The iPad 2
Much speculation has been made on the mythical ‘iPad Mini’, a rumoured 7-inch iPad from Apple that some are expecting for release later this year at a price point to rival the new Google Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire.
We reported two months ago on rumours that a 7-inch iPad would emerge around August but, if more recent tales are anything to go by, it’s looking more like the display will reach somewhere between 7 and 8 inches and the device may not be announced until later in the year.
Bloomberg cites “two people with knowledge of the plans” in its report, where it estimates the smaller iPad will cost just US$199.
If this is true, it means tough competition for the just-released Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire (which may also see a new model soon), which are priced in the same bracket.
However, the low price point may indicate lower specs for the device. Retina display is unlikely at that cost, and storage may reach no higher than 8GB.
Unwired View reckons the device will be about as thick as the iPad 2 and come with Sharp’s indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) technology, which uses thin-film transistor technology to create thinner displays with increased endurance and quality.
