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“The report claimed that the original, 9.7-inch iPad is too big and heavy for many consumers, and the new model will cut weight down from 700 grams to 500 grams,” Marsal reports. “The report said that the new iPad will also use an in-plane switching LCD display for wide viewing angles.”
Marsal reports, “Rumors of an iPad with a smaller form factor have persisted for months, but in recent weeks they have picked up considerable steam. Last week, another report from Taiwan suggested that the new iPad will have a Cortex-A9 processor and a screen resolution of 1,024-by-768 pixels.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Brawndo Drinker” for the heads up.]
Exactly what I’ve been waiting for …. bigger than a touch yet smaller than the iPad … which I just demoed at an apple store. Too big for my taste …. smaller is better! …… I think it will sell like crazy!
I don’t get: now apps are developed for two different display sizes. That’s still ok but adding another one… Isn’t that one of the issues of Android, cater to different sizes?
I want a 4th Gen iPod so bad I can taste it, but if a 7″ iPad has similar features, i.e. a camera, I’d really consider a WiFi model instead.
Would have to handle both to compare, of course.
The rumors have the screen resolution same as the current iPad. So nothingnwill change.
Just cost and size choice. All the programs for the iPad will display at native resolution. Even the iPhone apps will be clear compared to the current iPad- pixels will not be stretched as much on the 7inch screen.
@BlueMeanie71, actually there are currently *three* sizes… or more accurately, there resolutions: original iPhone, iPhone 4 w/Retina display, and iPad.
Since we still haven’t hit the holy grail of resolution-independent graphics (even if OSX and iOS support it, it’s still far easier for app developers to manipulate pixels in a paint program than to do them as vector graphics in a drawing program), this is a problem that will haunt multi-resolution OSes and their apps for some time.
Uhm, one, I don’t believe the story, but two, the screen would have the same resolution, 1024×768, as the original iPad.
Will it still be revolutionary?
I have doubts about this rumor, because a new 7 inch model without optimizing the UI of every single App to the new display size is not Apple´s style and developers are still busy with changes for iphone retina display as well as with for adaption of the 9,7 inch ipad size. It is still too early to diversify the iPad model range. There is more chance for a “retina update”
for the coming 3,5 ´´ ipod touch as well as for the next 9,7´´ iPad.
Will it be zippy?
For people who want mostly an eReader, but may also want some of the other bells and whistles this might just be perfect. While I had adapted well to my Ipad for reading… my wife still has a fondness for her mother’s kindle. I think a little smaller and lighter would help this catch on more with readers.
Also, iBooks Store needs to improve in selection and pricing… or else Apple should just hand over the ePrint market to Amazon. The prices can be significantly different, and the selection is terrible through Apple.
It always made sense to me. There’s a huge, gaping hole between the iPod touch and the iPad. Why let someone else fill it? It could be a sweet spot for many customers.
I was waiting for the 2ndGen 9.7″ iPad but who knows, I might like this 7″ model better. 500 grams still seems heavy, though. I bet Steve is working his minions hard to get them all down to around 250-300 grams. He’ll be determined to have the lightest, sleekest tablets as the market matures.
I won’t be buying this because my wife would sever my penis. For some reason she thinks my iMac, Macbook Pro, Macbook, iPad, iPod touch and iPod nano are adequate.
And the more I think about it, she’s probably right.
Could the resolution gap not be met by going Retina display on a smaller screen? Retina may not be economically feasible with the larger iPad, but the smaller screen – maybe.
As soon as something can’t be done, you show your ignorance.
Darn, I was hoping for a 6.5″ iPad. My wife wants 8″… There’s a joke in there somewhere.
but i want a 15″ ipad that weighs 250grams
@mossman
There are still only 2 different display sizes even when iPhone 4 offers a higher display resolution. Interface elements does not change there size, they only show more details in case of developers have already optimized there bitmaps.
So higher resolution have only minimal effect of programming of an App, but changing the screen size will affect the whole UI in a fundamental way, or you can stay with the smaller size.
If true, this finally be the prefect solution for a computer to leave in my car, mainly containing music, but also apps for navigation, finding campsites and trails, or the nearest open bar. Love it.
@azurite:
re: the joke.
Check your shorts.
Sorry, ‘this MIGHT finally be’. Arr… I be a bit a of a pirate this morn, yar…
I don’t buy it. Apple is all about *not* confusing consumers–adding another iPad size into the mix seems like it would only confuse developers (even if the pixels are the same, nav elements and fonts may have to be redone for smaller iPad) and consumers (iPod Touch, iPad mini, or iPad)?
I’m way more likely to believe that we’ll see the Retina Display on the iPad in its current form factor. I can also believe that the next iteration of the current iPad will be lighter, as battery technology improves.
Lighter? Smaller?
Just right.
Yes please.
@MidWest Mac – What no iPhone?
@ChrissyOne
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Don’t worry about it. Nobody is prefect.
@BlueMeanie, they are saying the new iPad would have a smaller size, but with the same 1024×768 resolution, so no new code needs to be written for apps.
At a significantly lower price than the current IPad it would be the final nail in the coffin of the net books