“It’s a rumor that won’t die: Apple and a 7-inch iPad,” Nathan Olivarez-Giles reports for The Los Angeles Times.
“On Thursday, Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, told Computerworld that he expects Apple to release an iPad in a 7-inch screen size later this year, after a speculated March introduction of an iPad 3 with a 9.7-inch touchscreen,” Olivarez-Giles reports. “The late Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and longtime CEO, also shot down the idea of a 7-inch iPad stating that, at that size, ‘the screen is too small to express the software.’ But Gottheil told Computerworld that he thinks Apple will bring a 7-inch variation of its next iPad to market and that the smaller iPad could ship alongside a case that integrates a keyboard as an accessory, too.”
Olivarez-Giles reports, “‘I believe that’s always been in the plan,’ Gottheil said in the report. ‘Actually, that’s a good form factor for some users, and although they will also charge a premium above other similar-sized tablets, they want to protect that price flank.'”
Read more in the full article here.
It’ll be known as an iPod Touch Maxi not iPad Mini. I don’t believe in an iPad smaller than 9.7″.
Yes, to a larger iPod Touch–a paperback sized media tablet experience. Many readers, casual gamers and even individual video watchers would prefer that size and (lighter) weight. It should also fit in a lady’s purse and a man’s suit jacket pocket. Jobs didn’t think there was anything wrong with a smaller iPod/media player, so there’s no reason it can’t be 6-8″. Apple would sell A TON, while cutting the legs from under the competition.
7 inch iPad?? Lol blackberry win! They are right on track with their 7 inch playbook….
I wouldn’t rule out a larger phone… especially if they need the space for battery. (Though personally I hope they don’t.)
But iPad is all about software beauty. And what do you do with a smaller one. Same screen coord size and all the buttons are too small. Different coord size and you get a lot of suboptimal stuff and a lot of complications for developers.
Android has focused on size independence. Apple has focused on fixed sizes so graphics and software can be truly optimized.
So there has to be a huge reason to shift strategy and ship yet another size. I don’t see one. Amazon ain’t selling because it’s smaller, it’s because it’s so cheap.
And Apple certainly doesn’t feel the need to react to every move its competitors make.
I wonder if men who buy the 7″ iPad will try to convince everyone it’s 10″ one.