There have been numerous rumors of late concerning Apple’s plans to release a smaller version of the iPad. In fact, there have been similar rumors ever since Steve Jobs first stood on stage and unveiled the original iPad. And yet Apple is still not ready to talk about this product that may or may not be in the pipeline.
Apple founder Steve Jobs, now sadly departed, is known to have not been a fan of 7-inch tablets. He believed 9.85-inches was the premium size for a tablet – small enough to be portable, large enough to be usable – and Apple has so far stuck to his grand plan for the form factor. But I think different(ly); I believe now is the time for Apple to release a Mini iPad. If they do I may even buy one myself.
Mini iPad
The Mini iPad featured in most of the rumors would feature a screen measuring around 7-inches, boast 8GB of storage, and a Retina Display the same as the full-sized iPad 3. In fact, apart from the smaller size and less storage the Mini iPad could be identical to the new iPad in every conceivable way. Except price, which would likely be pitched between $200 and $250.
What follows are the reasons I believe Apple should release a Mini iPad, and soon.
Lower Price
As well as enabling Apple to cater to more people, reducing the size of the iPad would also mean reducing the cost of the components and consequently the price paid by consumers. The new iPad starts at $499, which is too expensive for a lot of people’s budgets. If the Mini iPad was priced at around the $200 mark it would bring it in to more people’s field of vision as a device that is affordable.
Tablets are a strange breed of device in that they’re not indispensable in any way. While most of us need a laptop and a phone, we could live without our tablets. This makes pricing crucial. You may gamble on something costing $100 but you likely won’t on something costing $600. Even those who aren’t sure how often they would use a tablet could be tempted by the Mini iPad.