Bloomberg: 7-8" iPad Mini in ~October

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I wonder how the current iPad line would suffer from it?

A lighter 7" ipad perfectly suited for ebooks would eat the whole "i could read" aspect of the normal-ipad market. browsing and apps should stay the same so in the end, the bigger ipads will be only that: bigger ipads wich are heavier and thus less functional. they'll have more space etc, but who cares with the cloud.

so between a 7" ipad and worlds more functional windows 8 tablets, i wonder where the ~10" ipad line will end up.
not sure if serious
 
So now WSJ is reporting it:

Apple Inc.'s AAPL +1.16% component suppliers in Asia are preparing for mass production in September of a tablet computer with a smaller screen than the iPad, people familiar with the situation said, suggesting a launch for the device is near.

Two of the people said that the tablet's screen will likely be smaller than eight inches. The iPad's screen measures 9.7 inches, unchanged since the first model was released in 2010.

Officials at the component suppliers, who declined to be named, said this week that Apple has told them to prepare for mass production of the smaller tablet. The Wall Street Journal reported in February that Apple was testing such a device but hadn't yet decided whether to proceed with production.

One person said the screen makers Apple is working with include LG Display Co. LPL +4.44% of South Korea and Taiwan-based AU Optronics Co. AUO +1.24%

An Apple spokeswoman in California declined to comment.

Analysts said a smaller tablet could help Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple maintain its dominance in a market that keeps getting more crowded. Competitors include Samsung Electronics Co. 005930.SE +1.36% and Amazon.com Inc., AMZN +0.09% while Microsoft Corp. MSFT +0.65% and Google Inc. GOOG +1.27% recently unveiled tablet devices.

Last year, the iPad held a 62% share of the world-wide tablet market, according to market research firm IHS iSuppli, which expects overall tablet sales this year to surge 85% to 126.6 million units..

As the market continues to expand, consumers' choices—in size, technical specifications and price—are growing more varied. Last week, Google started taking orders for the Nexus 7, a tablet device with a seven-inch screen that will sell for $199. That matches the price of Amazon's Kindle Fire, which came out last year and also has a seven-inch screen.

Microsoft's Surface tablet, expected to debut this fall, has a 10.6-inch display, larger than the iPad. Microsoft's Windows Chief Steve Sinofsky said that it will be "priced like comparable tablets."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304141204577506471913819412.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection

Looks like you guys might be right after all.
 
1024x768 at 7.85" is the same ppi as the 3GS and before.
2048x1536 at 7.85" is the same ppi as the 4/4S.

Funny how that works out.
 
1024x768 at 7.85" is the same ppi as the 3GS and before.
2048x1536 at 7.85" is the same ppi as the 4/4S.

Funny how that works out.

The first really implies the second since the 4/4S are double the ppi of the 3GS...

The 7.85" ipad makes sense, as that size would ensure that none of the buttons in the apps would be smaller than those on the iPhone. Any smaller would be useless.

It'll be a 1024x768 7.85 tablet with 16GB, with BOM around $160-170. It'll sell for $299. People will line up to buy them for christmas.
They might also have a 4G version for $100 more.
 
1024x768 at 7.85" is the same ppi as the 3GS and before.
2048x1536 at 7.85" is the same ppi as the 4/4S.

Funny how that works out.
Still think you and your baby hands are in the wrong.

If this is the same aspect ratio as the iPad, I think it misses the point in a serious way.






iPad Mini would run Tablet apps (as well as iPhone apps), iPod Touch only can run iPhone apps. Big difference.
If the rumors are correct regarding a taller iPhone (wider aspect ratio) ... I hope this is an iPod Touch Jumbo.
 
Still think you and your baby hands are in the wrong.

If this is the same aspect ratio as the iPad, I think it misses the point in a serious way.

They can't change the aspect ratio, or all third parties would have to re-write their apps which would be a huge mess.

If the rumors are correct regarding a taller iPhone (wider aspect ratio) ... I hope this is an iPod Touch Jumbo.

This would be useless if it was a iPod Touch though, the app market place for iPad is full of thousands of great apps that are tablet exclusive and don't have iPhone/iPod Touch verisions.
 
They can't change the aspect ratio, or all third parties would have to re-write their apps which would be a huge mess.

