Apple may release a 7" or 8" iPad mini by holidays

[Magoomba]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/st...ini/56048978/1

Key points:
- 7.85" display
- price around $299
- October stage debut
- probably no retina display
- new Kindle Fire coming w/ camera

Would you guys buy this product?
Is it a knee jerk reaction to the Google tablet or has it been long in the works.
How does it change the tablet landscape in Q4?
Is Kindle going to be cannibalized?
Will Steve Jobs roll over in his grave?

Discuss.

[Gee]

I would buy it, if it has the retina display.

[djemzine]

If it's trying to compete with Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 in the 7" tablet market it is quiet expensive first off. Has always been with Apple products of course. I wonder what the specs will be including the non retina display resolution.

Either way I am sold on the Nexus 7 as I already have an iPad 2.

[_Allan_]

(reposting what I said at Mobilsyrup)
This means Samsung can get Injustice Koh to ban the sale of the 7" iPad in the US, because 1) it's "nearly indistinguishable" from Samsung's tablet, and 2) Samsung was selling a 7" device years before Apple jumped on the band wagon, this allowing Apple to sell it, would cause irreparable damage to Samsung's name.

[time space]

- 7.85" display
- probably no retina display

It will almost certainly have a 1024x768 screen.

Here’s the logic behind such a display. Displays aren’t manufactured at their finished size; rather, they’re made on big sheets, and then cut to size. I believe the iPad Mini (or whatever it’s going to be called) uses the same display as the iPhone 3GS. So instead of cutting these sheets into 3.5-inch 480 × 320 displays for the iPhone 3GS, they’ll cut them into 7.85-inch 1024 × 768 displays for the smaller iPad. Same exact display technology, though — display technology that Apple has been producing at scale ever since the original iPhone five years ago. These are displays Apple knows they can produce efficiently and in enormous quantities. All they have to do is cut them into bigger pieces.

And then for developers, the iPad Mini acts just like an iPad 1 or 2: same number of pixels, just a little smaller physically. It’s not a new target.

- price around $299

Other rumours put the price at $200 to compete in the tiny tablet market - with the exception that unlike Google and Amazon, Apple would be making a profit at that price due to their economies of scale.

I bet Apple could make a $199 iPad Mini and turn a profit on it — especially with a $249 version sitting next to it with double the storage. It’s that simple. If Apple thinks people would buy a smaller cheaper iPad and that they can turn a profit making them, they’ll do it. No reason to overthink it.

Keep in mind too that Amazon still only sells the Kindle Fire in the U.S., and Google is only selling the Nexus 7 in three countries — and outside the U.S. it won’t have music, magazines, or TV shows. Even if this iPad Mini doesn’t ship until October, Apple will likely beat Amazon and Google to market in much of the world.

Personally, I don't see the attraction of these micro tablets - I want a bigger tablet - 15" would be amazing, imho.

[Supercooled]

I think they will sell like hot cakes but I won't buy one. Don't like iOS that much. I'm getting a Nexus 7 or 10. Aren't all the iPads 4:3? What the heck is that?

I can see them charging the 7" for $399 or more. I would be shocked if it was $299; possibly $349? Why charge less when people will pay?

[Kinki]

Keep in mind that Samsung will most likely benefit from the "7 iPad. Samsung LCD screen and many of the internal components make up the current & past iPads. This is positive for Samsung, so NO they will not try to stop the "7 iPad.

(reposting what I said at Mobilsyrup)
This means Samsung can get Injustice Koh to ban the sale of the 7" iPad in the US, because 1) it's "nearly indistinguishable" from Samsung's tablet, and 2) Samsung was selling a 7" device years before Apple jumped on the band wagon, this allowing Apple to sell it, would cause irreparable damage to Samsung's name.

[time space]

If Apple actually does release an 8" iPad this year, by what ratio will it outsell the Nexus 7 tablet in their respective first year of sales?

My prediction is 15:1.

[retroman80s]

I would buy it, if it has the retina display.

You would have to wait 3 generations of 7" iPads before the retina display version comes out.

[jacky28]

at < $300, I would probably buy one. After having used a 7" android tablet for the last few months, the experience is still not as good as my 3.5" iphone. Probably has to do with the apps that are made for phones and not for tablets. Anyway, we'll see.

[toalan]

$299 is a good price, even if you are a hardcore android fan it is good news as it will put even greater downward pressure on the pricing of android tablets. You can now get a chinese android tablet with a cortex A8 processor for ~$75, once it hits $50, then everyone will have one.

[gilboman]

If Apple actually does release an 8" iPad this year, by what ratio will it outsell the Nexus 7 tablet in their respective first year of sales?

My prediction is 15:1.

I don't know, with android destroying ios so easily at high and low end in sales, and marketshare, not sure how apple can compete. nexus 7 is $200, doubt apple can compete with that.

[Supercooled]

I don't know, with android destroying ios so easily at high and low end in sales, and marketshare, not sure how apple can compete. nexus 7 is $200, doubt apple can compete with that.

Never underestimate the mentality of Apple loyalists. Steve Jobs passing rivalled that of Mother Theresa and Kim Jong-iL,

[time space]

If Apple actually does release an 8" iPad this year, by what ratio will it outsell the Nexus 7 tablet in their respective first year of sales?

My prediction is 15:1.

I don't know, with android destroying ios so easily at high and low end in sales, and marketshare, not sure how apple can compete. nexus 7 is $200, doubt apple can compete with that.

What do you predict the 8" iPad:Nexus 7 sales ratio would be?

[jacky28]

I think they will sell like hot cakes but I won't buy one. Don't like iOS that much. I'm getting a Nexus 7 or 10. Aren't all the iPads 4:3? What the heck is that?

16:9 or 17:10 are not that great for anything except movies. It is too narrow in portrait mode and not enough height in landscape.