Apple now building 'iPad mini,' WSJ says

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  • Reply 21 of 63
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    i believe that it will be a 399 (and up) model.

    apple will make the perfect 7 or 8 inch tablet for those that really want one.. they won't make a cheap tablet for those that want "cheap cheap cheap".

    that isn't apple's market. you guys are delusional if you think that this will be cheap with less quality.

    apple is about quality 399, retina, a6, 1gb ram, 7h battery instead of 10 and that's it. maybe 4g (499), maybe not.

    Maybe next year, if the form factor shows some pull in the market, I could see that. But this year it's all about the size and who wants to fit it into their lives. Test marketing, if you will.

    No retina option yet. It would reflect badly on the entry-level model.
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  • Reply 22 of 63
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    That sounds REALLY logical. And will make it a huge failure in the eyes of the public that demands a $249 tablet.

    I could not agree more. The touch should've been dropped (or $229) and the iPad mini should have been $299 with everything the new touch has. That would've been extremely successful. People love apple, but I don't know if the general public will pick a 7-8" iPad mini that is twice the price as a kindle or nexus (regardless of how crappy those would be in comparison). $100 more, sure. Double the price? Doubtful.

    The touch pricing still makes me cringe. $100 more than a 8" nexus. Insanity. This will likely be the worst selling touch in history by a mile (although the excuse will be because the iPhone consumed it- which will be a part-truth).
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  • Reply 23 of 63

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by pedromartins View Post


    i believe that it will be a 399 (and up) model.


     


    apple will make the perfect 7 or 8 inch tablet for those that really want one.. they won't make a cheap tablet for those that want "cheap cheap cheap".


     


    that isn't apple's market. you guys are delusional if you think that this will be cheap with less quality.


     


    apple is about quality 399, retina, a6, 1gb ram, 7h battery instead of 10 and that's it. maybe 4g (499), maybe not.



    I agree, except that we might see an IGZO display and a base price of $349 ($449 with 4G). That's a bit higher than the iPod Touch's $299 price point, allowing them to somewhat differentiate those products and discontinue selling the iPad 2 at $399. They might also want to use the iPad Mini to test out IGZO in a new low-stakes product category. I'd be shocked if they shipped the Mini with a less brilliant, less pixel-dense display. I'm more excited by this product launch than anything else Apple has released this year.

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  • Reply 24 of 63
    haarhaar Posts: 563member
    a truly cool iPad mini would be one with that new 5" sharp 1920 x 1080 display...
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  • Reply 25 of 63


    I understand concerns about the high iPod Touch pricing, however, I think Apple's pricing rationale is that current and potential iTouch users will see the latest model as a viable alternative to an iPhone, complete with AirPlay, iMessage, gaming and everything else the App Store has to offer.


     


    More and more, a lotta people, especially teens, are very adept at getting by without cellular connectivity. The iTouch is very powerful, has a bright 4" Retina-class display, and should be good for about three years of software upgrades, etc. No one's using a 7" Nexus as a phone in the sense that it is always with them. Despite what anyone has to say, a 7" tablet is not universally portable.


     


    The pocketable iPod Touch is Apple's trojan horse low-cost (in the sense of being cellular contract-free) iPhone strategy, IMHO. 

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  • Reply 26 of 63
    I have been following this sites for years, and finally decided to post something because I think it would make sense.

    Why iPad mini would be a logic evolution? I see two versions of this product.

    1. 'Cheap' version with non retina display
    Name: iReader
    For who: people who read a lot, and uses kindle style machines. Students, commuters...
    Price: $129 or below
    Benefit: grab this market of readers, and create hallow effect . Also provide much better reading experience than other readers.
    Features: super thin, lighter (can hold without problem), limited iOS, very very long battery life.

    2. Mini iPad as leaked, with full features of new iPad.
    Name: iPad mini
    For who: pros, people who bought the RMB.
    Price: $700
    Benefit: the roll Royce of smaller size tablets.

    I did not explain in too much details my reasoning, on order to make this first post simple.

    This is my first post, so go easy on me... But tell me what you think.
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  • Reply 27 of 63
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    An impressively coherent first post. Don't see many of those anymore. Two questions, though.





    Originally Posted by sebmez View Post

    Name: iReader

    For who: people who read a lot, and uses kindle style machines. Students, commuters...

    Price: $129 or below


     


    Why? That doesn't feel like Apple.


     




    Name: iPad mini

    Price: $700



     


    Not even Apple could spin such a device as having that sort of worth.

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  • Reply 28 of 63
    Why? That doesn't feel like Apple.

    How many people use iPad to simply read? I think not that many. Plus, I think apple is all about the experience. Give the kindle type user a much better experience, and a quality product, which I am sure Apple can manufacture for a very competitive price... You fill up a gap and create another hallow effect. I am not clear myself on the limitation of the iOS of such a device.


    Not even Apple could spin such a device as having that sort of worth.

    I think they did it with the RMB... And before, they also did it with the new iPad (I remember all the talking about such a display being impossible to put on an iPad).
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  • Reply 29 of 63


    Originally Posted by sebmez View Post

    How many people use iPad to simply read? I think not that many.


     


    So why create a device specifically for reading? But the number's bigger I think either of us imagine.