Third parties are going to have to do it anyways for the new iphone. I think the release of this tablet plus the new iphone's release are related by way of the new aspect ratio. It's a smart move to get developers to modify their apps for both platforms at the same time.
 
Third parties are going to have to do it anyways for the new iphone. I think the release of this tablet plus the new iphone's release are related by way of the new aspect ratio. It's a smart move to get developers to modify their apps for both platforms at the same time.

the new iPhone will be ok for the most part till they re-write them, since it isn't wider at all there will just be a small black border around the top and bottom of the apps likely from what we have seen in the rumors.
 
Still think you and your baby hands are in the wrong.

If this is the same aspect ratio as the iPad, I think it misses the point in a serious way.




If the rumors are correct regarding a taller iPhone (wider aspect ratio) ... I hope this is an iPod Touch Jumbo.
I already said I can palm a basketball and I still don't hold 7" tablets like you do.
 
They can't change the aspect ratio, or all third parties would have to re-write their apps which would be a huge mess.
A lot of info points to them already doing this for iPhone.

This would be useless if it was a iPod Touch though, the app market place for iPad is full of thousands of great apps that are tablet exclusive and don't have iPhone/iPod Touch verisions.
True but if there isn't a native way around that, apps that make sense will come. Certain large-scale apps don't really make as much sense at this size anyway. Different form-factors have different strengths. If this is a 7" tablet you can't one-hand though ... I think it completely misses the point.


I'd have to dig it up, but there's been a ton of discussion by UX experts here (and I don't mean that sarcastically) regarding shrinking down the iPad to 7-8". Simply put, it wouldn't work. Apple would have to change things no matter what.

With that in mind, there's been plenty of discussion regarding the next iOS supporting some type of relative layout functionality. For the new longer iPhone and a smaller iPad to work ... they have to do that. It's either that, or force all apps to have multiple versions which as you say would be a mess. Either way, keeping both at the same aspect ratio would simplify things.






I already said I can palm a basketball and I still don't hold 7" tablets like you do.
You are a freak then :D
 
I already said I can palm a basketball and I still don't hold 7" tablets like you do.


I can do it with the Galaxy Tab (7 inch), but not with the Nook. The Nexus 7 s width is closer to Nook so I wont be able to do it. A tablet need to be narrower than the Galaxy Tab 7 inch in order for me to hold it from behind, one handed.
 
The first really implies the second since the 4/4S are double the ppi of the 3GS...

The 7.85" ipad makes sense, as that size would ensure that none of the buttons in the apps would be smaller than those on the iPhone. Any smaller would be useless.

It'll be a 1024x768 7.85 tablet with 16GB, with BOM around $160-170. It'll sell for $299. People will line up to buy them for christmas.
They might also have a 4G version for $100 more.

What? You know that it's possible to draw bigger buttons without regards to the size of the screen right?
 
Pretty sure he was pointing out that developers wouldn't have to rework their apps at that size.
(I don't think that's what he was pointing out but let's segue into this other thing anyway)
So you're suggesting that Apple is just going to downscale the apps for the smaller tablet without requesting different assets?
That's assuming none of the UI elements weren't already at the minimum recommended size on the 9.7" tablet to begin with. For example, Apple's close buttons in the notification center are already too small and I wouldn't be surprised if other developers made similar mistakes in their apps. It'll be disappointing if Apple takes this easy route
 
(I don't think that's what he was pointing out but let's segue into this other thing anyway)
So you're suggesting that Apple is just going to downscale the apps for the smaller tablet without requesting different assets?
That's assuming none of the UI elements weren't already at the minimum recommended size on the 9.7" tablet to begin with. For example, Apple's close buttons in the notification center are already too small and I wouldn't be surprised if other developers made similar mistakes in their apps. It'll be disappointing if Apple takes this easy route
Apple has always recommended a minimum of 44x44 points for both the iPhone and iPad. (Non retina: 1 point = 1 pixel. Retina: 1 point = 2 pixels.)

But because the PPI of the first iPad was lower than the first iPhone (131 vs 164), standard UI elements were always larger on the iPad than the iPhone. By making an iPad mini with the same PPI as the 3GS now, the UI elements would become smaller like they are on the 3GS.

Developers and designers can do what they want. That's what separates good ones from bad ones. Even if they required new assets, they could still make UI elements too small so that's not a solution to that problem. So I don't really care for requiring new assets because there's little upside compared to the downside.

