Apple telling suppliers to prep for mass production of smaller iPad - WSJ - Page 2

You may be right. Hell, there may not be a forthcoming smaller iPad at all and they simply generated this rumor specifically to hinder the Nexus 7 launch.

It's simple....it fits nicely in a ladies bag. This will be a smashing hit with the ladies. 

Obviously when it comes to physical size there are various classes of users that could benefit from devices of differing dimensions. Yes I can see a larger iPad being very successful but also see a smaller one doing well. I suspect a smaller device would come in extremely handy in business. In this regards a sub 7" device would be very desirable.

 

I think you are using false logic. You can't say that there isn't a demand for a product that doesn't exist. Hell, if that's the case then Apple would have listened to guys like Ballmer and just scrapped the iPhone.

 

Think of it this way... maybe the majority of people who are buying the iPad are buying it because it is an Apple product. What if a lot of those people actually wanted a smaller tablet but wouldn't buy anything other than an Apple tablet. At this juncture they have only one choice.

 

I'm one of those people. If Apple offered a smaller tablet priced at $300 or even $350... I'd buy it. I find the iPad just a tad too big to carry around with me and something a bit smaller would fit the bill.

 

... but I aint buying an Android tablet!!

I'd be more inclined to believe this rumor if every story didn't mention the Fire or Nexus or Apple needing a cheaper tablet because product X is going to be an iPad killer.. That suggests to me creating a rumor to fit a preconceived notion.

I can't believe that. I don't think the majority is that dumb, because that's not how they operate in everything else! I mean no offense to you, of course, but I also don't understand why you'd buy something that doesn't fit your needs (or at least wouldn't switch to something already available that does).

90% of people are ones who'd never come on here, don't care about technology except when it doesn't work, and don't know anything about these patent battles, rumors, and other intricacies of our world. They're the ones buying iPads and tablets in droves, and they're the ones who are setting the market standards. They'd get rid of something if it didn't work for them, and they're far and away getting rid of Android tablets, not the iPad. That's how I see it, anyway.

Then I think you'll be buying a bigger iPod touch this fall. :-)

In a world where capitalistic consumption is the engine that makes things run one thing is clear. An excessive amount of choice is required to fuel this engine. Just like the 27 kinds of ketchup you can find in the grocery store, it "of course" make sense to have tablets come an excessive number of choices. Bigger, better, faster is the mantra. In this case it is smaller.

 

A page right out of Microsoft's handbook.

 

The difference being, of course, 1. that it wasn't Apple who stated this news directly and 2. if Apple did present this news then you know it is already being manufactured

 

If it uses iPhone apps instead of iPad apps then I think that's a dumb move... and Apple doesn't usually make dumb moves.

I don't understand where that video with the bezel-less tablets came from, but I know I want that. Especially that football game.

 

... and I constantly hear people who know nothing about tech saying that they are buying an iPhone or an iPad because they know it just works (or something to that affect).

 

I don't think you give enough credit to Apple's brand power and marketing prowess.

Well, with Android that's compelling enough an argument to be valid in its own right, I suppose.

 

you edited as I was commenting. So I changed my reply to fit the edit. The "won't" statement was in reply to your reply, "I can't believe that.".

All the stories I'm seeing say Apple will be releasing a smaller iPad to compete with the Kindle Fire and Nexus. Since when had Apple ever released a product to compete specifically with another product? IPod and iPhone came about because Apple felt the existing products on the market were crap and difficult to use. The Nexus was just released. We have no idea at this point how well it will sell. All the wall street 'gurus' predicted the Kindle Fire would be an iPad killer. Obviously that didn't happen. And amazon doesn't even provide sales figures for it. So why would Apple need to compete with two products that really aren't any competition? It's not like Android tablets have been flying off the shelves...

Talk about missing the boat here!!
As blind as a bat are we? The AIR is not a netbook! In fact it isn't even close to the concept of a netbook, I'm not sure how you ever managed to confuse the two concepts. As it is AIR is very very cost competitive as no one else can get even close to it cost wise with a similar machine. Apple would do well to support at least two sizes of iPhones. People like choice and have differing needs. Rumors though are just that rumors, but the idea of Apple having two different sized iPhones is a good one. Because it is a smaller device. The fact that Fire and Nexus are crap has nothing to do with their size. The reality is this, iPad is awfully big to carry around all day, they could move a huge number of sub 7" inch devices into business. In effect replacing Day Timers and other small note books you often see in use. That is just ignorant, where does the idea come from that such a devices sole purpose is to be cheap? A seven inch model would be extremely attractive to many users. Baloney. Apple could and probably should add a smaller and a larger model to the line up. It is no different than having multiple sized laptops to serve the needs of all the differing users out there. Yeah that isn't a bad idea at all and allows them to keep production lines in operation much longer than the competition. However you completely miss the point here, that does not make for a differently sized device.