    Give the kindle type user a much better experience, and a quality product, which I am sure Apple can manufacture for a very competitive price...



     


    They've already given them a better experience in the iPad. $129 is an impossible price.






    I think they did it with the RMB...



     


    The retina MacBook Pro is NOT overpriced for what it gives. People won't pay more just because you tell them it costs more.

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  • Reply 30 of 63
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,954member
    sebmez wrote: »
    Why? That doesn't feel like Apple.
    How many people use iPad to simply read? I think not that many. Plus, I think apple is all about the experience. Give the kindle type user a much better experience, and a quality product, which I am sure Apple can manufacture for a very competitive price... You fill up a gap and create another hallow effect. I am not clear myself on the limitation of the iOS of such a device.
    Not even Apple could spin such a device as having that sort of worth.
    I think they did it with the RMB... And before, they also did it with the new iPad (I remember all the talking about such a display being impossible to put on an iPad).

    RMB was replacing an existing model at the same price. A smaller iPad at an even higher price than the current high end iPad, I don't know if that will work.

    I don't know if Apple would make a single-purpose ereader. Maybe when eInk is made without the inversion flash.
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  • Reply 31 of 63
    philboogie wrote: »
    Certainly hope that certain i(nternet) person won't be posting today.
    Will it look like:

    Funny when Samsung enlarged the smartphone screen where it had never been before it was called on AI everything under the sun and not innovative. Apple reduces the screen size of the tablet to the already existing available Kindle, Nexus , etc size and it is an EVENT! So laughable.
    Only thing more laughable is if Apple prices it above $199
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  • Reply 32 of 63
    jeffdm wrote: »
    RMB was replacing an existing model at the same price. A smaller iPad at an even higher price than the current high end iPad, I don't know if that will work.
    I don't know if Apple would make a single-purpose ereader. Maybe when eInk is made without the inversion flash.


    I will be happy to be wrong on the 700$ mark.
    I would love apple to be able to blow my mind with an enhanced e-reader though. I know the iPad is already providing a great experience, but not for simply reading a book. Anyway, just my feeling.
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  • Reply 33 of 63
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,954member
    sebmez wrote: »
    I will be happy to be wrong on the 700$ mark.

    I'm just not seeing where even they can justify that.

    I would love apple to be able to blow my mind with an enhanced e-reader though. I know the iPad is already providing a great experience, but not for simply reading a book. Anyway, just my feeling.

    There is a place in the market for the eink tablet, but that doesn't mean Apple will offer one.
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  • Reply 34 of 63
    jeffdm wrote: »
    I'm just not seeing where even they can justify that.
    There is a place in the market for the eink tablet, but that doesn't mean Apple will offer one.

    If Apple offers E-ink I will buy.
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  • Reply 35 of 63

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sebmez View Post





    I will be happy to be wrong on the 700$ mark.

    I would love apple to be able to blow my mind with an enhanced e-reader though. I know the iPad is already providing a great experience, but not for simply reading a book. Anyway, just my feeling.




    I don't see how they can charge more for a product that has less features 'as-leaked'. You're saying people would pay a $50+ premium over a base new iPad, or a few hundred over a base iPad 2 just for form-factor?

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  • Reply 36 of 63
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,954member
    i believe that it will be a 399 (and up) model.

    apple will make the perfect 7 or 8 inch tablet for those that really want one.. they won't make a cheap tablet for those that want "cheap cheap cheap".

    that isn't apple's market. you guys are delusional if you think that this will be cheap with less quality.

    apple is about quality 399, retina, a6, 1gb ram, 7h battery instead of 10 and that's it. maybe 4g (499), maybe not.

    Apple has a $399 iPad. Are you suggesting it would sit along side it or replace it?

    Someone mentioned the $299 Touch, but that's 32GB. Offer a $299 iPad "mini" with 16GB and for all I know, I might buy a second tablet.
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  • Reply 37 of 63


    If the iPad Mini is a premium product with retina and an A6, then I think it will sit at $400.


    It would make for some very interesting data if customers had to choose between last year's tech at 9.7" and this year's tech at 7.85".


    What better way to gauge demand?

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  • Reply 38 of 63

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by brutus009 View Post


    If the iPad Mini is a premium product with retina and an A6, then I think it will sit at $400.


    It would make for some very interesting data if customers had to choose between last year's tech at 9.7" and this year's tech at 7.85".


    What better way to gauge demand?



    the 9.7 still has the extra real estate and the GPU horsepower. maybe a new 9.7 with a6 and lightning will be released too.


     


    for me, it makes sense. the ipod touch..i can't understand that price point.

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  • Reply 39 of 63

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post





    Apple has a $399 iPad. Are you suggesting it would sit along side it or replace it?


     


    Does it really matter what they do with the old iPads?  Not to me.  They're the wrong size.  When the original came out I could not justify one because it would be redundant to my laptop.  I'm not alone in this point of view.  There will be a market for the mini no matter what they do with the big iPad.

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  • Reply 40 of 63
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by iSheldon View Post




    Apple reduces the screen size of the tablet to the already existing available Kindle, Nexus , etc size and it is an EVENT! So laughable.

    Only thing more laughable is if Apple prices it above $199


    Apple will be laughing all the way to the bank.

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