Here's an example using notification center, like you mentioned. Left is a 4S, right is an iPad 3. The button is the same size in points for both devices, but physically, the iPad one is larger. By going with 163 ppi like the 3GS, a 7.85" iPad mini would be the same size as the iPhone now.

2e4c9.jpg


Also, the tappable portion of it is 44 points. So maybe your issue is that the minimum size should be larger than 44^2. (which I agree with) Microsoft recommends 40^2 for Windows 8.

jfOWW.png
 
Giga is right. I meant even at the apple minimum 44x44 size buttons on non retina displays the 7.85" iPad would have buttons that are no smaller than what's on the iPhone for apps that follow Apple's guidelines. That's why I think it won't be smaller than 7.85".
 
Apple has always recommended a minimum of 44x44 points for both the iPhone and iPad. (Non retina: 1 point = 1 pixel. Retina: 1 point = 2 pixels.)

But because the PPI of the first iPad was lower than the first iPhone (131 vs 164), standard UI elements were always larger on the iPad than the iPhone. By making an iPad mini with the same PPI as the 3GS now, the UI elements would become smaller like they are on the 3GS.

Developers and designers can do what they want. That's what separates good ones from bad ones. Even if they required new assets, they could still make UI elements too small so that's not a solution to that problem. So I don't really care for requiring new assets because there's little upside compared to the downside.

Here's an example using notification center, like you mentioned. Left is a 4S, right is an iPad 3. The button is the same size in points for both devices, but physically, the iPad one is larger. By going with 163 ppi like the 3GS, a 7.85" iPad mini would be the same size as the iPhone now.

[/IMG]http://i.imgur.com/2e4c9.jpg[/IMG]

Also, the tappable portion of it is 44 points. So maybe your issue is that the minimum size should be larger than 44^2. (which I agree with) Microsoft recommends 40^2 for Windows 8.

[/IMG]http://i.imgur.com/jfOWW.png[/IMG]
You hold a phone closer to your eye than you would a tablet though. Same physical size doesn't mean it won't appear smaller. I have to enlarge text on every website to view it on my TV for example. On a normal monitor/desk configuration this zoom would look horrible.
 
Still think you and your baby hands are in the wrong.

If this is the same aspect ratio as the iPad, I think it misses the point in a serious way.


If the rumors are correct regarding a taller iPhone (wider aspect ratio) ... I hope this is an iPod Touch Jumbo.

What is Apple's focus? If its movies/TV etc, then it makes sense to go with a 16:9/10 ratio - ipod touch jumbo as you say. But they've been obsessed with books recently, so that might keep them going 4:3

I'd prefer widescreen for a smaller device.

Not sure about 7.85" though. It makes sense from shrinking UI elements etc. but its very close to 9.7". More like a 2" difference compared to what you think of when you imagine a 10" screen and a 7" screen (I realise ipad isn't 10" but its often referred to as such)
 
I can't imagine anyone would happy with a 3GS quality display on a device.

No one is complaining about the 1024x768 iPad 2 with the same resolution that is selling extremely well at $399.

And the top 3 selling smartphones in America are the 4S, 4, & 3GS. 3GS is beating out all android phones with that PPI.
 
No one is complaining about the 1024x768 iPad 2 with the same resolution that is selling extremely well at $399.

And the top 3 selling smartphones in America are the 4S, 4, & 3GS. 3GS is beating out all android phones with that PPI.

ah shit, you're right. people really don't.

Then let me rephrase my post by saying I wouldn't be happy with that ppi, even though I fully understand why it makes sense all things considered.
That's the reason I sold my iPad 2, I just couldn't stand looking at it anymore compared to something like my 4S.
 
Will this be the first time in recent memory Apple have had to backtrack and play "catch up"?

Jobs had said never to the 7" tablet, they declared that market dead, now it's taking off and they will, for the first time, be the last to arrive at the party.

Don't get me wrong, Apples brand alone will murder the competition (on top of the fact both Google and Amazon treat non US customers as an afterthought, Apple don't) but it just seems odd for them to not be the first.
 
Will this be the first time in recent memory Apple have had to backtrack and play "catch up"?

Jobs had said never to the 7" tablet, they declared that market dead, now it's taking off and they will, for the first time, be the last to arrive at the party.

