When the first reports of a "mini iPad" surfaced months ago, it seemed like an interesting idea, but someting that Apple wouldn't do. When they resurfaced a few weeks ago after the launch of the Nexus 7 and the Microsoft Surface, it seemed like a tablet that Apple needed to make to compete in the budget tablet market. Now, a new set of reports from Macotakara and Bloomberg have arrived, And they're showing why this iPad Mini could be a serious competitor in the market.
According to the reports, the iPad Mini will be produced in Brazil in September, and will be released before the holiday season (Bloomberg points to October). It will have a 7.85" screen, and will have the same screen resolution as the iPad 2, so developers won't have to remake their apps for the iPad Mini.
These reports have confirmed the fact that this tablet is aimed specifically at the budget tablet market; it will retail for just $299 ($100 more than the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire, but $200 less than the cheapest iPad). Apple is also trying to produce a very portable tablet; rumor has it it will be as thin as the latest iPod Touch (thinner than the Kindle Fire). The device will likely support 3G networking.
While many people on the web are saying that this tablet will not succeed and that Steve Jobs was right in saying that anything smaller than a 10" tablet is too small, I disagree. With the specs listed above, it seems as if this tablet will get you all the benefits of the iPad (beautiful design, many more apps, and iOS) without the huge price tag.
As it turns out, many people who buy budget tablets are people who would really like an iPad but can't afford it. So my theory is that if Apple made a cheaper iPad, these people would stop buying the closest thing to an iPad (a Nexus 7, Kindle Fire, or Microsoft Surface) and buy the real thing. Except mini.
