Wow looks like someone leaked a bogus rumor (cause if it was real they would be a world of hurt) to try to up Samsung's stock value.
Except that Samsung's stock has been in bull mode for the last 6 months. In September Samsung's stock was under 700,000 KRW, now it's just under 1,200,000 KRW, and at it's 52 week high....
Plastic Logic was an emerging name before e-readers and tablets took off in the last 3 years. Yet Plastic Logic remains nothing but a name, for all intents and purposes. It would be cool to see flexible displays truly emerge. There are myriad interesting possibilities. But, at the end of the day, Apple is a company that does not incorporate new technology just for its sake. If and when they deploy it, there will be a real utility beyond the whimsy of rolling it up.
I think if they did make an "iPad mini" they would probably sell a lot of them... I'm sure apple is at least testing this, whether they do it or not is another question... If the iPad mini is priced at 250-300 then does the touch stay at 200-220..?? This is really the question apple is answering behind closed doors: what will the iPad mini canabalize more, the touch or the iPad.? Maybe neither? Anyway, my belief is apple would still sell every one they make and i believe there is a market for an entry level price point-simple, mid sized tablet for people to test the waters with... They will love it so much, get hooked on the ecosystem and upgrade to the full version later... I see no problem with this... But I trust cook and the gang to make the best decision...
Apple and Samsung are strange bedfellows. Samsung is a supplier and a competitor simultaneously. This just has to weigh on Tim Cook's and the Apple Board's minds. The potential for industrial espionage could be too tempting for Samsung to ignore. I mean just look at what Samsung is offering. A little too close to be independent development in my opinion.
I think if they did make an "iPad mini" they would probably sell a lot of them... I'm sure apple is at least testing this, whether they do it or not is another question... If the iPad mini is priced at 250-300 then does the touch stay at 200-220..?? This is really the question apple is answering behind closed doors: what will the iPad mini canabalize more, the touch or the iPad.? Maybe neither? Anyway, my belief is apple would still sell every one they make and i believe there is a market for an entry level price point-simple, mid sized tablet for people to test the waters with... They will love it so much, get hooked on the ecosystem and upgrade to the full version later... I see no problem with this... But I trust cook and the gang to make the best decision...
It'll eat into the sales of the 'regular' iPad.
Ain't happening. Apple has no need to tinker with a BLOCKBUSTER product for which there is zero competition.
Apple and Samsung are strange bedfellows. Samsung is a supplier and a competitor simultaneously. This just has to weigh on Tim Cook's and the Apple Board's minds. The potential for industrial espionage could be too tempting for Samsung to ignore. I mean just look at what Samsung is offering. A little too close to be independent development in my opinion.
Not to mention the Samsung executive who got caught leaking Apple sales numbers for components to a hedge fund before the original iPad came out.
You won't see an iPad mini from Apple. If anything, you'll see an iPod+. Also, the speculation that this rumored device might not be released until fall is an indicator it is more likely to be a larger iPod.
An iPad mini's 4:3 aspect ratio would be all wrong for a versatile, 7-inch device. These need to be a 7-inch device with a 16:9 aspect ratio for three reasons:
- To hold and operate with one hand on occasion.
- To fit into (some) pockets (a 4:3 device would not fit).
- To fit into the 180mmx100mm opening of automotive dashboards (larger, 4:3 devices would not fit).
Apple engineers would be brain dead to design a device that isn't versatile enough to be used by hand AND in vehicle entertainment systems.
Why do bloggers and the mainstream media keep reporting these dumb iPad mini rumors?
This type of screen seems well suited for DESKTOP deployments where the screen can be tethered to a power source but I fail to see a suitable MOBLIE solution where smartphones and tablets are concerned.
A flexible screen that slides out of a case that it's tethered to is at best a novelty and not a moblie solution.
There is a market for a smaller tablet, that much is obvious. Competitors would have stopped producing 7" variants by now if that wasn't the case, I also hear a lot of people asking for smaller tablets and now there's a trend for bigger phones and hybrids too. People have different needs. Apple doesn't and will not cater to all of those needs but they will cater to some of them (the largest market they possibly can with a very small portfolio of products).
You cannot fixate on a statement from Steve Jobs as some kind of absolute truth! He (like any good businessman) expressed something a couple of years ago that benefited his strategy at that time. Apple are known to have experimented with numerous form factors and settled on 9.7" as the perfect canvas for great software design and utility. But I am inclined to believe that he also knew/Apple know there is a market for a smaller tablet (whatever that size may be) but you have to perfect the vision and the first iteration of a product before broadening the portfolio and catering to an even larger market.
The 9.7" iPad is now maturing as more of a MacBook replacement as well as defining new ways of creating and consuming content. The OS and the Apps are becoming more sophisticated and that is happening because there has been a couple of years of development from Apple, an army of developers expressing their creativity and the processing power/connectivity options are increasing.
I think now is the perfect time to broaden the product portfolio without distorting/affecting the original vision. The platform is set, the software is mature, the infrastructure, components and market are in place.
