Bloomberg and Wall Street Journal point to launch before year is out
We heard more speculation yesterday about the proposed iPad Mini, but overall, it really has just been a succession of leaks and guesswork. Today, Apple's mini tablet seems a little more real.
Two media giants in the US have gone public, independently, confirming that the iPad Mini is indeed a real launch by Apple. According to the The Wall Street Journal, two sources, who asked not to be named, claim the new tablet will 'likely come with a screen smaller than eight inches,' compared to the full-sized iPad's 9.7-inch screen.
The same leak contradicts yesterday's story about the screen claiming that Apple is working with LG Display (not Sharp) for the iPad Mini screens and has told manufacturing partners to prepare for mass production on the smaller tablet.
Bloomberg adds that a 'smaller, cheaper iPad' may be announced by October, but will lack the high definition Retina display of the iPad 3. Again, that slightly contradicts recent rumours, but would make sense if Apple is looking to fight on price – and keep the full-sized product as a premium device.
Sterne, Agee & Leach analyst Shaw Wu also added that the iPad Mini will likely sell at a similar price tag to that of the Amazon's Kindle Fire and Google's Nexus 7 tablet. Again, that's slightly different to recent stories pointing to a slightly higher price. But if Apple comes in at the equivalent of $199 for the Mini, we're not complaining. Unless the UK gets a bump in price, that is.
So still a little vague, but all the pieces are starting to come together. An iPad Mini launch on the same day as the iPhone 5? You wouldn't bet against it.
Source: CNET