Apple plans 5- to 7-inch $400 iPad for early 2011 - report
Apple could be planning a smaller, cheaper version of its iPad tablet device with a screen size of 5-inches to 7-inches, and a price under $400, for launch in the first quarter of 2011, according to a new report.
Citing its senior analyst, Mingchi Kuo, DigiTimes reported Thursday that Apple is "expected" to release the new device in early 2011. Kuo cited "talks with upstream component sources," who said the device will focus mostly on reading and other mobile tasks that do not have a "high demand" for text input.
The analyst also said he believes the forthcoming HP Slate will not have an impact on sales of Apple's iPad, largely due to its Intel processor which consumes more power than Apple's custom-built A4. With virtually no competition in the tablet space, Apple managed to sell 300,000 iPads on its first day of availability.
The first-generation iPad has a 9.7-inch LCD, LED backlit screen with IPS technology. The existing iPhone and iPod touch have screen sizes of 3.5 inches.
Last year, reports suggested Apple tested screen sizes ranges from 4 inches to 12 inches in size as its iPad was in the prototype phase. Some of the orders placed were said to be enough for a significant small production run, rather than just a simple sample.
Citing its senior analyst, Mingchi Kuo, DigiTimes reported Thursday that Apple is "expected" to release the new device in early 2011. Kuo cited "talks with upstream component sources," who said the device will focus mostly on reading and other mobile tasks that do not have a "high demand" for text input.
The analyst also said he believes the forthcoming HP Slate will not have an impact on sales of Apple's iPad, largely due to its Intel processor which consumes more power than Apple's custom-built A4. With virtually no competition in the tablet space, Apple managed to sell 300,000 iPads on its first day of availability.
The first-generation iPad has a 9.7-inch LCD, LED backlit screen with IPS technology. The existing iPhone and iPod touch have screen sizes of 3.5 inches.
Last year, reports suggested Apple tested screen sizes ranges from 4 inches to 12 inches in size as its iPad was in the prototype phase. Some of the orders placed were said to be enough for a significant small production run, rather than just a simple sample.
Comments
Five fucking inches? Why not just get an iPhone?
Go away troll!!
Since the apps are optimized for a fixed size, if they were to reduce the screen size, the same resolution would be the same and only the dot pix would change.
I don't think Apple would delute the user experience like that.
Its just not an option. You can't just carve up a new product nich basically on screen size between Laptop and NetPc and turn around and blow this away.
Microsoft could do this, Apple won't.
Its just stupid. But I do give points for the analysts to keep AAPL pumping up!
Yes, you can read everything now in a scaled-down format, but that's imposing on the user for the sake of the hardware. Having the option for a larger iPad (obviously at higher cost) would virtually eliminate such compromises and put paperless on par with paper. And having a larger screen for video playback never hurts either...
(And one could still use a smaller model for longer reading sessions and better portability.)
Apple could be planning a smaller, cheaper version of its iPad tablet device with a screen size of 5-inches to 7-inches, and a price under $400, for launch in the first quarter of 2011, according to a new report.
Citing its senior analyst, Mingchi Kuo, DigiTimes reported Thursday that Apple is "expected" to release the new device in early 2011. Kuo cited "talks with upstream component sources," who said the device will focus mostly on reading and other mobile tasks that do not have a "high demand" for text input.
....
Elsewhere in this area of the AppleInsider.com forum, we learned that the iPad is loaded inside--so much so that the device components alone account for a majority of the retail price. Every single component inside the iPad serves a critical function. A device or reduced size must necessarily be a different from the iPad.
As big as my dick and just as portable.
Reported.
What happened to 'gay'? Did you just sign up to show off your sexual insecurities?
I have no doubt they prototype a great many products - but doing another size so soon can start to affect developers enthusiasm.
I wouldn't mind a wall mountable version to function as a bedroom TV...maybe a 19-25" iPad? That'd be awesome.
I do think there's room for an iMac-like 22" or 28" screen - high resolution, touch?, iPad brains. It should do everything an iPad can plus act as a remote terminal to a regular Mac. So with one regular Mac in the house, you could have 5 screens capable of being iPads OR acting as Macs if they have a keyboard.
That being said, I call BS on this. After all, it's coming from DigiTimes, the National Enquirer of the tech news business.
I don't see this happening. I, for one, wouldn't want a screen smaller than the iPads. I have my iPhone for that. If anything, I wouldn't mind a wall mountable version to function as a bedroom TV...maybe a 19-25" iPad? That'd be awesome.
it's ok, everyone will have forgotten about this rumour by then.
why dont they just eliminate the ipod touch and sell the ipad 5 instead?
just random thoughts
this is a no go, wont it be a gigantic pain for developers to develop an app for the iphone ipad 10 ipad 5 and the ipad 7??????
why dont they just eliminate the ipod touch and sell the ipad 5 instead?
just random thoughts
While there might be some logic to it, it is not consistent with Apple's current development system. They went to the trouble of adding the iPad to the SDK just this year. They're not going to change it that dramatically so soon.
If Apple intended for the iPad to be multiple sizes, they would have made the iPad SDK revision support multiple resolutions so that the developer could write once and deploy on an infinite number of screen sizes (like Mac OS X, Linux, Windows, etc). The fact that the screen sizes are locked into the SDK suggests strongly that the rumor is BS.
No way.
Pitiful rumor; wonder who it serves? It's a negative rumor as far as I'm concerned - talking about possible versions of a product which just shipped. But wait! There's the HP Slate which comes in that SAME form factor + size! Wow, genius!