The benefits of a 7" model in my opinion:
Better for bedtime reading and browsing
Better for travelling
Great size for a Sat Nav/In car unit
Good size for children
Great size for portable gaming (more so than the iPod touch)
Makes a good A5 notebook
The size & weight will allow even more businesses to utilise them everywhere (9.7" can be a bit cumbersome on the shop floor but great for meetings)
The benefits of a 9.7" model in my opinion:
Larger canvas for productivity apps
Larger canvas for media
Great for browsing at home or in the work place
Great for multiplayer games
Makes a good A4 paper replacement (PDFs, documents)
There's tons more trapped inside my bonce somewhere but I'm suffering temporary amnesia due to sleep deprivation!
There are researchers (both academic and corporate R&D labs) working on flexible batteries, and a number of working prototypes have been shown to work.
I think if they did make an "iPad mini" they would probably sell a lot of them... I'm sure apple is at least testing this, whether they do it or not is another question... If the iPad mini is priced at 250-300 then does the touch stay at 200-220..?? This is really the question apple is answering behind closed doors: what will the iPad mini canabalize more, the touch or the iPad.? Maybe neither? Anyway, my belief is apple would still sell every one they make and i believe there is a market for an entry level price point-simple, mid sized tablet for people to test the waters with... They will love it so much, get hooked on the ecosystem and upgrade to the full version later... I see no problem with this... But I trust cook and the gang to make the best decision...
GREAT observation. That's a great question. I think people are just so focused upon apple competing rather than actually innovating. Yeah, the kindle fire is 7 inches. That's got nothing to do with apple. The iPad is a tremendous success and I do not think they would do anything to mess that up. They already did quite a bit of "eating" into the macs when they released the iPad. I would help people at best buy and for what most people use a computer for, the iPad shines. THAT size too. Anything smaller would be a "toy"
Creating a smaller iPad will open the door for future larger than iPad tablet computers. People could get introduced to the lower priced 7.85" iPad and love it. Then in another year when Apple introduces a fully capable tablet computer that is equal to or even better than Mac Books, there will be a natural progression for those people to purchase them. Since they will already be familiar with the OS and Apple, they will automatically go with an Apple tablet computer to replace their older Windows machine.
The iPods and iPhones have done this for Apple's iPad and Macs. A smaller iPad will do the same for the company. It will bring more people to the Mac line of computers. Somewhere in this ecosystem will be the Apple TV. I don't know how well it will fit into this. If it has great interoperability with the other Apple products then it too will be a great reason for people to purchase it.
There are researchers (both academic and corporate R&D labs) working on flexible batteries, and a number of working prototypes have been shown to work.
No doubt but without a working product this is at best a novelty and no threat to Apple.
Comments
Wow looks like someone leaked a bogus rumor (cause if it was real they would be a world of hurt) to try to up Samsung's stock value.
Except that Samsung's stock has been in bull mode for the last 6 months. In September Samsung's stock was under 700,000 KRW, now it's just under 1,200,000 KRW, and at it's 52 week high....
Just to be picky ... the most noticeable feature of roll up projector screens is how almost no one rolls them up most of the time.
Well you might if you were running for the bus
That would be the iScroll.
Quick! TM that name!
Apple and Samsung are strange bedfellows. Samsung is a supplier and a competitor simultaneously. This just has to weigh on Tim Cook's and the Apple Board's minds. The potential for industrial espionage could be too tempting for Samsung to ignore. I mean just look at what Samsung is offering. A little too close to be independent development in my opinion.
Good observation.
I think if they did make an "iPad mini" they would probably sell a lot of them... I'm sure apple is at least testing this, whether they do it or not is another question... If the iPad mini is priced at 250-300 then does the touch stay at 200-220..?? This is really the question apple is answering behind closed doors: what will the iPad mini canabalize more, the touch or the iPad.? Maybe neither? Anyway, my belief is apple would still sell every one they make and i believe there is a market for an entry level price point-simple, mid sized tablet for people to test the waters with... They will love it so much, get hooked on the ecosystem and upgrade to the full version later... I see no problem with this... But I trust cook and the gang to make the best decision...
It'll eat into the sales of the 'regular' iPad.
Ain't happening. Apple has no need to tinker with a BLOCKBUSTER product for which there is zero competition.
Apple and Samsung are strange bedfellows. Samsung is a supplier and a competitor simultaneously. This just has to weigh on Tim Cook's and the Apple Board's minds. The potential for industrial espionage could be too tempting for Samsung to ignore. I mean just look at what Samsung is offering. A little too close to be independent development in my opinion.
Not to mention the Samsung executive who got caught leaking Apple sales numbers for components to a hedge fund before the original iPad came out.
Why? No real-life advantage at all. You can roll up paper but people still don't.
You have no imagination.
An iPad mini's 4:3 aspect ratio would be all wrong for a versatile, 7-inch device. These need to be a 7-inch device with a 16:9 aspect ratio for three reasons:
- To hold and operate with one hand on occasion.
- To fit into (some) pockets (a 4:3 device would not fit).
- To fit into the 180mmx100mm opening of automotive dashboards (larger, 4:3 devices would not fit).
