Thinking about the iPad mini

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There are just too many little nuggets of Gruber-goodness in this article to pick out one or two.



  • Defendor

    I think he is drowning in technicolour dreams on the pricing. The nearly 8″ screen is bigger than what is in the Nexus, moreso because 4:3 uses more area, and it will be a custom part, not off the shelf like the Nexus.

    The 8″ “mini” would cost more to produce than the Nexus and Apple will want much more than the reported Google margin of ZERO.

    The absolute minimum price for a 8″ iPad is $300 and even that seems thin on margins, so I expect $350 is more reasonable.

    If Gruber really thinks $200-$250 is likely, he needs to mark himself down for future “Claim Chowder”.

    • http://www.scottearle.com/ Scott Earle

      And when the original iPad was still a rumor, everyone was saying that it would start at $999.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Marcus-R-Moore/676140569 Marcus R. Moore

      I don’t think screen size should be a major factor in the price. If Gruber’s stated belief is correct; that the iPad Mini’s screen will be cut from the same display material as the 3GS (which they’ve been manufacturing since 2009), then it’s probably so commoditized that it costs them next to nothing.

      As to the other internals, half of me thinks they could put in older iPad2 internals to keep the price down, the other half thinks that they won’t want to hobble it with last year’s processor.

      A price between $199 and $299 seems almost certain, and exactly what it will be depends at least in part on how aggressively they want to dominate the market.

      • Defendor

        Size matters and this is still a custom part nearly 40% larger than the Nexus off the shelf part.

        And it isn’t just screen, it is the casing, battery everything.

        Look at what Apple actually does sell for $200.

        An 8GB 3.5″ screen iPod touch. To do it, they put in a very crappy TN screen with crappy viewing angles.

        Even $300 for an 8″ iPad is unlikely, $200 is absurd.

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Marcus-R-Moore/676140569 Marcus R. Moore

          I get what you’re saying, and I don’t totally disagree. But if you look at the current landscape you have

          $199 iPod Touch $399 iPad2 $499 iPad (3rd generation)

          And I think they’ll continue to sell the “last generation” model for $100 less, so the iPad(3) will be $399 next year.

          So, I think $350 is too close to the price of an iPad2, which is why the pessimist in me says that $299 is as high as they’ll take the base model. It fills out the lineup nicely, with iOS devices available from $199 to $499 (with extra $$$ for more storage).

          • Defendor

            I would agree that $350 is too close to $400 iPad 2.

            But if the 8″ iPad exists, it’s role is to replace the previous generation iPad in the lineup, while having an even lower price.

            Either way I don’t expect iPad 3 will move into the lineup at $400, there is just too much expensive tech (retina screen and humongous GPU and huge battery) and iPad 4 will likely be too close in specs (people would just keep buying cheaper iPad 3).

            So (if there is an 8″ ipad) in 2013: it will be

            $199 iPod Touch (4″?) $300 – $350 iPad Mini 8″ $499 iPad (4th generation) 10″