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Is the iPad Mini an inevitable creation?
Friday 13th July 2012 | Osh
First there was the iPod, which was then followed by its slimmer, sleeker alternative, the iPod Nano. Next was the MacBook followed by its paper thin substitute the MacBook air. With the arrival of the iPad in 2010, some would say it was almost impossible to not expect a smaller, lighter version of the product and now in 2012 there are of course rumours of the iPad Mini.
So far there has been no confirmation from Apple about the making of such products, however, recently leaked photos show what could be engineering samples of both the iPhone 5 and the iPad mini.
The alleged iPad mini sample is photographed resting on top of the previous iPad. In comparison to the iPad, the iPad mini could supposedly sport a 7inch screen and is considerably thinner than the previous iPad. Back in 2010, Steve Jobs announced that tablets with a smaller screen and thinner body were not “sufficient to create great tablet apps” so rumours of the iPad mini suggest that Apple may be heading in a new direction without the control of the former CEO.
With Steve Jobs himself claiming that a mini tablet would not allow the usage of “great tablet apps” is does make one think why would Apple create a product which may be deemed insufficient? Well the first answer could be that research done in the past 2 years has provided Apple with the knowledge to create an able mini - tablet, the second answer could be that Apple are trying to create a product which can compete with the arrival of its competitor the Amazon Kindle Fire.
Amazon, the current retailer of the year, has announced that the Kindle Fire is set to release in the UK later this year. The Kindle Fire, which is currently retailing in the US for $199, is a 7 inch, Android - based, tablet PC which along with its large eBook collection, can also stream movies and TV shows.
The release of the Kindle Fire suggests Apple is trying hard to ensure that its tablet - using customers continue using the iPad and don’t switch to a cheaper alternative. One final reason for Apple creating the iPad mini could be that it's following the time-honoured trend of the past 30 years. They have constantly revived their products to allow them to become smaller, thinner and much more travel - friendly so it may be that Apple are simply doing what they do best...creating products which are suitable for everyone.
Either way let’s hope Jobs was wrong about mini tablets and that the iPad mini is just as great as its predecessors.
Ramya Nair
