Let’s face it, iPad mini or whatever it is going to be called is coming and anyone who is denying it’s existence is living in a fool’s paradise. We have seen mold leaks, schematics, and big publications confirming that the device exists and will hit the market later this year. Apple is a company that although tries to create a new category by releasing new products and usually leads it’s competitors when it comes to innovating, it has also dominated markets that it wasn’t first to get in. After recent flood of iPad mini related news, i decided to look into the factors that could lead Apple to introduce a smaller and more affordable tablet than the current iPad.
Note: Please don’t forget to cast your vote in the poll embedded at the end of this post.
Developing markets and Students
The most important reason why Apple needs an iPad mini with smaller screen and lower price is because people in the developing markets such as China, India, and other Asian countries simply can’t afford an iPad right now. iPads are so popular all over the world that anyone who knows what it is wants to have it, even if he can’t afford to buy it. We know how Apple takes Asian markets such as China very seriously and iPad mini could help it getting a lot more customers than it is already having with the current iPad.
Another type of customers Apple could attract by releasing a cheaper alternative to iPad is students. Most students wanting an iPad could not buy it because it is out of their range. When a $200-$250 iPad is available in the market, a large number of students from both schools and universities all over the world will be able to afford a tablet and take advantage of it in their studies. This would also help in boosting Apple’s initiative of promoting iPad in education.
Competition
Apple is already the undisputed king of the tablet market, especially the one involving larger screen. But when it comes to the tablets with a smaller screen, the likes of Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire are ruling simply because Apple does not has a competitor for them to compete with. These tablets are selling for a very low price point of $199, appealing to a much larger crowd than the iPad, making it inevitable for Apple to bring it’s own horse to the battle. Though they have not been able to damage iPad as their creators might have expected, both of these tablets mentioned here have been immensely popular. In the last Christmas season alone, Amazon sold well over 4 Million Kindle Fires. On the other hand the Nexus 7 sales are looking strong at this point, Google is yet to announce the initial sale numbers for their tablet.
If Apple wants to retain it’s title as the no. 1 tablet maker then it has to release a tablet that is both smaller in size than the current iPad, and cheaper so that more and more people could afford it.
Portability
Tablets are post PC devices, so unlike PCs users should be able to carry them around with ease. Current iPad is great at portability, as it’s neither too big nor small, though many people believe that they could carry around their tablet more if it was a little more easier to hold in hand or put inside a large pocket. An iPad with a 7-7.85 inch screen and a thinner iPod touch like design could satisfy such people.
I am no expert at this, but I think the smaller sized tablet will not only be easier to carry for guys, but ladies will also be able to carry it around in their purse much more conveniently than the current iPad, making the new tablet an instant hit among women and girls.
Gaming, Reading, Movies and more
These are the few things current iPad is mostly used for, and in my opinion the new smaller iPad will be even more good at these tasks than it’s bigger brother. Sometimes playing a game such as FIFA or any racing game that uses accelerometer makes it harder to control and focus on the game due to the large size of the iPad. I think the new smaller iPad would be perfect for playing games and would be a huge hit among gamers as it would not be big like the current 9.7-inch iPad or small as an iPod touch.
Reading would be huge on the iPad mini if it is released with a retina display screen. Watching movies will be as big on the smaller iPad as it is on the current one, no need to discuss it any further.
What do you think, should Apple release an iPad mini? Tell us by voting below. You can also leave a comment if you have anything you would want to share about the rumored device.