“The number of rumors that Apple is working on a small, 7-8″ iPad have increased recently. DigiTimes posted another today,” Kyle Baxter writes for TightWind.
“I wanted to address the idea of a small iPad because I’m sure it’s something Apple has thought about a lot, and it’s an interesting question whether it’s a good idea or not,” Baxter writes. “I have no doubt that Apple is working on a small iPad, but that’s a separate question of whether they will actually release it.”
Baxter writes, “I don’t know what Apple will do. They could introduce a new iPad within a year. I really have no idea. But I don’t believe they should. In fact, I think at some point, they will introduce a smaller iPad. But I think it needs to be at least several years from now…”
Read more in the full article here.
[Attribution: The Loop. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
Related article:
Apple to unveil smaller 7.85-inch iPad this year, says anonymous Samsung official – March 13, 2012
Apple might release a larger iPod touch or a dedicated ereader but a smaller iPad is unlikely. I suspect that they will first move the touch layer to the desktop and leave the display vertical.
What is the difference between a larger iPod touch and a smaller iPad?
To make a smaller iPad all the interface elements need to be scaled down in real size making them more difficult to touch, A larger iPod could actually make iPhone-sized interface elements easier to target. You could double the pixels of an iPhone screen with more pixel dense elements that have a slightly larger physical size.
Actually, an 8-inch iPad with the same 1024×768 resolution as iPad 2 would make the pixels per inch about 160, which is the same as the original (and iPhone 3GS) PPI number. So I don’t think it would make it “more difficult to touch.” The current iPad 2 PPI number is about 130, so the difference is only about 20%.
Think about it this way… An iPad is very usable by a wide range of humans, from a 10-year-old child to a 300-pound football player. The diversity in human hand and finger size is MUCH larger than a mere 20% change in going from 10-inch at 1024×768 to 8-inch at 1024×768. To me, it almost seems like the iPad UI was intended to be slightly “more dense.”
Keeping the 1024×768 resolution also solves the problem with platform fragmentation. From the developers’ perspective, an 8-inch iPad at 1024×768 is the same old iPad.
1920×1280 would be cool at 7 inches.
Excellent points as usual ken1w. Making good sense.
People are thinking this smaller screen is proportional.
That makes sense, for the apps and things that exist now, however, image an iPodTouch scaled about 250% (4.5 iPodTouch screens set horizontally). Ergonomically, the horizontal holds well in my peoples’ hands. This might actually measure diagonal 7.85″ and cater to device used more in landscape.
Perhaps, this screen will be for a virtual keyboard and trackpad. Maybe a device that is capable of 2 apps side-by-side, multi-tasking those apps running. Or then again, a new gaming console and pvr; geared more to HD movies.
I am totally guessing of coarse and would hope Apple innovates on newer type of products for us rather then focus so much on refining what we have. All for advancements yet enjoy new products far more. Introduction of iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac we spectacular to witness. An aTV, iSlate, iClock and/or an iSafe… are what I’m really hoping to hear about next.
7.8″ = paperback book size. Perfect for pocket carry and reading, map use with GPS, game play…
@ Rorschach
You have your opinion; mine happens to be different.
I think 7.85″ is too big for most pockets.
Yet, a great size for gaming; if in a horizontal format.
I would expect from a well designed app to take into account the screen size where is running and adapt to it, without sacrifing size of screen elements at all. Regarding how much work would be needed, most games would not require re-design at all, because the tapable areas would still be accessible. And apps using standard components would reuse most of the vertical mode design (think how Safari or Mail work: in horizontal mode, they have a left panel and in vertical mode that panel is hidden and accessed through a button).
The difference is the apps. the iPod touch uses iPhone/iTouch apps. The iPad has several hundred thousand apps custom made for the larger screen. An 8″ iPad mini at the original iPad resolution is still large enough to benefit from the iPad apps.
Would have been nice to have made vector scalable graphics at the core of iOS. Allowing, all screens pushing the maximum retina quality possible without of specific sizes or worry to fragmented market of apps.
I’ve been wishing for thin in MacOC for years. It drives me crazy when people set their displays to less than the native resolution of the LCD display.
Would vector base graphics to all displays on iOS and OSX sort that issue out?
One set resolution, infinite zoom levels, always smooth high quality pixels. Super clean edges always. As is a PDF, as is Flash animation. As is the simple few programs like Ink and Doinks – vectors at the core of iOS. Or is this already true?
As in the interface elements like close widgets, menu bars, and menu text mostly. For an example look at the 11-inch MacBook Air with the gorgeous hi-rez screen. Now try reading the menu in comparison with the very yummy 13-inch MacBook Air.