Apple engineers would be brain dead to design a device that isn't versatile enough to be used by hand AND in vehicle entertainment systems.
Why do bloggers and the mainstream media keep reporting these dumb iPad mini rumors?
So how does the battery roll up?
This type of screen seems well suited for DESKTOP deployments where the screen can be tethered to a power source but I fail to see a suitable MOBLIE solution where smartphones and tablets are concerned.
A flexible screen that slides out of a case that it's tethered to is at best a novelty and not a moblie solution.
You cannot fixate on a statement from Steve Jobs as some kind of absolute truth! He (like any good businessman) expressed something a couple of years ago that benefited his strategy at that time. Apple are known to have experimented with numerous form factors and settled on 9.7" as the perfect canvas for great software design and utility. But I am inclined to believe that he also knew/Apple know there is a market for a smaller tablet (whatever that size may be) but you have to perfect the vision and the first iteration of a product before broadening the portfolio and catering to an even larger market.
The 9.7" iPad is now maturing as more of a MacBook replacement as well as defining new ways of creating and consuming content. The OS and the Apps are becoming more sophisticated and that is happening because there has been a couple of years of development from Apple, an army of developers expressing their creativity and the processing power/connectivity options are increasing.
I think now is the perfect time to broaden the product portfolio without distorting/affecting the original vision. The platform is set, the software is mature, the infrastructure, components and market are in place.
The benefits of a 7" model in my opinion:
Better for bedtime reading and browsing
Better for travelling
Great size for a Sat Nav/In car unit
Good size for children
Great size for portable gaming (more so than the iPod touch)
Makes a good A5 notebook
The size & weight will allow even more businesses to utilise them everywhere (9.7" can be a bit cumbersome on the shop floor but great for meetings)
The benefits of a 9.7" model in my opinion:
Larger canvas for productivity apps
Larger canvas for media
Great for browsing at home or in the work place
Great for multiplayer games
Makes a good A4 paper replacement (PDFs, documents)
There's tons more trapped inside my bonce somewhere but I'm suffering temporary amnesia due to sleep deprivation!
So how does the battery roll up?
There are researchers (both academic and corporate R&D labs) working on flexible batteries, and a number of working prototypes have been shown to work.
These need to be a 7-inch device with a 16:9 aspect ratio
16:9 sucks at 7".
- To hold and operate with one hand on occasion.
How? You can't possibly reach the entire screen with one hand.
- To fit into (some) pockets (a 4:3 device would not fit).
'Hood pockets, sure. Do you want that to be your main demographic?
To fit into the 180mmx100mm opening of automotive dashboards (larger, 4:3 devices would not fit).
You really think car manufacturers are going to let third party stuff where they could have full control?
Apple engineers would be brain dead to design a device that isn't versatile enough to be used by hand AND in vehicle entertainment systems.
They'd be brain-dead to make a 7" device.
Why do bloggers and the mainstream media keep reporting these dumb iPad mini rumors?
Because the "iPhone nano" didn't pan out and the "Apple HDTV" looks to be a bust. They have to move on to some other lie.
... "Apple HDTV" looks to be a bust.
You are totally wrong on that.
But we'll have to wait.
I think if they did make an "iPad mini" they would probably sell a lot of them... I'm sure apple is at least testing this, whether they do it or not is another question... If the iPad mini is priced at 250-300 then does the touch stay at 200-220..?? This is really the question apple is answering behind closed doors: what will the iPad mini canabalize more, the touch or the iPad.? Maybe neither? Anyway, my belief is apple would still sell every one they make and i believe there is a market for an entry level price point-simple, mid sized tablet for people to test the waters with... They will love it so much, get hooked on the ecosystem and upgrade to the full version later... I see no problem with this... But I trust cook and the gang to make the best decision...
GREAT observation. That's a great question. I think people are just so focused upon apple competing rather than actually innovating. Yeah, the kindle fire is 7 inches. That's got nothing to do with apple. The iPad is a tremendous success and I do not think they would do anything to mess that up. They already did quite a bit of "eating" into the macs when they released the iPad. I would help people at best buy and for what most people use a computer for, the iPad shines. THAT size too. Anything smaller would be a "toy"
The iPods and iPhones have done this for Apple's iPad and Macs. A smaller iPad will do the same for the company. It will bring more people to the Mac line of computers. Somewhere in this ecosystem will be the Apple TV. I don't know how well it will fit into this. If it has great interoperability with the other Apple products then it too will be a great reason for people to purchase it.
There are researchers (both academic and corporate R&D labs) working on flexible batteries, and a number of working prototypes have been shown to work.
No doubt but without a working product this is at best a novelty and no threat to Apple.
16:9 sucks at 7".
How? You can't possibly reach the entire screen with one hand.
'Hood pockets, sure. Do you want that to be your main demographic?
You really think car manufacturers are going to let third party stuff where they could have full control?
They'd be brain-dead to make a 7" device.
Because the "iPhone nano" didn't pan out and the "Apple HDTV" looks to be a bust. They have to move on to some other lie.
How is Apple HDTV a bust?