For fans of Apple, now may be the time to start getting excited about the newest addition to the Apple family. For Google and Amazon, now may be the time to be concerned, as more and more rumors are surfacing as the estimated unveiling of the “iPad Mini” (as it is being called on the Internet) draws closer.
Reports of a suggested 7 inch version of Apple’s iPad have created a buzz for quite some time now. Apple has dominated the tablet world since the first introduction of the iPad, but with the recent success of Google’s Nexus 7 Android tablet and Amazon’s ever popular Kindle Fire, it seemed to be only a matter of time before Apple would join the 7 inch tablet field.
Allegedly, production of the iPad Mini has already begun, and while there has been no official word from anyone at this point, speculation continues to grow. With that, there are also some question many have as to just how a smaller iPad would fit in.
Price Tag?
Probably the most important question right now, just where does the projected iPad Mini fit into Apple’s league leading line-up? The yet to be released 5th generation iPod touch is taking pre-orders at $299, the iPad 2 still goes for $399, and the New iPad (iPad 3) starts at $499.
So where does a 7 inch version fit in? Some rumors have it coming in at $349, while others have the Mini estimated somewhere between $249 and $299. Quite mind boggling, but after all, with Apple, anything is possible.
How Much Different will it be?
For some, there is going to need to be quite a difference between the standard 9.7 inch and the rumored smaller version, simply releasing a smaller tablet may not be enough to be successful. If the smaller and larger versions both have the same CPU, RAM, and storage, what’s to differentiate the two? The choice may all come down to pricing again.
Then there’s the “no Retina Display” rumor. Instead of using Apple’s highly touted Retina display, the Mini model may release with the same liquid crystal display as the previous versions. At this point, it may release with a resolution of 1024 x 768, which would still be competitive even without the Retina display.
Monitoring the iPad Mini as it comes out is sure to be newsworthy. A few years ago when the first iPad was introduced, it revolutionized the way people used computers and laptop devices. Now after totally dominating the tablet market for years, Google and Amazon have marked their own territory in the 7 inch tablet field. There is no doubt that Apple can make its way into the smaller tablet market, it just may not be as easy as before.