The difference between a larger iPod and a smaller iPad? Plenty. The larter iPod would be known as a mega something or other along that line. The maller iPad however would inevitably be known as a mini-iPad which would automatically turn the new iPad into the maxiPad. I refuse to believe that Apple is that dumb.
Apple is not, but your comment is.
I agree with the larger iPod direction. But, I’d only go to 5″ or so not 7+.
Still iPhone / iPod touch applications. Given that it is lighter and still usable for personal video, reading, and light applications.
For adults it is a more portable version for the purse or brief case.
My impression is that the IPod touch is becoming a kid’s machine, though it is really too small. (Teens + get iPhones). This also makes it a good gift for the grand kids.
Additionally, it has less impact on the iPad market segment.
They might make use of defective iPad 3 panels where, if I’m correct, some large LCDs and or LED panels fail to perform at a certain size. Maybe theres a place for those orphaned displays. It’s similar to those AMD quad core CPUs where one core wasn’t up to snuff so they branded it as a Triple Core CPU.
Very funny unclemac,
Can I then split my dual core macbook pro in two? 😉
Kurt
“iPad mini” is just fantasy unless Apple will implement its patent that would allow to detect approaching finger before it touches the screen, and thus scale-up the needed part of the UI to make it as big as on full-size iPad.
This technology is very difficult, so it is doubtful that it will be ready this year.
I would prefer a 17″ iPad, or at least a touchscreen laptop. With the rate the CPU and RAM are growing in the iPad, the next one should easily surpass the power of my last studio computer tower.
+1 — or a 15″ something bigger.
Steve Jobs was very vocal that Apple would never produce a 7in iPad. He said the competition would try it because they didn’t test as deeply as Apple does. He said any such device would be DOA as soon as it hit the market. Furthermore, it would not be operationally compatible with existing Apps in the App Store (so, I suppose, would cause some level of fragmentation). Don’t bet against Steve on this one.
Steve Jobs never said never.
It would be perfectly compatible as long as it sticks to the same resolution as ipad2, which would make a smaller ipad ‘retina’.
I agree with Draven that if I need anything it is a bigger iPad, not a smaller one. 17″ would be a bit on the heavy side, though. Rather 12″, please.
Steve Jobs was also very vocal about video not being right for the iPod and then a year later introduced the iPod video. He was also very vocal about eBooks and said that no one reads anymore… Then came the iBook store.
The point is Steve Jobs said a lot of things – not all of them were true. 🙂
Did SJ say anything about a 7.1″ iPad? Or a 7.8″ iPad? No, he didn’t. And, as has been pointed out many times, SJ sometimes misled competitors and sometimes changed his mind. In addition to those facts, SJ was not omniscient or infallible. The hockey puck mouse is a good example. Honor SJ, but think for yourself!
We need an 8 inch something whether ipad or touch for travel … to surf the web … game and watch videos. It’d be perfect … cause the touch is too small and the ipad too big.
There’s one sale.
Any others? Going once… Going Twice… FAIL to justify the market initiative.
There is no money in the tweeny size slab market. Apple isn’t interested.
Didn’t Jony Ive just say on a recent interview that Apple wouldn’t ever enter a market just because they could, unless they feel like they can really bring something new/revolutionary/done just right into that market?
Steve Called a 7″ tablet a failure. There’s just not a good market for them right now.
Perhaps a 6″ iPod touch for gamers with extended battery life…. that would be good. But nothing larger.
Kind of a long article to point out that an 8″ iPad makes sense from a physical sense, but has a problem in that it’s too small to run iPad optimized apps and too large to just scale up all the iPod touch apps.
I like the idea of Apple releasing a larger iPod Touch. It would be a great gaming system and would have most of the features present in an iPad, while being focused on media consumption vests creation.
It would lock more users into Apple’s ecosystem and completely crush the loss leader devices like the Kindle Fire. Perfect size for a dedicated gaming device and Apple tv controller/remote as well. Priced at $299-$349, Apple would have all price points covered.
How about just use the iPhone, but have it plug into different size screens. Then we could all have a 6″ or 8″ or even a 27″. Make a bunch of different sizes driven by the iPhone. Perhaps even a big ass projector for BLN and other tools. I hope Apple folks are reading here, they can have my idea for free. Just for all the great Apple products I have used over the years.
In other news, it looks like it will rain some time in 4Q2012. I have some ideas why this looks to be both a good and bad idea. I want to hear from you in my poll, do you think it should rain?
They only thing this guy is sure about, its that he is not sure.
I don’t know if it’s been mentioned before, but Kyle Baxter’s Tight Wind blog is one of my favorites. Maybe my very favorite (sorry gruber.)
