Apple unveiled iPad Mini, a smaller version of the original iPad with a 7.9-inch touchscreen with Retina display technology starting at $329. iPad Mini runs on dual-core A5 processor, FaceTime HD camera and 5MP iSight camera (1080p recording). This tablet will compete with the likes of Google Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD.
The device runs on iOS 6 and features the 8-pin Lightning dock, which was introduced last month with iPhone 5. Battery back-up of the all-new Apple iPad Mini will be 10 hours, same as that of the full-sized iPad.
Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said that iPad Mini has 35% extra screen space than 7-inch tablets, its competitors. Since the smaller iPad has the same screen resolution, so that all existing apps for iPad will run smoothly. The device runs on iOS 6 and features the 8-pin Lightning dock, which was introduced last month with iPhone 5.
The company also refreshed the new iPad, launched in March this year and made it faster and compatible with 4G LTE network. The tablet now runs on A6X processor, which provides it with twice the CPU and graphics processing capabilities. It now works on 4G LTE networks and Wi-Fi, and still offers 10 hours of battery life.
Apple is offering the Wi-Fi only iPad Mini in 16, 32 and 64GB capacities at $329, $429 and $519, respectively. For the 4G-compatible versions of the device, users will have to shell out an additional $130 for each variant. iPad mini and ipad 4G will be up for pre-orders on Oct 26. The Wi-Fi versions will start shipping on November 2, while the cellular-enabled models will hit the shelves two weeks later.
Previously, Steve Jobs vehemently opposed the idea of a smaller iteration of the Apple's tablet, though company documents have revealed that he warmed to the idea later on. However, 7-inch tablets have done well in the market and have gained traction in the market. In India, the market for budget tablets is booming and many companies have 7-inch tablets priced under Rs 10,000.
The launch of iPad Mini indicates that it is changing its strategy with respect to low cost Android tablets. Feature-wise, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 is the chief competitor of iPad Mini; the former costs approximately Rs 28,000 in India, a price point that Apple's small tablet will not touch if it maintains the US pricing for India. It is positioned in the sub-$350 segment, where the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 is present. If Apple maintains this pricing for India, then the company would offer a new, technologically up-to-date product to consumers at a lower price than the nearest competitor.
Another major challenger for Apple iPad Mini is Google Nexus 7, whose top end version is expected to cost less than Rs 20,000 in India. The company may lose customers to Google if it maintains its elitist pricing, which can put the iPad Mini out of reach of a segment of buyers. The remaining major competitor of iPad Mini in India, Amazon Kindle Fire HD, is not expected to hit Indian shores any time soon.
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