NYT: Apple's 7.85-inch iPad to be released this fall with sub-$499 price - Page 2

This and the new iPhone are going to demolish all Apple sales records, mark my words. 

Will be a perfect companion to the TV or on the nightstand, although i will probably prefer working/emailing/browsing on the normal iPad, looking forward to compare them!

Assuming they keep the iPod Touch at $199, $299 and $399 but upgrade the memory to 32GB, 64GB and 128GB

I think they will go with iPad Mini 8GB for $249 and 16GB for $349 - then the iPad 2 16GB at $399 and the iPad 3 from $499

I just don't see the logic in a smaller iPad from an economic point of view. It surely can't cost much less to produce than the 9.8" version yet everyone is talking about a price of around $300. The base cost of the iPhone and iPad before vendor subsidies are pretty similar so a smaller (but more importantly cheaper) iPad would simply dent margins.

Is the 7" market so vibrant Apple needs to be in it even at lower margins? At the moment my view would be it isn't, but that could change in the future. That would be the time to launch a smaller and cheaper version.

There are tones of reasons why to chose an iDevice over a droid, even at a price of 399, or 499, no matter what price difference there is, but then again, I'm an Apple freak :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolipsismX 


I agree if it's 3:2 (current aspect ratio) or ~16:9 (predicted aspect ratio of next iPhone) and no more than 7". However, if it's 7.85" and has a 4:3 aspect ratio the I'd say it'll be an iPad.

Doesn't the aspect ratio pretty much dictate whether it is a small iPad or large iPod Touch?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightstriker 

 

The 7 inch market hasn't work.  (...) the Nexus and Surface is not even out yet.

Actually the Nexus 7 is out there and seems selling like hot cakes, if not already out of stock.

Given Apple has stuck with a "one size fits all" iPhone for 5 years...

If Apple wants to release different versions of their products, that's great as a consumer.  As an investor in Apple I question the need of a 7" iPad right now.  10" iPads are selling like mad right now (literally, like mad...I don't get all the fuss).  Let that run at least another year.  Keep it simple.  I don't see Kindles and Google tablets as a threat to the profits Apple is raking in.  Heck, since when has a cheaper product from a competitor scared Apple...they just continue on their own path with their own (high) price points.

Quote:

Originally Posted by poke 

The iPod touch will be discontinued.

I hope not - that would leave a huge gap between the iPod Nano and the iPad MIni.

I know a lot of iPod Classic users eager to upgrade just as soon as a reasonably priced 128GB iPod Touch is released.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockitmann 

Given Apple has stuck with a "one size fits all" iPhone for 5 years...

 

If Apple wants to release different versions of their products, that's great as a consumer.  As an investor in Apple I question the need of a 7" iPad right now.  10" iPads are selling like mad right now (literally, like mad...I don't get all the fuss).  Let that run at least another year.  Keep it simple.  I don't see Kindles and Google tablets as a threat to the profits Apple is raking in.  Heck, since when has a cheaper product from a competitor scared Apple...they just continue on their own path with their own (high) price points.

As a shareholder wouldn't you like to see more revenue earning opportunities (ie more products) ?

I can see mom and dad walking into the Apple Store and buying an iPad each for them plus an iPad Mini for each of their kids. Without the iPad Mini they might have bought an iPod Touch I guess or they could go elsewhere and buy a Sony Vita or Kindle Fire or Nexus 7 or whatever else pops up before Christmas.

As a customer rather than a shareholder I would prefer more Apple products to chose from than less products. I already have an iPad but I'll probably still buy an iPad Mini anyway.

As much as it pains my amateur-professional developer side, I think Apple really should release a smaller, cheaper iPad. I've heard a lot of people say that the iPad is too heavy/big/expensive for their needs and would rather have a Kindle because they're so cheap and light. They're primarily people who read books more than anything else, and if you look at the market size - I'm guessing, but I see a lot of big-grey-calculator generation Kindles, certainly a lot more than android tablets, and perhaps around the same number as iPads - a device almost as cheap with similar functionality to iOS could be the first thing that makes consumers - and developers - focus on android for tablets. Of course, the Fire is still not available in the UK, but it and Google's Nexus 7 are a major threat to the ecosystem in my opinion. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by oseame 

As much as it pains my amateur-professional developer side, I think Apple really should release a smaller, cheaper iPad. I've heard a lot of people say that the iPad is too heavy/big/expensive for their needs and would rather have a Kindle because they're so cheap and light. They're primarily people who read books more than anything else, and if you look at the market size - I'm guessing, but I see a lot of big-grey-calculator generation Kindles, certainly a lot more than android tablets, and perhaps around the same number as iPads - a device almost as cheap with similar functionality to iOS could be the first thing that makes consumers - and developers - focus on android for tablets. Of course, the Fire is still not available in the UK, but it and Google's Nexus 7 are a major threat to the ecosystem in my opinion. 