Its not an iPad mini. It’s a touchscreen remote that comes with your iTV, just like the new Wii.
It’s a self-recognizing device that plays well with the other iDevices. Virtual keyboard when near a iMac. A gaming unit when near the Apple TV. A iPadHD when you take it every where else.
The problem with scaling down the iPad interface isn’t just the button size. Try reading a book in 7-point type sometime.
Yeah – but the user can increase or decrease, even change the font to several different faces with iBooks on the iPad/iPhone/iPodTouch. Yo aren’t stuck to 7 pt type.
Man why do they not just call it iPod and forget the rest? Never right.
The 7″ iPad is going to be the remote for the new Apple TV and also work as a game controller. Take it to the bank.
I was thinking the same thing. I don’t think apple is going to make an iPad mini anytime soon, but I do think they would want a dedicated remote for the apple TV that is a slick looking touchscreen (with or without Siri). It will probably look like a large iPod touch, maybe with 1080p resolution to match the TV screen. A cool bundled remote would be a major differentiator for an apple tv.
Sounds right. Yet, there needs to be just one more advantage or benefit to this otherwise its just a large iPodTouch.
And we all know that makes a real nice tv remote and game controller already.
So what’s important:
eBooks and reading – sure for the schools – but will loads of storage 128 Gb up to 256 Gb for starters yet those text books are huge.
iTV / aTV – definitely a market all the buzz – so yes.
Gaming – perhaps a new platform for mac – doubt that.
So I don’t know – does someone else see a market Apple can get into.
iClock – set by Siri for time/date/alarms/calendar events decorated with your personalized by your iPhoto, integrates Airplay and your iTunes music, perhaps a camera simple to state notes to loved ones when you go out.
iAnswer – replaces your answering machine and integrate Siri, includes all of iClock above
—– those are some ideas this 7.85″ screen could be for. Why an iPadMini?
There is a market of unknown size for those carrying a MacBook Air or Pro who want a compatible “reader-communicator phone”.
I use a Jawbone routinely, so the actual use of a 7-8″ device would make more sense. The iPad is indeed too large for me & I gave it to my wife. A 7-8″ iPadPhone with exactly half the pixels of the new iPad would handle all the applications & icons just fine and my eyes would work great with those on such a screen.
As long as the iPad is selling like gangbusters, the 7-8″ version will likely be held back, or until a competitor makes a successful move at the latest. Apple will NOT give up a market segment that they see as viable.
The question is whether Apple sees it as large enough to do it and when.
After all, Apple had 3 versions of its Mac Book line for a long time, so you can’t say they haven’t seen and adapted to providing what customers will buy.
Does not!
Would make a great iPod update!
Never burn your bridges because markets change a smaller iPad or larger iPod could compete in the Android market where the sizes are common. Making the iPod a large size makes more sense.
If one checks the record far enough back they will find numerous examples of SJ saying one thing while Apple was moving in the direction SJ was slamming.If Apple wanted the field left empty for them to enter into when they where ready what better way than to announce to the world why no one should go there.
If iOS works in the iPhone format it is disingenuous to imply that it could never work in a form factor smaller than a iPad. If Apple releases a smaller form factor I won’t be surprised. Touch or Pad it is still an iOS device.
I still doubt a smaller iPad or a larger iPod is coming. Anything larger than an iPod/iPhone is not reliably pocketable, so it might as well be an iPad. Jobs was pretty adamant in listing the faults of an iPad mini. Having said my reservations, it would provide a strong reason for dropping the number: “iPad 3 mini” is unwieldy compared with “iPad mini”
This rumor trend is and EXCELLENT study in how people respond to dopey, unjustifiable rumors.
Tweeny iPad: Not Gonna Happen.
Knowing that fact makes this fake rumor circus all the more amusing.
Apple has iPodTouch / iPhone size screens.
Apple has iPad1/2 and new iPad size and qualities to produce.
I rather think this is an entirely new product.
Maybe its for the iAnswer. An answering machine incorporating iOS. An iPadMini just seems so uninspiring.
If that happens I hope we see more development back to the iMac and MacPros.
They are running out of vowels, though. iPid? iPud? iPed? That last one might work in the education market.
A larger iPad screen size would be more appealing, say similar to that of a MacBook Air, where one doesn’t have to keep stretching the screen with two fingers just to read the tiny blurry fonts on MDN due to ageing of eye sight.
If they had released an iPad mini this week it may have taken sales from the new iPad and hence slowed the speed of migration for 2012 users.
However if you hold off another 6 months and release a $250 iPad mini that uses all of the iPad 2 apps then u have an awesome product immediately.
This may also have been an incentive for Apple to keep selling the iPad 2. 🙂