Rumor: Apple's iPad Mini Launch Event on October 17

[exfileme]

An unnamed Apple investor said the company will mail out invitations on October 10.

Rumor: Apple's iPad Mini Launch Event on October 17 : Read more

 

[boiler1990]

Yet introducing these two iPad 2 models so late in the game would be a really strange move on Apple's part.

Immediately my thought. Other than targeting W8 tablets, why wait? It would have been smarter to release in Sept with the iPhone prior to a W8 release since people would buy up tablets and not have a need to buy another tablet.

 

[PTNLemay]

Here's what I see happening between now and the end of the year... (pure conjecture on my part, feel free to mock me when all my predictions turn out to be false).

Microsoft will introduce their Windows RT tablet for 499$ in the hopes of competing with the iPad. They will also have their full Windows 8 tablets for around 800$, and then premium Windows 8 tablets with better CPUs and bigger capacity SSDs for well over 1000$. In contrast Apple will unveil an iPad mini for around 300$, their regular 10-inch 16GB introductory model for 499$, and then the bigger 64GB models for 700$. Bringing up the low end we'll have Androids like the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fires that offer a decent tablet experience for between 150$ - 400$.

This places Apple in a very comfortable middle ground, and places Microsoft in a very difficult position if they're trying to push their experimental Metro-style OS onto people. For Microsoft's sake I do hope I'm wrong.

 

[robochump]

Im not too hot on the idea of an iPad mini. Though this may be a best suited for kids/teens so gotta make them tough! lol Currently the size of my iPad is perfect.

 

[LukeCWM]

[citation][nom]boiler1990[/nom]Immediately my thought. Other than targeting W8 tablets, why wait? It would have been smarter to release in Sept with the iPhone prior to a W8 release since people would buy up tablets and not have a need to buy another tablet.[/citation]
I believe they were holding off the iPad Mini press release so as not to steal thunder from the iPhone5.

 

[XZaapryca]

[citation][nom]robochump[/nom]Im not too hot on the idea of an iPad mini. Though this may be a best suited for kids/teens so gotta make them tough! lol Currently the size of my iPad is perfect.[/citation]
A 3g 7" ipad would be a great phone (using voip) for us big guys with old eyes. I was palming a 7" Galaxy Tab and thought it was very comfortable in my hand.

 

[greghome]

[citation][nom]XZaapryca[/nom]A 3g 7" ipad would be a great phone (using voip) for us big guys with old eyes. I was palming a 7" Galaxy Tab and thought it was very comfortable in my hand.[/citation]

Get a samsung note 10.1 , 10 inches !!
http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxynote/note_10.1/specifications.html?type=find

You wouldn't have to worry, even if you're the Hulk

 

[Guest]

I already have amini Ipad, its called the Galaxy Note.

 

[LordConrad]

"Instead, the entries likely refer to Wi-Fi and GSM versions of the iPad Mini. Even more, the CDMA version will likely be iPad2,7 if and when it's introduced."

Why couldn't the iPad 2,6 be a universal mobile device? My Verizon iPad 3 (yes, I called it an iPad 3) works on either GSM or CDMA.

 

[elevatorlaissez15]

A 3g 7" ipad would be a great phone (using voip) for us big guys with old eyes. I was palming a 7" Galaxy Tab and thought it was very comfortable in my hand. http://goo.gl/inbnz

 

[gfair]

[citation][nom]soldier2013[/nom]I already have amini Ipad, its called the Galaxy Note.[/citation]

Great, then you must be enjoying the iOS ecosphere... oh, wait, you can't.

 

[gfair]

[citation][nom]PTNLemay[/nom]This places Apple in a very comfortable middle ground, and places Microsoft in a very difficult position if they're trying to push their experimental Metro-style OS onto people. For Microsoft's sake I do hope I'm wrong.[/citation]

Microsoft has the cash reserves and willingness to use them to buy their way into the market. The real issue here is whether or not developers will support a 4th OS, 3rd in the tablet market. Between iOS and Android, they have the Lion's share. The PC market proved that 3rd place means zero support (BeOS, etc), so Microsoft will have to shell out a lot of bucks and be very price competitive.

I'd look for Microsoft to beat Apple on pricing and even give the low-end tablets a run for the money, but it's going to be a race for all 3 with Microsoft with a weak ecosystem and no reputation in the markets.

 

[gfair]

[citation][nom]LordConrad[/nom]My Verizon iPad 3 (yes, I called it an iPad 3) works on either GSM or CDMA.[/citation]

Cost, space. There's no universal radio that does both just yet, it's one or the other, so either companies put two radios into the device, or create different models. The radio can end up being $30-40 bucks which, in a competitive sector, can be an outright dealbreaker.

 

[NuclearShadow]

Why do I get the feeling Apple will make a huge deal out of this and then proceed to charge more for the smaller model?

 

[billgatez]

This will come out and then Apple will sue Samsung for haveing one and win because the US pattend system is broken.

 

[Guest]

If Windows 8 tablets have x86... I dont even see the competition here.

 

[SmaugTD]

I vote for less Apple based spam