Don't get me wrong, Apples brand alone will murder the competition (on top of the fact both Google and Amazon treat non US customers as an afterthought, Apple don't) but it just seems odd for them to not be the first.

they have almost never been first to anything really (save for GUIs), they've just been consistently better.
 
Will this be the first time in recent memory Apple have had to backtrack and play "catch up"?

Jobs had said never to the 7" tablet, they declared that market dead, now it's taking off and they will, for the first time, be the last to arrive at the party.

Don't get me wrong, Apples brand alone will murder the competition (on top of the fact both Google and Amazon treat non US customers as an afterthought, Apple don't) but it just seems odd for them to not be the first.
They also played catchup to tiny flash-based MP3 players (after Jobs says people get them as gifts and then lose them in the sock drawer), MP3 players that play video (after Jobs said people don't want to watch video on a tiny screen), and eBooks (after Jobs says nobody reads anymore).
 
Will this be the first time in recent memory Apple have had to backtrack and play "catch up"?

iPod was way late to the market for MP3 players. Smartphones existed long before the iPhone. As that dumb .GIF points out, Microsoft had tablet PCs in 2002.

They won't be the absolute last to the party though - Microsoft does not have a 7" tablet (unless there's something cooking with their Barnes & Noble partnership).
 
I hope the smaller iPad has iPad 3 resolution, not the iPad 2 resolution. iPad 2 resolution is not competitive at the end of 2012. If they release it early this year, sure, not after the Nexus 7.

How many people will buy a physically 1" larger but lower resolution screen to read comic and magazine?
 
Here's an example using notification center, like you mentioned. Left is a 4S, right is an iPad 3. The button is the same size in points for both devices, but physically, the iPad one is larger. By going with 163 ppi like the 3GS, a 7.85" iPad mini would be the same size as the iPhone now.

2e4c9.jpg


Also, the tappable portion of it is 44 points. So maybe your issue is that the minimum size should be larger than 44^2. (which I agree with) Microsoft recommends 40^2 for Windows 8.

jfOWW.png
The tappable portion is not 44 points. It's less than half that.
Here's the graphic of NC clear button's tappable portion (from iPad 2 and iPhone 4S respectively—the iPhone is just 2x obviously):
PODPx.png
LU8UX.png

here is another comparable close button from iOS
Ua45v.png
dandl.png


Minimum recommended size *shrug* I have no issues with that. But everyone can agree that the notification center button is clearly too damn small:
It sure seems like pretty much everyone agrees on one thing Apple got wrong with iOS 5: the close buttons in Notification Center are way, way, way too small. I too misclick nearly every time.

The weird thing is that they’ve been too small since the very first beta of iOS 5 several months ago. Apple had a lot of time to change them, and they didn’t. That’s not an oversight, that’s a decision. Let’s hope they change their minds.


Apple has always recommended a minimum of 44x44 points for both the iPhone and iPad. (Non retina: 1 point = 1 pixel. Retina: 1 point = 2 pixels.)

But because the PPI of the first iPad was lower than the first iPhone (131 vs 164), standard UI elements were always larger on the iPad than the iPhone. By making an iPad mini with the same PPI as the 3GS now, the UI elements would become smaller like they are on the 3GS.
Bingo! I don't want the NC close buttons on the iPad smaller like on the 3GS.

Developers and designers can do what they want. That's what separates good ones from bad ones. Even if they required new assets, they could still make UI elements too small so that's not a solution to that problem. So I don't really care for requiring new assets because there's little upside compared to the downside.
Apple should lead by example.
 
You hold a phone closer to your eye than you would a tablet though. Same physical size doesn't mean it won't appear smaller. I have to enlarge text on every website to view it on my TV for example. On a normal monitor/desk configuration this zoom would look horrible.
What zoom would look horrible? You'd probably hold a 7" device somewhere between what you'd hold a phone and a 10" tablet.

The tappable portion is not 44 points. It's less than half that.
Here's the graphic of NC clear button's tappable portion (from iPad 2 and iPhone 4S respectively—the iPhone is just 2x obviously):
PODPx.png
LU8UX.png

here is another comparable close button from iOS
Ua45v.png
dandl.png


Minimum recommended size *shrug* I have no issues with that. But everyone can agree that the notification center button is clearly too damn small:




Bingo! I don't want the NC close buttons on the iPad smaller like on the 3GS.


Apple should lead by example.
Crap, the screenshot I posted was from a retina device--that's why it was 44px (and thus 22 points). But yeah, I agreed that the NC clear button is too small.