Ah, I see. Then that's very sad.

What is Apple thinking? Apple will have to include sandpaper so we sand our fingers down to use such a small screen

Here's a great article on why Apple doesn't need a 7" iPad. Let Amazon and Android OEM's race to the bottom. Apple doesn't play that game.

http://www.zdnet.com/why-apple-doesnt-need-a-7-inch-ipad-7000000218/

7.85-inch seems to be quite specific for a rumor. Is there already a screen out there of this dimension or is it just a random guess? In any case, it would be a very nice addition in my opinion, although, I'm not sure it needs to be priced at $200. It could easily be $300+, especially with LTE, and still be the best selling device in that size category.

I'm beginning to wonder if all the people opposed to the idea of an iPad in a different size is from Kalifornia or some other screwed up leftist state. Is it really that damn difficult to understand that different people have different needs? Really one must pull ones head out of the sand, people will buy it because it is a seven inch iPad. Just pretend for a moment that none of those other machines even exist. In that context does it make sense to have just one physical size iPad? What features? IPad is a slab with a touch screen, what could the possibly leave out? 4G might go but considering the market that is no big deal.
You have an extremely narrow view of the world. All of those other devices are of no concern, it is all about having a logical and marketable line up of devices for Apple.

As to usefullness I often suggest that people go to a local office supply store and look at the GPS hardware on display. These are available in a number of sub seven inch screen sizes. Imagine then an iPad that size, especially if you are engaged in business. Think large manufacturing plants, people doing field service, plumbers, electricians parcel delivery, quality control and others. This is just one target but we are talking people on the go here that normally do not interact excessively with computers.

In the end I really don't know why there is such negativity with respect to an iPad of a different size. It isn't like the current iPad is going anywhere.

It isn't a cheap tablet market it is the 7 inch or so market. I'm really shocked that people think this is about being cheap rather than answering consummer needs.

There might be some who about size, but I think it's mostly price. Otherwise the Nexus would be more than $199. Heck Google said the profit margin on the device is a big fat $0.

 

The sweet spot is the manufacturing of the led glass to get Retina Display (280ish DPI, assuming that it's somewhere in-between an iPad and an iPod Touch in viewing distance), and doubling the pixels of the iPod Touch (likely) and enough 'body' to store a battery for 10+ hours of display, and weight distribution (thickness).   

 

My math is that 7.9" is about 290dpi at 'doubling' the current iPod/iPhone pixel geometry.  One 'shrink' the old iPad 1024/768, but I would think that would problematic for touch zone accuracy (if you shrink it, the accuracy of a 'touch' is measure by fewer pixels per sq mm, leading to inaccuracy... doubling it increases accuracy as you have more pixels per sq mm for the fuzzy logic of determining the 'center' of your touch)

 

Assuming a 1/2" all around.. that makes the device roughly  8x5" (size of a steno pad).  

This thread is killing me. Does anybody out there really think Apple would introduce a device with no profit potential?.
Oh come on, another iPad with a differtly sized screen will not soil anything. If anything it will enhance the brand. It is no different than offering up a 13" iPad, some would find such a device very useful as would users of a 7 inch class device. This is a real possibility. What is missing from the iPod line up is a device specifically tuned for video play back. Such a device ought to support the common cinema aspect ratios natively. That means an aspect ratio wider than HDTV. Such a platform could be awesome for gaming too. However this is a completely different class of device than the iPad.
Well this one I'm with you on. But really Apple is big enough these days that it shouldn't be a problem to manage the delivery to two product lines.

A 7.85" iPad would be like the 11.6" Macbook Air: the new entry level product for each line.

An Apple TV is a matter of when not if. I imagine this TV will come with a remote of some sort. Suppose it came with a 7.9 inch touchscreen remote. Maybe these supply preparations are for someing along these lines...

think Retina Display

Think doubling the screen of an iPod Touch RD.

do the math.  7.85  puts you in RD range and all iPod Touch/iPhone apps will 'double' instantly.  'Just' the artwork needs to be redone to remove the jaggies.

 

As for price... All Apple has to do is keep the others down below a 5% margin.  at 299 that keeps everyone at $250 or lower to maintain differentiation.  Let's say Apple can build and sell this for $200... 33% margin at a run of a million a year.   Assuming the same part pricing for a 7" competitor, They lose 1/2 their margin up front (down to 16%), AND they have to compete with the other 3-5 competitors through differentiation.  How? by adding stuff (HDMI, flash ports, etc)  cost goes up.  Now they have to sell more to make up the margin loss... how do they do that?  by cutting prices... at 10% off, they are now down to 6% margins... and all this assuming they have the efficiencies in their supply and retail chain that Apple does and they don't.