I travel a lot on the train for business and it's amazing how many people you see with the new Kindle. I hardly see anyone with a proper book anymore.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronbo 

 

 

No way. Assuming it's coming, why would they use the brand that does pretty good, instead of the one that's absolutely on fire?

Bingo! :)

So the insular dweebs at the NYT finally heard of Gene Munster.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun, UK 

 

I think they will go with iPad Mini 8GB for $249 and 16GB for $349 - then the iPad 2 16GB at $399 and the iPad 3 from $499

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun, UK 

 

I can see mom and dad walking into the Apple Store and buying an iPad each for them plus an iPad Mini for each of their kids.

 

I would rather buy an iPad mini for a toddler than a $400 or more (iPad 2) device. $250 would be a very attractive price. It makes it fall more into the gift giving category, IMO.

I don't believe it will be associated with the iPod name.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun, UK 

 

As a shareholder wouldn't you like to see more revenue earning opportunities (ie more products) ?

 

I can see mom and dad walking into the Apple Store and buying an iPad each for them plus an iPad Mini for each of their kids. Without the iPad Mini they might have bought an iPod Touch I guess or they could go elsewhere and buy a Sony Vita or Kindle Fire or Nexus 7 or whatever else pops up before Christmas.

 

As a customer rather than a shareholder I would prefer more Apple products to chose from than less products. I already have an iPad but I'll probably still buy an iPad Mini anyway.

Yes more revenue streams are great.  I guess I just worry about the direction their headed, if the 7-8" iPad is true.  the iPad itself is already relatively inexpensive by Apple standards, yet flies off the shelves like hotcakes.  Apple's history is that of expensive products and slowly but surely grabbing marketshare.  Is their new strategy to just blast the market with cheaper and cheaper products?  

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just different and I wonder what the trajectory is.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun, UK 

 

As a shareholder wouldn't you like to see more revenue earning opportunities (ie more products) ?

 

I can see mom and dad walking into the Apple Store and buying an iPad each for them plus an iPad Mini for each of their kids. Without the iPad Mini they might have bought an iPod Touch I guess or they could go elsewhere and buy a Sony Vita or Kindle Fire or Nexus 7 or whatever else pops up before Christmas.

 

As a customer rather than a shareholder I would prefer more Apple products to chose from than less products. I already have an iPad but I'll probably still buy an iPad Mini anyway.

Also, regarding the rationale for a 7-8" iPad - Hasn't their been rationale for a 4" and 4.5" iPhone the past 2+ years?  I say, yes, as I've felt the iPad screen size is it's biggest detriment.  Obviously people have their preferences.  Heck, when the 10" iPad came out I thought why would I buy that when I perfectly good MB Air?  Now if it was a 7" I'd consider it.  In retrospect I'm glad they didn't come out with a 7" back then or I might have bought it...and never used it.  I have no need for an iPad...i have an Air and Kindle....perfectly happy.  

So, I'm all for choice...I just wonder why they held fast for so long on the phone size when there was clearly demand, but now would be relatively quick to create a 8"...a tweener product in my opinion.  Could this be a sign of Cook being different than Jobs?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeyestar 


Perhaps the rumored new iPod Nano would serve. If it get s a larger multi touch screen, it could perhaps fill that gap.
I think this may be what Apple is planning. The new larger Nano and smaller iPad would together accomplish what the Touch currently provides. Perhaps this is why the Touch didn't really get updated last year, it may be on its way out.

Yes. This is exactly what I think. I think the iPad mini replaces the iPod touch - which has been advertised as primarily a gaming device for some time now - and the iPod nano will get a bigger touch screen and will be a dedicated media player. The rumoured new iPod nano was exactly what I was expecting in this respect. I think the iPad mini will be $199 but $249 or even $299 would still be feasible. The rumours saying it's non-retina makes me think they're going for $199. In general I think it's a mistake to think Apple is doing this to compete with the Kindle Fire and the Nexus 7. I think it has been in the works ever since Apple realised the iPod touch is essentially a portable gaming device. Note that in 2011 neither the iPod touch nor the iPod nano saw major updates. I think Apple knows that both devices have to be ready for this move to work. They need both a smaller iPad at around $199 to replace the iPod touch and a bigger touch-based iPod nano at around $129 to replace the current nano; if they do either one without the other it doesn't work.

I really hope it is true. I want one.

I would like to see a range of models from extremely inexpensive to totally maxed out with retina and cellular. The latter is of course the one I would be buying.

If you carry it in your pocket, it is an iPod. If you carry it in some sort of backpack, it is an iPad. In most ways the current iPod touch and iPad are very similar. But I'll take out my iPod on a whim while bringing out my iPad usually means I'm seated or have a more compelling reason. Also, an iPod can usually be used one handed while an iPad usually requires both hands.

Think education.  This device will be implemented faster in schools for those that can't afford the big iPad.