screen be very comfortable for long reading? The iPad Mini speculated price has the 16GB at $349 but with the iPad 4 a few months away then the iPad 3 could get a price drop making it a $399 so wouldn't a larger retina model be a better iTextbook or iBook reader?

It will be retina display, just not as pixel-dense as iPad Mini, but still a lot better than iPad 2.

 

[iEvolution]

The market is for those who are careful with their money or simply can't afford paying AT LEAST 500 for the iPad 3 or 400 for the iPad 2. I also think it could be a better option for businesses especially retail and medical.

Children could be another market certainly 'better' to have a broken $250 - $300 iPad Mini vs a full sized iPad.

I don't think it's going to be aimed at current iPad users but I'm sure people like me that just love to try the latest will get it for specialized purposes like children or reading.

Though I'm not exactly sure what is going on with Apple..looking at the latest generation iPod Touch and it has actually increased the entry price of the iPT.

Who knows, if the iPad Mini does come out if Apple will keep it low especially since it is, well, Apple and they like to have a premium on their products. I'm almost tempted to say the device is going to come in at $300 - $350 and I'm almost certain it won't come in at $200 or $250.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I can see doctors and the like moving to the mini (mine still uses a tablet PC) because it fits in their lab coat pocket and is easy to hold with just one hand.

 

[knightlie]

How does a non-Retina screen make it faster?

The GPU moving 25% of the pixels around = faster, lower clock speed, more battery. The iPad3 needs a triple-core GPU to run the display, a non-retina 7" iPad will be fine with a dual-core.