But otherwise, if developers (including Apple) follow the 44 x 44 point recommendation, then there shouldn't be a problem to tap UI elements. The NC example is prevalent on all devices today, not just the iPhone.

I hope the smaller iPad has iPad 3 resolution, not the iPad 2 resolution. iPad 2 resolution is not competitive at the end of 2012. If they release it early this year, sure, not after the Nexus 7.

How many people will buy a physically 1" larger but lower resolution screen to read comic and magazine?
The iPad 2 still sells a lot in 2012. This is a price grab.
 
This is basically Apple converting their lower price tiered iPad 2 to a 7in to not only keep a lower priced option but to use it to jump in the 7incher bracket. Win win for them.
 
How well would it run iPad games? thinking of soon to be released stuff like Baldurs Gate and Frozen Synapse that seem to be built for the 10" screen...
 
The 3gs is surely not competitive. In US there arent alot of options, but oversea you can buy a dualcore android phone with the identucal iphone 4 960x640 sharp 3.5 inch screen for about 200 usd.
People were still buying 3GS in Hong Kong to resell in Mainland China months after the iPhone 4S launch, so much that there were sell outs and people had to set SMS notifications for when it would go on sale at the online store. Go to iphone4hongkong.com and look back to posts around that time.
 
I could see this putting a dent into the Nexus 7. The key though is the price $199 is really good for a solid tablet. Tablets are a luxury device and spending $300+ on one is not something I am willing to do. At $199 it becomes tempting. Regardless if Apple does release a smaller lower priced tablet I am sure it well sell tons.
 
The 3gs is surely not competitive. In US there arent alot of options, but oversea you can buy a dualcore android phone with the identucal iphone 4 960x640 sharp 3.5 inch screen for about 200 usd.
But that would be an Android 2.3 phone with no upgrade in sight unless you hack it yourself, right? That's a markedly inferior phone to the iPhone 3GS due to the OS.
 
But that would be an Android 2.3 phone with no upgrade in sight unless you hack it yourself, right? That's a markedly inferior phone to the iPhone 3GS due to the OS.

3gs with iOS 5.1 still has less feature than android 2.3. I dont want spend too much time on this argument. Lets just say if I send 200 plus on a smartphone for my parents I would get the Android option. Bigger screen is just better for casual users.

OTOH, I can't get my wife to dump her 3gs and replace it with a cheaper Droid X or X2. To people who are familiar with iOS, the 3gs is "better".
 
3gs with iOS 5.1 still has less feature than android 2.3. I dont want spend too much time on this argument. Lets just say if I send 200 plus on a smartphone for my parents I would get the Android option. Bigger screen is just better for casual users.

OTOH, I can't get my wife to dump her 3gs and replace it with a cheaper Droid X or X2. To people who are familiar with iOS, the 3gs is "better".

If you get a phone for your parents then iPhone would make more sense IMO. It's more casual and user friendly. That's just from my experience. My wife struggled with her older android but took to the iPhone quickly when she switched. Maybe it was because she had to get through android first that iOS seemed easier by the time she got it. But whatever, to each his own.
 
If you get a phone for your parents then iPhone would make more sense IMO. It's more casual and user friendly. That's just from my experience. My wife struggled with her older android but took to the iPhone quickly when she switched. Maybe it was because she had to get through android first that iOS seemed easier by the time she got it. But whatever, to each his own.


Well my dad can only input Chinese and iOS input system is terrible compare to Androids. Otherwise I agree with you. I probably will end up getting an iPad 2 for him anyway.
 
Now I'm going to have to hold off on the Nexus 7 I guess. Funny timing with this rumor. If it's 300$ for the top of the line one, then I'd be happy. Not sure if I'll pick it over the N7 though.

Still a lot up in the air.
 
Now I'm going to have to hold off on the Nexus 7 I guess. Funny timing with this rumor. If it's 300$ for the top of the line one, then I'd be happy. Not sure if I'll pick it over the N7 though.

Still a lot up in the air.

I assume it'll be 1024x768... which is enough for me to stick with my Nexus preorder.

Could be wrong, but we'll see.
 
They can make a 7 inch iPad and I still won't get it. I don't like enclosed ecosystems. However, I would sell the crap out of them at work, so I hope this is true! It's really just win/win for consumers.
 
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