 

Apple sets the price at 99 for iPhone4, 199 for iPod Touch/iPhone4s,  $299iPodTouchMax, $399 for iPad2, and $499 for iPad3

There is little pricing room under this umbrella.

 

No one else has a 'family' of devices running the same OS, running the same apps (every year they come out with ICS, GB, Froyo, JB), with an app store and an media store and a cloud.   Apple has them in the 'simplify my technology choice' side as well.

 

This Software+hardware+manufacturing+retail+media+ecosystem has little friction...

 

Android may have more devices out there, but no one is going to make money off of selling them.  

 

What is going to happen to the TV industry when Apple gets into it?;-)

Leaked internal Apple website ad for iPad nano! http://cl.ly/470F0W1x1K1M1s2G0l2a

 

HOLYCRAPBBQBHBDHHSHKJBLALANBSUJ

I think you read him wrong, there isn't anything that fits his needs at the moment. That need is for a 7" class iOS device.
A whole host of issues come with Android, it is a mistake to believe these tablets are being rejected because of size. That doesn't mean that the market is the same for 7" devices as it is for the current iPad.

What we are looking at here is consummer choice, something Apple has always catered too with their iPods. Apple currently has three iPods of differing size to support various needs, I do not see any reason why they can not support differing needs with the iPads. 90% of the people buying iPods most likely only care that they work too, that doesn't keep Apple from selling dramatically differing models.
Edited by wizard69 - 7/4/12 at 10:08am

 

in the past, yes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyuuqsGoXys

 

Your imagination is a bit behind the times....There's an App for that http://www.apple.com/itunes/remote/.

 

The remote shipped will be the same remote for the AppleTV now.  

 

What apple is 'inventing' in iTV has to do with content subscription and delivery from OTA, cable, online DVR, 'external' (DVDs) ... the HW they've had working for over a year.  

Well yeah, because Android exist to be part of Goggles marketing machine. If the tablet game was about price Apple would have lost considerable ground to these Android devices. They have so price really can't be the issue.

Market is definitely there, Price is right at $249 or $199. Timing for the holidays would be appropriate. Microsoft Surface is good reason for a smaller more compact version of the Ipad. Finally, the holidays will be coming and the timing is great.

Whether or not this becomes reality remains to be seen. I wouldn't take any bets either way.

Me too. I can see another line but it can't be something that weakens the iPad brand. The Kindle Fire might be nice for the price but you get what you pay for an it's the same price as the low-end iPod Touch with only 8GB that was released in 2010. Even the iPod Touch goes up to $400, double the cost of these cheap tablets.


It absolutely will if they follow the path of the Kindle Fire. Look at how many HW features Amazon had to remove to get the price to $199. Even though Apple has a leg up (as I mentioned in a previous thread) with sourcing components, using their know-how, and economy of scale to make a better, richer product for the same price i don't see a full-fledged iPad "Mini" at $199 with the same profit margin as being remotely feasible.

 

Why does it (smaller iPad) have to compete in that price range? Why can't it be more expensive and still sell well?

It's a ridiculous article. It assumes:
1. Apple would compete on price rather than features.
2. Apple would need to cut corners to offer a product that is competitive on price. Keep in mind that with Apple's incredible supply chain, competitors can't beat the price of the 10" iPad or MBAs (or even the 27" iMac) even while Apple is getting very attractive margins.
3. Consumers would not pay a premium for a genuine iPad rather than a cut rate POS that doesn't work well.

He didn't provide a shred of evidence to support any of those assumptions.


Why in the world do people assume that an 8" iPad would weaken the brand? Does the 11" MBA weaken the brand? Does the 21" iMac weaken the brand? It's entirely possible to offer different sizes without weakening the brand.

Conceptually, start with the iPad 2 at $399. The hypothetical 7" iPad would have half the area. That means roughly half the screen costs (if using the same generation screen), half the metal costs, half the machining costs, slight reduction in battery costs, etc. Hitting a $299 price point doesn't sound all that difficult without cutting ANY corners.

As far as brand is concerned, the iPad brand is far, far stronger than the iPod brand. If they release the exact same product as an iPod, it will get far less attention than if it's released as an iPad. It's not logical, but that's the way it would work.

So since YOU don't use a 7" device the way others do, it doesn't make sense?

Lots of people use 7" tablets in ways very similar to the iPad. And quite a few people have expressed an interest.

If no one would ever want a 7" tablet, please explain why 7" Android tablets outsell 10" Android tablets by a wide margin.

Can you elucidate further? I'm seeing the Surface, a larger device than the iPad likely coming around the price of the iPad for the ARM-based version and being at around the price of the MBA for the Intel-based version. I don't think it will have any significant impact on the iPad but if it does I'd think a smaller iPad would work against Apple if the Surface were to actually become a threat.

Exactly. A $299 iPad Mini would sell like hotcakes.