iPad Mini Release And What It Means For The Tablet Industry
An an effort to continue tablet domination, Apple officially announced the iPad Mini. Dubbed “Mini-me” by some, the smaller tablet attempts to fill the gap between the iPhone and the traditional iPad. Specifically, it looks to be Apple’s go-to device for reading ebooks, a space that is becoming increasingly popular. Will this tablet take the world by storm like Apple’s other lines?
In short, we believe the answer is “Yes”, however not to the degree of the other Apple products. A main point that Apple is stressing is that the Mini is still a complete iPad and can do basically everything that big brother can. For this reason though, consumers will most likely only buy one or the other, and not both.
The bigger question is will the iPad Mini outsell major rivals such as the Kindle Fire, Barnes & Noble Inc.’s Nook HD and Google Inc.’s Nexus 7? With a considerably larger price tag ($329), we don’t expect the mini Apple tablet to wipe out the competitors. Run a holiday special and drop the price by $50 to $75 though and you may see the public flocking to the iPad Mini. The issue we see with the iPad Mini at $329 is that many shopping with that budget would potentially fork up the extra $70 to purchase a new full size iPad 2 through Apple.
iPad Mini Vs. Competitors Comparison
Below we highlight the advantages the iPad Mini has over other competitors in the mini tablet class:
- Renowned Apple name and quality
- iPad Mini has a 7.9 inch screen compared to smaller 7 inch screens on competing tablets
- Two cameras (one front mounted, one back mounted). Competitors do not have this option.
- Better apps and easier to use interface than competitors – according to electronics analyst Avi Greengart.
Using the iPad Mini For Your Business
The iPad Mini has the potential to be a major player in the business world. While the regular iPad has been used successfully in a number of business environments, the ultra portability of the Mini will make it an attractive option to certain businesses. Specifically, we can see wait staff at restaurants and bars carrying around the Mini when taking orders. Additionally, one could run an iPad app to collect email addresses on the Mini and collect contact information from customers when out in the field.
iPad Giant?
With the release of a mini iPad, one begins to wonder if they will ever go larger. Although a giant iPad may be cumbersome to carry, a larger screen could provide benefits when it comes to watching movies or using an iPad for presentations, etc. In fact, Toshiba recently announced the Excite 13. With a 13 inch touch screen, it would be the largest tablet on the market. Should Apple follow suit?
