Buzz around the web is that Apple is developing a new, smaller iPad. One with a 7-inch screen, to be exact. This information comes from supposedly reliable sources. Well, I'm not buying it. This is why.
I love my iPad, and thus I desire to see the iPad succeed. There's nothing worse than owning a piece of proprietary hardware that suddenly stops receiving support. Devices have life cycles, granted, but early death (remember the Sega Dreamcast?) just leaves people sour and generally off put to a company's future endeavors.
It's because of this love that we want to squash these darn mini-iPad rumors. Could Apple be developing them? Sure. Would it be a wise move for the iPad's future? Absolutely not. Here are our chief reasons:
Less Battery Life
The iPad has a phenomenal battery (removable or not). Whereas even with my iPhone 4, I tend to need to charge it every night--even if it's not yet dead--the iPad lasts me days. It's an incredibly efficient machine. It's also what makes the iPad as bulky as it is. It takes up the lion's share of the inside space and accounts for its somewhat undesirable heft.
Create an iPad that's halfway between the iPod Touch and the current iPad model and you're simply not going to get the same results. The battery will have to be smaller, but to compete with 9.7" iPads, it's going to need to have the same hardware specs (processor speed, RAM, etc.), which means it will consume the same amount of power, on average. A smaller battery with the same assortment of components means less battery life. Considering battery life is a selling point, it'd be a bad business decision.
Less interior space means by necessity a smaller battery.
Yet Another Size for Apps
We already have the disparity between apps designed for the iPhone/iPod Touch and the iPad. It requires extra development to release the same app for both devices, at least to have it look good. Throw in yet another size, with potentially a different screen resolution, and things could get even harrier. Will Apple have to introduce the super-universal app, compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and iPad Mini? It's a potential technical nightmare, and it would be nothing short of confusing to consumers.
Too Much Choice
There are already 6 iPad models. Expect another round of 6 to replace the old 9.7" models with new ones (retina display, cameras, more RAM) next year. If the same principles apply to the iPad Mini (multiple storage space specs, 3G, and Wi-Fi only models), you're looking at up to 12 models. Even if the Mini comes in only one storage capacity, you still have 9 overall to choose from.
Furthermore, given that 3G models cost about $130 more than the Wi-Fi only models, that means the base iPad Mini would have to sell for no more than $370 to be a cheaper alternative to the base model $499 iPad. That iPad Mini would probably not clock in at 64GB (like the high-end iPod Touch), which means it would only be $30 more to get a new iPod Touch with much more storage space. In fact, if you want something smaller, maybe you should just get an iPod Touch.
Can you see yet how hard of a decision this would be for the customer? The iPad needs to be viewed as a must-have new device for your life, not merely a slightly bigger iPod Touch, one of its greatest criticisms.
Plugging in a device between these two would make it the netbook of the iDevice family.
The iPod Touch
Which, of course, is the last major point. The iPod Touch has a 3.5" screen right now. This could change in the upcoming refresh planned for next month. Could the iPod Touch go smaller to make room for a mid-level iPad? It could, but the current iPod Touch's screen is pretty much the perfect pocket size, as is.
The iPad at 9.7" is not the largest screen, either. There are larger tablets being developed. But it has a "just right" feel to it. The iPod Touch uses multitouch gestures well, but the iPad offers enough extra screen space to let you involve your whole hand. Shrinking that removes the clear advantage the more expensive iPad has over the iPod Touch.
Apple clearly believes in the iPod Touch. Doing anything that could possibly harm its sales potential would be a shot in the foot. When iOS is more or less the same across each mobile device, it must be the devices themselves that are the selling point. Differentiation is key. 7" is not that different.
In the end, Apple could certainly surprise us with a new, smaller iPad (assuming they keep the coveted 9.7" model, as well). I simply feel this is the wrong way to go. In fact, it would be more of a shock than a surprise.
3 Comments
When discussing batterylife you're forgetting that a smaller model would have a smaller screen, and with it less battery usage.
One of the big battery drainers on the iPad is definitely the screen. Don't believe me? Try testing out battery life with full screen brightness, and then with lowest screen brightness. There's a huge difference.
Mads you are absolutely correct. They would never make the Ipod Touch Screen smaller. If they did it wouldn't be more than half an inch. Why would you want a device with a smaller screen. If Apple wants to improve products they wouldn't make a device's screen smaller. I also don't agree with the size of app's problem. Keep the screen resolution the same. If they can put a retina display on a 3.5 inch screen, they can put it on a 7 even if they don't put it on the 9.7. Less Battery life is something to expect when getting a smaller device. Look at Laptops and Netbooks.
Retina resolution on new Itouch or Ipad? Gosh~ This is awesome!
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