The furor overthe iPhone 5 ’s launchhas started to die down , but the rumour mill can only be sated temporarily . Whispers have been swell that Apple plans to present a little iPad — an iPad mini , they say — with a 7.85 - inch screenland . And now that speculationhas a day of the month attached to it : October 10 is rumor to be the daytime when Apple will cut invitations for a mid - month press event where it will announce its new tablet .
That date is all too soon . But while I think it ’s likely that Apple will produce a pocket-sized iPad at some item , I do n’t think that pointedness is here yet .
All in the timing
Sure , launching an iPad miniskirt right now would position the twist for a blockbuster holiday release . But it strikes me as an odd time to launch one for two ground : First , because the iPhone 5 launched a distich of hebdomad ago ; and secondly , because the current iPad itself is probably due for a refresh just a few calendar month down the road .
Apple introduce the second- and third - generation versions of the iPad in March of 2011 and 2012 ; the first generation was announced in January of 2010 but did n’t ship until that April . As with the iPhone , Apple seems to be accompany a roughly once - a - year revision agenda for its tablet . Given that history , it seems logical to reason out that a fourth - generation iPad will probably make an appearing in the spring of 2013 .
So why release an iPad mini now ? Would n’t it make more sense to announce it alongside a revamped iPad ? Otherwise , it would seem as though Apple is committing itself to releasing new models of the iPad in the fountain and of the iPad miniskirt in the crepuscle . It seems an odd division , like the company updating the 13 - inch MacBook Air without bringing advance to the 11 - inch strain .
It count , I suppose , on how much the two are treated as separate ware , rather than just bigger and little version of the same equipment . After all , until this year , Apple always revamped the iPhone and iPod touch on singly , despite their similarities . But the iPad mini , by all indications , would likely just be a lower - power version of the iPad itself , more on par with the second - generation modeling that Apple still sells , rather than the newfangled Retina - display - bearing model we got this year . And that leads me to my 2d point .
What’s new with you?
If such a machine is essentially a shrunken iPad , would it offer enough that’snewto support a full effect ? Not to give too much acceptance to those critic who deride the original iPad as little more than a big iPod touch , but is there something compelling and novel enough about the much - ballyhooed 7.85 - column inch design itself that warrants the full dog - and - pony show ?
Yes , it ’s a newfangled form factor . And yes , the advantages of the smaller design are absolved : Not only will it weigh less , but it will belike be even thin than the current iPad . Those are n’t insignificant changes : The iPad is n’t just heavy , but having played with some of the smaller tablet useable from other vendors , it ’s clear that Apple has room for improvement in the weight department . Just try reading in bottom while holding your current iPad , and allow me jazz how long you may go before your hand gets commonplace .
But give the many pundits who criticized the iPhone 5 for being a disappointing upgrade , does Apple need to immediately serve up another chance for its detractors ? ( That articulate , the company plainly does n’t make decisions base on what people might say , and they would no doubt still sell millions of the things . )
Even the iPhone , as mind - bogglingly democratic as it is , did n’t deserve its own issue this class ; instead , it end upsharing the stagewitha newfangled version of the iPod touch and new iPod nanos , and evena preview of a raw version of iTunes . You ’d be forgiven for having lose pile of the new smartphone among all the other newsworthiness .
I think a 7.85 - in gimmick introduced at the same fourth dimension as the next - propagation full - size model could show attractive : “ It ’s the new variation of the iPad you know and love — and , just to give you choice , now we ’re also provide it in a little sizing ! ”
But beyond the signifier factor , I ’m hard - pressed to say what else a smaller iPad might have that we have n’t already date . The only thing that do to creative thinker is that such a gimmick would likely incorporateApple ’s young Lightning connector , which debuted on the iPhone 5 . That makes perfect sense in condition of freeing up space in a smaller equipment , but it hardly seems important enough to hang an event on , given that we ’ve already been treat to a merchandising blitz about what that connector can do — and heard the loud cries of those who find cold-shoulder by Apple ’s option to do away with its long - in - the - tooth 30 - peg connector .
Pole position
Then there ’s the competition . There ’s plenty of it in the 7 - to-8 - in lozenge market , with new entriesfrom Amazonand a whole hatful of Android option . I ca n’t guess Apple want to go away this arena uncontested for long — but the fellowship also has time on its side . The iPad remains the prevalent and defining product in this niche , and Apple has time to ride that wave , even in the backwash of increase competition .
As I said , launching a novel iPad in October would give the company a chance to pick up sale during the holiday one-quarter , which would take away sales from competitor such as Amazon ’s Kindle Fire HD , peculiarly calculate on Leontyne Price . ( Wherewouldyou price an iPad mini ? I ’d distrust $ 250 to $ 299 , which still puts it $ 50 to $ 100 more than the Kindle ’s 7 - inch model . )
But I marvel if the rumors do n’t already help with that . If you ’re in the market for a smaller tablet right now , and you ’ve been hearing that Apple might come out with a 7.85 - column inch iPad , you might conceive twice before rushing out to grease one’s palms a Kindle or wait for the yet - to - be - price Surface pad from Microsoft . ( Unless , of course , you have your heart set on one of those gadget for platform reason . )
I ’m certain we all agree that Apple can believably sell plenitude of smaller iPads no matterwhenit bring in them . But the longer it wait , the more opportunity it has to keep its competitors guessing about which specs they need to vie with . To put it another room , justly now , Apple clearly manipulate the game .
Dateline in the sand
I do n’t see Apple announcing the iPad miniskirt this month , but if there ’s one matter I ’ve learned in my years of covering Cupertino ’s every move , it ’s that the society does n’t always act the path you look it to . You expect them to zig , they zag ; you carry them to introduce a humankind - outfox new Cartesian product , and you get iPod socks or Ping .
I ’m sure there ’s more behind Apple ’s melodic theme of the iPad miniskirt than what I ’ve described here , something so canny and obvious that I ’ll slap my head and shout , “ Of course ! This was always the only option ! ” Maybe there ’s a key composition of information that I ’m lack that will tie this whole October launch - date scenario together . In fact , I distrust that from an inevitability - quantum - automobile mechanic - Schrödinger’s - iPad - mini standpoint , just by putting myself out there , I ’ve credibly ensured that an Apple invitation will shoot down in my letter box next week .
But if thatdoesn’thappen , just remember that you heard it here first .
